Any Science on damage balls and how they are affected?

[l.oviedo27]

I'm interested to know if anyone knows of any studies that have been done or trackman work with damaged golf balls?

 

When a ball get's dinged up, it's hard to know at what point if any there is a significant difference in ball flight/consistency/distance/spin/etc.

 

It would be awesome to be able to say, 'I can keep playing this ball', and 'okay, that one needs to be retired' in some definitive way, or the consequences of not doing so.

[Awesomeguy887]

I have no science or studies for you. But I have a lot of experience hitting some pretty jacked up range balls. I find any damage that is contained to within the cover layer doesn't seem to affect flight all that bad. But those deep cracks and gouges definitely give some knuckle balls.

[WidespreadPanic]

Unless it's a deep gouge, you won't notice any difference. Surface scratches may not look pretty, but they don't affect flight.

[l.oviedo27]

At all? It seems to me like they go through an awful lot of trouble to make those balls perfectly shaped, and are always messing with the dimples to alter the trajectory properties of a golf ball in it's design. a good cart path scrape does nothing in your view?

[QuickFeet]

At all? It seems to me like they go through an awful lot of trouble to make those balls perfectly shaped, and are always messing with the dimples to alter the trajectory properties of a golf ball in it's design. a good cart path scrape does nothing in your view?

 

It will for sure effect the aerodynamics of the ball and thus it's flight.

 

Say you could make the same swing every time; had the same launch, ball flight, spin, ball speed, etc. (robot consistency) and this gave you a straight ball flight. Put the scuff/scrape on the left side and make the swing.........the ball is going right. Put the scrape on the right side and the ball is going left. Depending on how severe the scrape is determines how quickly the ball will move off line.

 

I'v tested it on a robot and won't play with a ball that has a damaged cover, even slightly.

[bwrichmond]

No empirical data, but I'm in the camp that the scratches don't impact the performance. I've never changed out a ball due to damage (never played balatas though, so never put a smiley in one) and, in fact, I take pride in making a ball last as long as possible (current record is 4 rounds, 16 holes for a total of 88 holes, but I've got one going right now that's through 2 rounds and going strong) without losing it in the woods or water. I've never once thought a shot would have had a different outcome if my ball hadn't had that scratch/those scratches on it.

[jslane57]

At all? It seems to me like they go through an awful lot of trouble to make those balls perfectly shaped, and are always messing with the dimples to alter the trajectory properties of a golf ball in it's design. a good cart path scrape does nothing in your view?

 

It will for sure effect the aerodynamics of the ball and thus it's flight.

 

Say you could make the same swing every time; had the same launch, ball flight, spin, ball speed, etc. (robot consistency) and this gave you a straight ball flight. Put the scuff/scrape on the left side and make the swing.........the ball is going right. Put the scrape on the right side and the ball is going left. Depending on how severe the scrape is determines how quickly the ball will move off line.

 

I'v tested it on a robot and won't play with a ball that has a damaged cover, even slightly.

Yup. A cart path mark and it goes into the shag bag. Maybe for most golfers it won't make much a difference, maybe even for me:) But the science that goes into the dimples is real, so why not put a new ball in play on the next hole? These days the cores and the mantle layers are solid, it really is the cover that gets dinged up...

[Need2golfalot]

When you hit a worn scuffed ball pure and it comes up short of the target it is because the worn dimples did not allow enough carry, thus a slight loss in distance.

 

Normally I hit a blemished or scuffed ball on the par 3 that has water in front. Hate to donate a new ball to the water. Had a hole in one Aug 1, 2015 on this hole with a Titleist DT Solo. Yes the ball had a scuff on it so it still gets the job done.

 

While I don't have Trackman data, I will say that worn dimples or cart path scuff will definitely affect the flight in a clinical setting. No more than a bad strike will affect it so I don't mind putting a less than pristine ball in play especially on a water hole or when there are a lot of leaves.

[jtj74]

scuffed ball with the scuff mark raised(wedge cuts for example) HAS to have some effect on flight do to friction and spin. the scuff marks will catch air and create friction and go more off line or come up short, right? just like when a pitcher scuffs the baseball to get more movement on his breaking pitches.....

[thomz0_]

If the ball's dimples have been damaged it will definitely effect the flight of the ball. The core performance will most likely remain the same, but flight will be lower giving you less carry.

 

I've got enough scuffed pro-v's to learn that I shouldn't. It pains me to shag a ball that I may have only used one hole, but after you absolutely pure a 3-wood only to come up 10 yards short, yeah. There's a reason most pro's replace their ball every hole or few holes.