Golf balls are an important consideration for any golfer. They are more than just a design to make the ball look and feel more interesting. They also help the ball to travel further.

A lot of research has gone into the design of golf balls and the dimples are an important aerodynamic consideration. A completely smooth ball will fly through the sky without ever getting much lift. It will only ever go as high as you hit it along the balls given trajectory which will also be affected by drag. The ball will have to fight the force of the air and wind it is passing through.

However, the dimples on a ball will cause the ball to spin in the air which in turn helps to make it move higher than a flat one. Although this spinning will create some artificial drag, the dimples also help the ball to pass through the air more easily. There is a slight trade off, but the advantages are clear to see. A smooth ball will travel less than half of one with a good dimple design.

Unlike the weight and size of a golf ball, there are no official rules on dimple design. However, there are a number of factors that will influence the aerodynamics of a ball. The size and shape of them as well as the number and pattern can greatly affect this. A lot of the current designs have been met through trial and error however it is generally accepted that between 350 and 450 perform the best. It is worth bearing in mind that the dimples must be smaller when there is more of them if they get too small the ball will behave like a smooth one.

It is worth remembering this the next time you are in the market for some new golf balls. A good dimple design can help to get your shots higher and longer although there is more to consider rather than just the sheer number of them.