Why do golf balls have dimples?
It's something that you've certainly seen and felt countless times, but probably have never given a second thought.
Whether you've ever stepped foot on a golf course or not, everybody knows what a golf ball looks like. Those strange dimples encompass the entire thing -- but why? Wouldn't a smoother ball be easier to strike?
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Well, early golfers used to think so. They suspected smoother surface would create less wind resistance, thus enabling the ball to soar further in the air. Wrong!
Golfers eventually realized that their golf balls were flying further after they were scuffed and even dented. By the time 1930 rolled around, dimpled golf balls were the industry standard.
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The science behind it? Dimples help lift the ball by forcing air downward. It's that simple!
The usual golf ball has between 300 and 500 dimples on it -- but there's no rules or regulations limiting that number.
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