During the flight of a golf ball, air forms a boundary layer on the surface of the ball. When the surface of the ball is smooth, air molecules in the boundary layer are prone to turbulence, resulting in increased air resistance. The presence of the dimples destroys the stability of the boundary layer, causing the air to form small vortices at the dimples. These small vortices can delay the separation of the boundary layer, allowing the airflow to fit more closely to the surface of the ball, thereby greatly reducing air resistance. According to the principles of aerodynamics, the drag coefficient is closely related to the state of the airflow on the surface of an object. The dimple design can significantly reduce the drag coefficient of a golf ball, allowing the ball to fly a longer distance.
When a golf ball is hit, it usually has a certain amount of rotation. The dimple design helps to produce the Magnus effect when the ball rotates. When the ball rotates, the dimples on the surface of the ball will drive the surrounding air to rotate together, making the airflow speed above and below the ball different. According to Bernoulli's principle, the pressure is low where the airflow speed is fast, and the pressure is high where the airflow speed is slow, thereby generating a force perpendicular to the flight direction on the ball, which will cause the ball's flight trajectory to bend. Different rotation modes (such as left-handed, right-handed, top-spin, and back-spin) will cause different bending effects of the ball during flight. Players can control the angle and strength of the shot and use the rotation effect generated by the dimple design to accurately control the flight direction and landing point of the ball.
The dimple design makes the airflow distribution on the golf surface more uniform, reducing the swing and tumbling of the ball caused by unstable airflow. During the flight, the aerodynamic force on the ball is more stable and can maintain a relatively fixed posture, thereby improving the accuracy and predictability of the flight. This is very important for players, who can better plan their hitting strategies based on the flight characteristics of the ball and improve the success rate of hitting.
In the initial flight stage of golf, the dimples can quickly guide the airflow, allowing the ball to quickly enter a stable flight state and reduce the unstable factors in the initial stage. In the middle stage of flight, the dimples continue to play a role, maintaining the stability of the airflow and maintaining the flight speed and direction of the ball. When the ball is about to land, the dimple design can still affect the flight posture of the ball, allowing the ball to land at a more appropriate angle, reducing the rolling and bouncing after landing, and making it easier for players to control the final landing point of the ball.
The role of the dimples on a golf ball varies with the speed of the ball. When the ball speed is low, the dimples mainly help the ball fly farther by reducing air resistance. When the ball speed is high, the rotation effect and airflow control effect of the dimples are more obvious, which can keep the ball on a stable trajectory at high speed and avoid the ball's flight direction being out of control due to changes in aerodynamics. Therefore, whether it is a high-speed shot by a professional player or a medium- and low-speed shot by an amateur, the dimple design can optimize the ball's flight performance to varying degrees.
The angle of the shot determines the initial flight direction and rotation of the ball, and the dimple design can play a role at different angles of the shot. For example, when the ball is hit at a small angle, the ball's flight trajectory is relatively flat, and the dimples can keep the ball stable over a long flight distance by reducing resistance and controlling rotation. When the ball is hit at a large angle, the ball's flight trajectory is higher, and the dimples help the ball better cope with changes in aerodynamics during the ascent and descent process, ensuring that the ball can accurately land in the target area.
The size, depth, number and distribution of the dimples on the surface of the golf ball are carefully designed and optimized. Generally speaking, the diameter of the dimples is usually between 0.1 inches and 0.2 inches, and the depth is about 0.01 inches. Different brands and models of golf balls may vary in these parameters to suit the needs and shot characteristics of different players. Through a large number of experiments and computer simulations, golf manufacturers continue to adjust the design parameters of the dimples to achieve the best aerodynamic performance, so that the ball can achieve the best balance in terms of flight distance, spin control and stability.
The dimple design on the surface of golf is an ingenious design that integrates multidisciplinary knowledge such as aerodynamics and mechanics. It has a profound impact on the flight trajectory of golf balls by reducing air resistance, promoting spin, and improving stability. It has made important contributions to the development of golf and the improvement of competitive level.
