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July 30, 2010

Strange But True!

Q. In golf's early days, why did weekend duffers outdistance aristocratic swingers in drives off the tee?

A. Because the affluent used smooth balls and routinely discarded them after the first signs of wear, says John Eric Goff in “Gold Medal Physics: The Science of Sports.” Other golfers settled for the used balls and before long noted that the ones with nicks and cuts went farther. Today, based on myriad analyses by aerodynamic experts using wind tunnels, golf balls are made with dimples that simulate this roughened surface. Without them, the 300-plus yard drives of pro golfers wouldn't make it half as far.


 
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