Why Golf Balls Have Dimples

Golf balls appear to have smooth exteriors from afar until you get close to one and notice that they are riddled with numerous dimples on the surface. On average, most of these balls have between 300 and 500 tiny dents on the surface that are not only aesthetically pleasing to look at but serve a very crucial purpose.

The small bumps interact with air to create turbulence around the ball, reduce the drag motion and optimize lift force, thus propelling the ball further. So a smooth golf ball can only travel about half the distance that a dimpled ball can. Wow, sports and science really go well together!