Christopher Byrnes asked:


For something that’s so diminutive, you’ll never know that a golf ball contains the deeper science of aerodynamics. Or do you think that the dimples (the pockmark impressions on golf ball) are just there by chance?

The anatomy of a golf ball is indeed composed of several sciences, one of them is aerodynamics and another is ballistics. The dimple designs are there to provide lift.

The Aerodynamics of Golf Balls

In aerodynamics, path of flight are explained with four different factors: the lift opposed by the weight, the thrust opposed by the drag. The power of the swing provides the thrust and the angle of the flight is supplied by the angle of impact on the golf ball. Naturally the wider the angle the steeper the ball climbs. As soon as the ball is shot from the tee, the power of the swing provides its thrust, and it elevates corresponding to the angle of the club. Naturally, the higher the loft the golf face has the higher the elevation it achieves. This is evident on sand traps where irons with wide wedges are used to clear the buggers.

As soon as the golf ball achieves its flight, the air will immediately impede on the thrust. Thus what we call drag. It kills the distance and in the past, golf balls have shorter travel distance. That is because misinformed science in the past have been rationalizing that smoother golf balls do also have smoother travel in the air. But the resulting effect was a flop, or rather a plop. The balls fall shorter. Golf was then a game of strength.

By fluke, deformed golf balls were played and it was found to have truer flight than the smooth ones. Now golf ball with protrusions were being manufactured. Many styles were being tested, until the dimpled type was found out to have the truest flight. Now a game of golf is a game of finesse. As of now, dimples came in round impressions but recent studies have shown that hexagonal impressions provide better lift than the round ones.

The Ballistics of Golf Balls

With lift being tackled by modern science, now came the science of ballistics, the science of maximum range or known as trajectory. Trajectory is involved with several factors, one of them is the dimples and another is the core. The solid core of the golf ball affects primarily its spin rate (control), compression (feel), and velocity (distance). Cores come in two classes, the solid core designed to amplify power and the liquid core that generally has lesser power (liquid absorbs the shock) but affords awesome control like tricky backspin and green holding.



Dora

madisonblly asked:


I absolutly get in a groove on the range hit like 10 shots in a row money the reason? I have found that on the range I get in a groove because im hitting to the same spot with a lot of golf balls my setup stays the same because im on a mat and dont move. What can I do to get setup correctly on The golf course every shot is different outthere the lies even in the fairway are not always flat and some dont fit your eye whats a good tip to get setup absolutly the same every time on the golf cousre? Please give good tips something like a key visual check in relation to your body so you know your aimed at the target.

Caroline

xrobx87 asked:


You know that game where you have to get the golf ball on the tee inside a snowglobe? I’m just wondering if anyone’s ever done and if so how?

Jorge

Ross Gordon asked:


With so many great golf balls on the market, here is some information that may help you find the ball just for you.

The Titleist Pro V1 - Professional Grade

The Titleist Pro V1 golf ball is must-have for the bag of any serious golfer. The Pro V1 is tour tested and approved by many of the professionals on the circuit. It’s true that the price is steep, but when you can get used Titleist golf balls at a huge discount there’s no reason not to try them.

So what sets the Titleist Pro V1 apart from other golf balls? To start with, you can chalk up a longer driver distance and sweet compression on the swing. A solid core holds it steady on the long drives and the urethane elastomer cover makes the ball softer and more responsive to the touch.

The outer layer includes a high coverage 392 dimple design - an upgrade introduced on the Titleist Pro V1 - and the innovative Alignment Integrated Marking (A.I.M.) stamp that makes alignment during putting a breeze.

While getting to the green is easily achieved with many long-driving balls, they don’t help if they spin out of control or bounce well beyond the mark. The Titleist Pro V1’s wicked Drop-And-Stop control holds your place on the green like no other golf ball.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if the Titleist Pro V1 is good enough for the pros, it’s going to be great for your game.

The Srixon Z-URS Outperforms

If you’re currently using Titleist Pro V1 or Callaway HX Tour 56 golf balls, then Srixon wants to talk to you. The company believes that the Srixon Z-URS is a much better ball than what the others offer and they are prepared to back it up.

The Srixon Z-URS is designed to provide extreme high velocity for insane distance off the tee. Its tough, larger than normal, Energetic Gradient Growth core also delivers a low-speed, high-angle launch to provide the carry needed for long distance. Combine that with a high-trajectory, 330 dimple configuration and you’ve got performance you won’t find in the other balls.

But you won’t be sacrificing control for all that distance you’ll be racking up. The Srixon Z-URS golf ball has a urethane cover that is formulated for softness and spin control. For the short game, the Srixon Z-URS is unsurpassed at saving you strokes after your initial drive.

You know your game and Srixon knows its Z-URS golf ball can improve it. Put it to the test, because you have nothing to lose but a lot of needless strokes.

Bridgestone B330-S Is Consistently The Best

When the Bridgestone B330-S tour balls hit the scene, they were considered the ultimate tour caliber golf ball available to us non-professionals. And because of Bridgestone’s innovative injection-molding process, the B330-S balls you buy today still consistently meet those high standards.

Bridgestone took its research and development international with the B330-S to find the latest cutting-edge technology money could buy. The result is the Bridgestone B330-S’s superior performance and exceptional distance.

The B330-S features a unique seamless cover technology that ensures deeper and consistent dimple coverage for excellent aerodynamics and accuracy. The Bridgestone B330-S also boasts the “Soft Speed Elasticity Core” for vastly increased distance and an inomer inner layer that speeds up acceleration.

Control is a given with the Bridgestone B330-S. You don’t get rave reviews from the pros by putting out a hard ball that doesn’t provide a nice touch for putting. The soft urethane cover gives a sweet, cushy feel that you can propel with great control.

The keyword with the Bridgestone B330-S is consistency. The same great game you - and the professionals - found with the B330-S is still available. And if you haven’t tried it, you’re not too late to get some tour quality, highly-rated golf balls in your bag.



Arnold

Steven Beckerman asked:


Believe it or not, but the first golf balls in the early 1800s were called “featheries” and were actually made of a leather pouch that was rolled tight and packed with wet feathers then dried into a hard and solid ball. The average drive on “feathery” was about 150-175 yards. Today’s standards are very different, aren’t they?

We have come a long way from those days and experience has tough us that a rough ball flew a bit better than a smooth one bringing us to the current dimpled features of a modern golf ball. Why does a golf ball have dimples? A smooth ball is effected by the drag of atmosphere both on air flow behind the ball as well as separation of the air around it. The dimples on the ball allow for these two types of drag to count act granting the ball a more free flight through the air.

So, what makes a ball a golf ball? According the United States Golf Association (USGA), a ball must fall within these specific requirements to be officially recognized as a golf ball, which generally means that:

1. The weight of the ball cannot be greater than 1.620 ounces or 45.93 gm.

2. The diameter of the ball cannot be greater than 1.680 inches or 42.67 mm.

3. The ball must be round and cannot be designed or intentionally changed to have properties different than a round, symmetrical object.

4. The speed, initial velocity, roll and carry of the ball must meet and not exceed USGA test standards.

For a full list of conforming golf balls, please refer to the United States Golf Association (USGA) official website for more specific information on rules guidelines and testing standards.

A full variety of speciality golf balls are available and many tout extra qualities such as longer drive, higher accuracy or a design especially for men/women. While some design changes in dimple patterns and core density may effect the travel of the ball, it is best to try out a few brands before making your final decision on a good fit for you. After all, it will takes years of practice and dedication to develop your own personal accuracy level and, at that point, you will notice more finite changes in specific golf balls.

Can you reuse and recycle golf balls? Of course, a found golf ball that is not too scuffed or discolored is probably fair game for the average golfer. But, there has been some research to indicate that golf balls recovered from a significant amount of time in the water (noted by the discoloration) have absorbed too much moisture to launch properly from impact with the club head. So, think about the time, wear and tear on those golf balls before plucking them out of the pond. Or, if you are considering buying reclaimed golf balls from an industrious caddy that has been digging in the swamp.



Albert

Frank J. Peter asked:


Size of the ball

The “Rules of Golf” says that a golf ball’s diameter must be a minimum of 1.680 inches / 42.67 mm. A smaller ball would fly much further than a larger ball. The reason for this is simple: with a smaller diameter the ball has less air resistance, or in other words, it displaces less air as it flies. Because of this, most manufacturers produce golf balls with the minimal diameter (1.680 inches / 42.67 mm).

Weight of the ball

A golf ball’s weight must not exceed 1.620 oz./ 45.93 g according to the “Rules of Golf”. The heavier the ball, the greater its momentum, and the less it would be slowed down by air resistance. Hence it would tend to fly further. For this reason most manufacturers produce golf balls with the heaviest sanctioned weight of 1.620 oz./ 45.93 g.

Compression Rates

In the manufacturing process, some two-piece, and all three-piece balls are rated by their compression measurements. This is done by pressuring them with a standard weight

Balls that don’t deform at all are rated Compression 200, while balls that deform by 0.2” or above are rated Compression 0. These are the two extremes, and between them balls are rated in intervals of 0.001 inches. The Standard Compression rate is usually 90 or 100. the higher the compression rate the harder the feel, and vice versa. Almost every ball is subject to a compression rating. Compression rates of 80 and 100 are also found.

However, manufacturers are not bound by an official standard. Hence one manufacturer’s compression rate of 100 can be different to another manufacturer’s compression rate of 100. This can mount up to a 3.5 point difference in either direction. In addition, some balls don’t even have the compression rate printed on them.

According to a host of surveys, low speed swing players are better off using balls with a Compression rate of 80. Players with an average speed swing should choose Compression 100, and Compression 110 is best for high swing speed players.

The weather should always be taken into consideration when deciding on compression rates to use. Low compression balls are best for colder weather, while high compression balls perform better in cold water.

Tips for choosing the right balls for you:

Considerations for Driving

Distance balls are designed to fly further and with more accuracy. This means you will be less likely to land in the rough, in a hazard, or out of bounds. Distance balls have their drawbacks, however, as they will be harder to stop on the green. Mid to high handicappers should favor a distance ball.

Optimum Performance in Your Approach

Spin balls are made with outer layers that take on more spin when you strike them with angled club faces. Drawing or fading around obstacles and hazards therefore becomes easier, as they will bend more to the left or right. They also take on more backspin when struck with a lofted club – this is important, as the balls will therefore stop more quickly on the green.

Whilst spin balls used to be made with fragile outer layers that were prone to damage, this problem has now been largely averted with the introduction of solid multilayer construction, replacing the old flimsy balata covers.

Getting More Control

Distance balls designed to stop quickly when on the green, but with minimum risk of slicing or hooking are known as control balls. The Nike One and Titleist Pro V1 are members of the new generation of balls that are so versatile they will perform in any situation.

Balls for Slow Swingers

Known variously as Ladies or Senior balls, these balls increase driving distance to improve the scores of players with slower, less powerful swings.

Choosing the Right Putting Ball

Differently designed balls will roll for different distances on the green. As a rule of thumb, harder balls role further. The difference is more than you would think. Teaching professionals recommend that you putt with the same kind of ball all the time, as this will help you to calibrate, feel, learn and reproduce the connection between stroke strength and distance. As most balls aren’t perfectly balanced, they won’t roll absolutely true, but higher quality balls will be generally more likely to stay on course, due to higher standards of quality control during manufacture.

Affordability

Try to always play with the same balls that you practice with. So if you can’t afford to practice with a high quality ball, don’t switch when playing competitions. A ball that has been overused will no longer be spherical, and so is no good to you. Play balls that you can afford to replace regularly.



Michelle

Lavente Tan asked:


Why purchase used golf balls when you can buy new ones? You have seen tons of website selling them but is there really a need for them? Golf balls are a really interesting topic and much more technical than the other equipment. In fact it can also become the most expensive golf equipment you ever need.

If you are Bill Gates or Warren Buffet, forget about what i said. Shelling out money for them is not that much of a problem. A couple of golfers i know would not mind purchasing $30 a dozen for golf balls and losing almost all for a start. But after some rounds around the range, they felt the pinch. Their new golf balls ended up in water hazards and thick bushes!

For a start, lower your ego and pride if that is what is stopping you from using used golf balls to improve your game. Your high score is nothing to be proud of for a start! Used golf balls can help you improve your skills and enhanced your techniques before you purchase new ones. They are much more worth it and ease your mind off the bucks you would lose when your balls drown in the pond to concentrate your game!

Something a inexperienced golfer should know. Your golf balls will lose performance after rounds of playing with them. Hence, used golf balls are in handy but get them at a good quality with still plenty of rounds left in it or you will be wasting your money.

Where do you find these used golf balls?

Find them at the local golf course you go to or any retail store. I would recommend going online to purchase for a few reasons. You can review other people’s feedback to see if the online store’s reliability of grading.

Why is this needed?

The truth out there is grading is done by people, not machines. There is no consistency among all used golf balls online seller. Ever heard one man’s meat is another man’s poison? It is the same over here. The best way to check is on other purchasers feedback on the quality of the grading!

You can purchase good quality used golf balls for $15 a dozen for top brands like Titleist, Nike and Bridgestone. That is like less than $2 a ball compared to $5 a ball for a new one. With the savings, you get to purchase more golf balls and get more practice!

Everyone knows that golf is much more of a psychological mental game than others. If you are using new golf balls, your mental focus will shift to your wallet rather on your game when you approach a water hazard.

Bottom line here, spend your money where it should be to get the most out of your time and game! Go used golf balls before you switch to new!



Pearl

soldierofchrist1227 asked:


I want to know how to build a safe and legal cannon to shoot either tennis or golf balls.

Will high pressure pvc work?
Thanks.
what do I do?
I want to launch a small, non-lethal object a few hundred feet.

Julio

brent asked:


I need some help coming up with some text for some personalized golf balls for my best man and groomsmen. Try to keep it clean.

Michele

Bill asked:


How should a golf ball be teed up, with the seam at the equator or running north-south. If the latter, should it be hit on the seam or away?

Raul