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  • Golf on Sep 1, 2003
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  • Why are Golf Balls Dimpled?

    Why are Golf Balls Dimpled? The dimples, paradoxically, do increase drag slightly. But they also increase `Magnus lift', that peculiar lifting force experienced by rotating bodies travelling through a medium. Magnus lift is present because a driven golf ball has backspin. The same Magnus... more

    Reviewed by T-A-R-A Aug 15 2006, 03:00am ( 18 reviews ) • ucr.edu

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  • Rated by cydemp on Oct 14, 1:25pm

    I always wondered

  • Rated by lamaworks on Aug 18, 9:01pm

    I always carry two balls in my pocket

  • Rated by TheSportsGuy on Feb 17 2009, 9:46am

    Would have been interesting with a few more visuals, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.

  • Rated by Richardcran on Jul 15 2008, 2:54pm

    Very interesting. I love golf

  • Rated by LuigiM on Apr 27 2008, 5:03pm

    All my physics teachers have told me that the golf ball flies in an inverted parabola. This site says what I always thought; that it went up, lost momentum, and came down quickly. Now I'm not sure. I get so sick of people saying the Internet doesn't know anything. I want an answer to this from someone who actually knows something about golf.

  • Rated by sbfalbo on Apr 05 2008, 7:38am

    Great stuff - I love the ASCII art!

  • Rated by edub52 on Feb 29 2008, 8:30am

    Updated in 1993 and 1997... and not touched since. ;) Granted, the physics is well-understood. I just found the presentation to be (amusingly) a product of the way-back machine.

  • Rated by andybrowngolf on Jan 25 2008, 12:15am

    The `Magnus lift' is that peculiar lifting force experienced by rotating bodies travelling through a medium. It is present because a driven golf ball has backspin. The same Magnus effect can cause a ball to hook or slice if there is sideways spin. Contrary to Freshman physics, golf balls do not travel in inverted parabolas. They follow an 'impetus trajectory':"

  • Rated by MrsA on Jun 18 2007, 11:32am

    I don't have a clue as to what all of this means. My husband, the engineer however, probably does.

  • Rated by dannewcars on Apr 18 2007, 9:22am

    Great explanation of why golf balls are dimpled.