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Why do golf balls need dimples? To reduce the surface area so that the golf ball is less affected by the air. In addition, the dimples cause the molecules to roll and bounce around which creates turbulence in the air on the surface of the ball.

The moment a ball is struck, it is being slowed down. The force transmitted will propel the ball at about 120 mph through the air. When it start to lose the velocity force, the effects of moisture and pressure in the air will start its action, slowing the ball down. Therefore, the lesser the surface area, the better it is.

In the early years of golf, smooth feather filled balls were used, and it wasn’t until they got scuffed and misshaped that players discovered that a non-smooth ball would travel further. The smooth round ball would travel around 100-150 yards from a driver. So when it comes to drag on a golf ball, dimples smooth things out.
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