Most types of ball can bounce to a certain extent. Depending on the purpose, balls used for specific sports are more bouncy than others.
Golf balls also can bounce. How bouncy are they? What is the reason why golf balls bounce? Is it due to the materials, the design of the ball, or impact?
Keep reading to find the answer for all!
Table of Contents
What Is the Reason Why Golf Balls Bounce?
Although most golf balls can bounce, the extent of bouncing for each can be different depending on several factors like how they are made, golf ball types, level of compression or spin, and more.
Here are some factors that affect the bounciness of golf balls!
1. Materials
Materials are a crucial factor to discuss when discussing the properties of any object, and golf balls are not excluded.
Normally, plastic and rubber are materials to make a golf ball’s core for a better bounce since these materials are great in elasticity.
The golf ball’s core will usually be made from rubber or plastic, depending on the manufacturer. The differences in the material ratio and quality would normally lead to different bounciness.
2. Dimples
The dimples present on the surface of golf balls are a key factor in their bounciness. A golf ball will have about 300 – 500 dimples on the surface with a depth of about 0.01 inches each.
We normally see indentations in the shape of small spheres, but they also come in various shapes like teardrops or ovals. These dimples are designed to reduce drag and increase lift.
The movements and impacts of the air can result in aerodynamic performance. Dimples help increase the air pressure below the golf ball, thus lifting the ball to fly higher in the air.
Therefore, the density, number, and shape of dimples can affect many features like the bounciness of golf balls.
For example, a good ball for slow swing speeds often has dense indentations for greater wind resistance. Meanwhile, the best golf balls for slices usually have fewer dimples to reduce the influence when the ball travels in the air.
However, old golf balls normally have surface corrosion, leading to changes in indentations, and the bounciness may not be as good as new balls.
See Also: Recycled vs Refurbished Golf Balls
If you’re curious about golf ball dimples, refer to the expert explanations in the video below:
3. Structure
Golf balls can be soft or hard depending on several factors, such as the structure and type of the ball.
Normally, low compression balls will be bouncier. This type is suitable for players with slow swings like seniors who find it hard to compress the ball.
Besides, the structure is also important. In modern golf balls, you will see a core inside the shell rather than a solid block like in the past. Moreover, today’s golf balls also have more layers around the core.
The more layers it has, the bouncier the golf ball becomes. However, multi-layer golf balls are much more expensive, so a 3-layer one is great enough for practice.
4. Contact Surface
The contact surface of the golf ball is also one of the factors that determine the bounce of the ball. The inelastic and the elastic collision are also clearly distinguished in this situation.
Elastic collisions can be created when something hits the golf ball or when the golf ball hits an object or surface. This will create a compressive force on the surface, make the ball deform and absorb a certain amount of energy.
While releasing that energy, the ball gradually recovers its original shape and bounces. This process is repetitive and stops once the energy is used up.
The hard surface and greater force create greater impact, thus causing more deformation. Therefore, the harder the surface, the bouncier the ball can be.
FAQs
To give you a better understanding of golf ball bounce and related issues, I’ve gathered and answered a few questions below. Check it out for details!
Why Do Golf Balls Bounce So High on Concrete?
A hard surface like concrete can cause a golf ball to deform slightly and create elastic force. This causes the golf ball to store energy through deforming, and bounce while releasing that energy.
Of course, cheap balls are not as bouncy as high-quality ones.
Why Do Golf Balls Bounce Higher Than Table Tennis?
The answer lies in the weight of these two types. A ball with a small weight like that used in table tennis will suffer more from the air resistance, making the impact between the table tennis ball and the contact surface smaller.
Therefore, the materials and structure are different, so the bounce of table tennis will not be as good as that of golf balls.
Learn more about how much a golf ball weigh here.
What Is the Relationship Between Drop Height and Bounce Height?
There is a linear relationship between the drop height and the height at which the ball can bounce. That is, when dropped at a higher elevation, the bounce of the ball is greater.
But from a certain height, the bounce will not follow the linear law anymore even if you drop the ball at a higher level. To explain, the golf ball is still affected by gravity in addition to the rebound force.
Conclusion
Above are some main reasons to explain why golf balls bounce. Hope it has cleared all your confusion.
Please share with your friends so that everyone can understand this interesting fact!
Also, don’t forget to keep following this page so I can have more motivation to create valuable content!
Thanks for reading!
