$~~~~$Since golf started in the 15th century, many advances have occurred in the game, including significant changes to the golf ball. Early golf was played with a rounded wooden ball before the Featherie, a leather sack stuffed with goose or chicken feathers, became the norm. Then, in 1848, the Gutta Percha ball was introduced, which was made from the juice of the leaves of the gutta tree (a tropical tree native to Malaysia) and was considerably more durable and affordable than its predecessor. The next advancement occurred in the early 1900s with the development of the Haskell. It was the first ball featuring a center rubber core and an outer cover. The Haskell traveled up to 20 yards farther than the Gutta Percha ball and was more durable. In 1905, William Taylor introduced the first dimpled ball, a ball covered with tiny holes on the surface. By the 1930s, golf balls with rows of dimples were accepted as the standard design. Most golf balls today consist of rubber thread wound around a rubber core and coated with dimpled enamel.

$~~~~$Dimples play an important role in a golf ball’s performance because these markings and patterns enhance the ball’s aerodynamics. When a ball is hit and moves through the air, it experiences two major aerodynamic forces: lift and drag. Drag slows the forward motion, and lift acts in a direction vertical to it. With dimples added to the ball, the force that pulls back on the ball is minimized, allowing it to travel faster and longer. Dimples also help to force the airflow downward, which pushes the ball upward. These are the same principles of aerodynamics that airplanes use to fly. In general, golf balls with small, shallow dimples tend to have a longer, lower flight path, whereas those with deeper dimples have a higher flight path. Golfers can choose their balls based on what they need for a particular shot or for particular weather.