Why are dimples on a golf ball important? 

Have you ever wondered what golf ball dimples actually do?

I know what you’re thinking. Who cares, right? As long as it’s bounding down the fairway!

Like so many of you, I am guilty of just reaching into my bag and playing with the first ball my fingers wrap around. This is, of course, absolutely fine in most cases, but there’s a reason brands bring out various models – whether it’s different launch or spin characteristics, or a harder or softer golf ball.

But how much does the dimple pattern affect matters?

On a visit to the Titleist Performance Centre at Woburn Golf Club, I had my eyes opened to just how important this seemingly innocuous part of golf technology is to our game. 

I was handed what, at first, I thought was a ping pong ball. It turns out it was a Titleist Pro V1 with no dimples – and to demonstrate just how much different the ball flight is with a dimple-free ball is DP World Tour player Todd Clements.

Here’s how he got on… 

How does a dimpleless Pro V1 perform? Well, Todd Clements shows us just that and the results are fascinating 💪🏻 @TitleistEurope pic.twitter.com/ZJ2SouRkq9

— James Tait (@jamestait89) February 19, 2024

Now the one thing that was really interesting with these numbers is the ball speed and spin rates are the same as what you would expect with a normal golf ball. But then it starts getting a little crazy. The ball barely carried 50 yards (!) and never got higher than three feet off the ground (!!) which was not only really fun to watch but also incredibly interesting.

So what does that tell us? Well, after the immediate impact between the the club and ball – which lasts a fraction of a second – the ball is in entirely in the hands of physics – notably gravity and aerodynamics. The dimple pattern, as proved by the short video you just watched, helps optimise the aerodynamics of the ball’s flight by reducing the drag exerted by the air around it. 

Of course, the dimples don’t just help with getting the ball going higher and further down the fairway. They help around the green, too. The aerodynamics of a dimple pattern can create lower-launching and lower-spinning characteristics while still keeping spin rates high on those partial approach shots from around 80 yards and in.

How many dimples does a golf ball have?

It varies. Most popular golf ball models have between 300 and 400 dimples. 

The sport’s most popular ball, the Pro V1, features 388 dimples in a spherically-tiled tetrahedral design, which helps give you a consistent flight.

But every model is different and, like with all golf equipment, you can fine tune everything so it suits your swing and your game. So I would highly recommend booking yourself in for a golf ball fitting to help find the model that gives you the launch, spin, distance, and feel you’re looking for. 

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James Tait is bunkered’s Gear Editor. Want to know how the latest Callaway driver, Vokey wedge or Scotty Cameron putter performs? He’s the guy to ask. Better yet, just watch his videos on the bunkered YouTube channel. One of the biggest hitters in the UK, James also competes on the World Long Drive circuit and is a descendent of former Amateur champion Freddie Tait.

Gear Editor