The Murphy Builders Site

Wacky question

Why do golf balls have dimples? According to aerospace engineer Bob Thurman. He designs golf balls for Wilson Sporting Goods in Humboldt, Tennessee.
“The dimples are there to reduce the aerodynamic drag, that would be acting on the ball if it were entirely smooth. He explains that when a smooth ball sails through the air, it leaves a big pocket of low-pressure air in its wake. That creates drag, which slows it down. So if you can make that wake smaller, then the pressure differential goes down. So the drag force is actually reduced. The dimples do this by creating turbulence in the air around the ball. That forces the air to hug the ball more closely. So instead of flowing past it, the air follows the curvature of the ball around to the back. The result is a smaller wake, and less drag. A smooth ball when struck by a driver, would probably carry about 110 yards in the air and a well designed golf ball is going to carry 250 yards. So that's a huge difference.â€

I've heard of dimple tape for props and you can find thin notes or comments
searching the web. I've never seen a dimple taped prop or wing so IMO the
practical benefit is probably low to nil. (BTW, on a bush plane, the
interest would be more in drag reduction of the prop than the wing.)
Flying low and collecting bug splats is a practical means to the same end,
and more fun.
-Ben

Wacky question

Why do golf balls have dimples? According to aerospace engineer Bob

Thurman. He designs golf balls for Wilson Sporting Goods in Humboldt,
Tennessee.