Golf Ball Aerodynamics: < 0.002" Makes a Huge Difference

[iacas]

It really does make you wonder about "refurbished" balls.

[billchao]

27 minutes ago, iacas said:

It really does make you wonder about "refurbished" balls.

Wow. Thanks for sharing.

I kind of had my suspicions about refurbished balls and stopped playing them a couple of years ago.

[saevel25]

I would not have guessed the difference would produce that large of a ball flight change. 

I do think all golf manufacturers are pretty good at producing consistent golf balls. I doubt would find a ball that has one half like that. Maybe a dimple here or there. 

It would be interesting to see if they had let’s say 10% of the dimples at a different depth. 

[RussUK]

Great vid. I've only had the misfortune of using a refurb once. The paint came off it with one iron shot. Thing is, i can understand why they are sold. Many golfers want to play the likes of thr Pro V1 but cant afford the price new, so when you can but a dozen refurb for £9.99 it initially seems like a good deal.

If you really want to play top brand but not pay the price then recycled (one hit wonders) are a decent option,but there are so many quality good vakue balls out there these days it even makes you wonder about recycled.

[ghalfaire]

That's difficult to believe that 0.002" in dimple depth can make that kind of difference although admit I am not an aerodynamic engineer.  I am suspicious as the tests were performed by a party that has an interest in selling their golf balls.  So for the test they produced a few balls with all the dimples on one side being different by .002 inches.  Even if the test results are accurate I wouldn't think any major ball manufacture ever allow balls like this on the market.  For the sake of full disclosure I play Titleist balls, not Pro V1 they are too expensive for a hack like me, but I play the NXT tour S and like them. 

I don't play with refurbished balls so have not clue what the refurbishment process is or how it might affect the golf ball performance.

[Vinsk]

That’s pretty interesting there. So I can only imagine how big the effect must be on those pounded and smoothed over range balls I hit. Not to mention they’re floaters as well. I believe they are tested to fly %20 shorter than a premium brand new. So all those balls that have smooth spots must explain some of my irregular ball flights I.e. corkscrew. Right?!

[Lihu]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

It really does make you wonder about "refurbished" balls.

Big eye opener!

 

24 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

That’s pretty interesting there. So I can only imagine how big the effect must be on those pounded and smoothed over range balls I hit. Not to mention they’re floaters as well. I believe they are tested to fly %20 shorter than a premium brand new. So all those balls that have smooth spots must explain some of my irregular ball flights I.e. corkscrew. Right?!

So, prior to seeing this I had been benchmarking my shots with range balls. Not any more.

[dennyjones]

Impressive information.   thanks for sharing.

[David in FL]

Great video

[Mr. Desmond]

It's good to know it's not me, it's the Chrome Soft paint....

[colin007]

1 hour ago, Lihu said:

Big eye opener!

 

So, prior to seeing this I had been benchmarking my shots with range balls. Not any more.

I believe some range balls can fly farther sometimes too, not just shorter.

[iacas]

2 hours ago, ghalfaire said:

That's difficult to believe that 0.002" in dimple depth can make that kind of difference although admit I am not an aerodynamic engineer.  I am suspicious as the tests were performed by a party that has an interest in selling their golf balls.  So for the test they produced a few balls with all the dimples on one side being different by .002 inches.  Even if the test results are accurate I wouldn't think any major ball manufacture ever allow balls like this on the market.  For the sake of full disclosure I play Titleist balls, not Pro V1 they are too expensive for a hack like me, but I play the NXT tour S and like them.

I don't think it's a biased video. I think all the major brands have similar tolerances on their balls. I think it's a warning regarding recycled balls.

You can tour the Titleist ball plant now. @jamo and @boogielicious you should do that actually! Set it up!

[JxQx]

It'd be interesting if the did this type of testing with scuffed golf balls.

[Lihu]

2 hours ago, saevel25 said:

It would be interesting to see if they had let’s say 10% of the dimples at a different depth. 

Just now, JxQx said:

It'd be interesting if the did this type of testing with scuffed golf balls.

Now I'm wondering about some of my sporadic flights with what felt like okay shots because of my habit of using golf balls until their paint completely peels off? Of course, I wouldn't be surprised if it was just my swing or contact, but I definitely won't be trying to use golf balls for 10+ rounds any more.

[Typhoon92]

Sometimes if i use my old Callaway x forged wedges I can peel the paint off the ball.  Never thought of it as affecting anything.

The other week I hit a ball, I probably found the thing and I hit fine and it went 50-60 yards right...I was shocked.  I actually got rid of the ball because I thought there was something wrong with it even though it looked fine.

[boogielicious]

45 minutes ago, iacas said:

I don't think it's a biased video. I think all the major brands have similar tolerances on their balls. I think it's a warning regarding recycled balls.

You can tour the Titleist ball plant now. @jamo and @boogielicious you should do that actually! Set it up!

I should. A high school classmate of mine was or is the VP of marketing down in Fairhaven.

[iacas]

2 hours ago, JxQx said:

It'd be interesting if the did this type of testing with scuffed golf balls.

Scuffs don't matter too much. They're not literally half the golf ball, or often oriented exactly on half of the golf ball.

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

I should. A high school classmate of mine was or is the VP of marketing down in Fairhaven.

Which one? Joe? Mary Lou?

[boogielicious]

12 minutes ago, iacas said:

Scuffs don't matter too much. They're not literally half the golf ball, or often oriented exactly on half of the golf ball.

Which one? Joe? Mary Lou?

Mary Lou. She was our class valedictorian. I ran into her last year at a Pan Mass Rally event. Good golfer too!