How many dimples are on a golf ball?
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Rather than actually count every single dimple on a golf ball, we asked Bob Thurman, who tests and designs golf balls for Wilson Sports. He says a golf ball usually has anywhere from 330 to 500 dimples - depending on which company designs the ball. The dimples help the ball travel further and higher.
Dimples first appeared on golf balls more than 100 years ago when golfers discovered that balls which had been scratched or roughed up traveled further than smooth balls. "Dimples are what gives a golf ball lift. They create two layers of air going around the ball. The top layer is going faster than the bottom layer which creates turbulence. This reduces the drag and allows the ball to travel further than a smooth ball," says Bob who is a trained engineer.
Different companies have designed golf balls with different numbers of dimples to allow the ball to travel further. This is quite a science and involves weeks of testing and retesting. Companies can even design golf balls to suit the swing of individual golfers. So a ball used by Tiger Woods might have a completely different dimple pattern than one used by David Duvall. The ideal golf ball will usually have between 380 and 432 dimples.
The type of golf ball that you use will have a direct bearing on the distance you are able to drive the ball. Many players mistakenly assume that they should be hitting the same balls as tour pros. This is a big mistake because most amateurs simply don't have enough swing speed to make the balls travel as far as the tour players. Let's face it, you really don't average nearly 300 yards off the tee (there are only a handful of touring pros that actually average this distance).
How I learned about this was when I was custom fitted for my golf clubs. At the same time, I got custom fitted for a golf ball. I found that the Titleist Pro V1 was not the best ball for me because it actually spins too much and I don't compress it enough to get maximum results. I actually found that the Titleist NXT and the Callaway Red were better for me, giving me a more optimal spin rate and actually better distance.
So how do you tell what ball to use? The only way you can really tell for sure is to have your swing tested with a ball launch monitor and with a trained golf professional who actually knows how to recommend you the best golf ball for your swing.
If you'd like to have more discussion around this topic, post a note in the forum and we can get some conversations going.
Cheers
Colin
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