14 DAY TRIAL // The standard appearance of a dimple-covered golf ball may soon change all around the world, if a new patent application is accepted. Researchers at the Seoul National University in Korea, led by Hae Cheon Choi, seem to think that the very construction of the golf ball is erroneous, in that a lot of the missed putts, when the ball goes a long way away from where it was supposed to, are to be blamed on the dimples and not the player.
Choi argues that the dimples, which help the ball cut the air better, and minimize drag, can also be the largest inconvenience standing in the way of a successful shot, as they occupy such large portions of the ball. This means that the strike could hit a dimple on its side, which could send the whole ball swirling in any direction except for the right one.
His solution to the problem are grooves, which he claims in the patent give the ball about the same range as a dimpled one, but make it more accurate at the same time, as they eliminate the hazard of the hit sending the ball in a very surprising direction. Basically, these grooves are a whole lot smaller than the dimples, which means that the chances of hitting them in an incorrect position are smaller too.
According to the Korean team, the pattern on the golf balls is very important and influences the trajectory the ball will have in mid-flight considerably. If the pattern is symmetrical, then this will allow the ball to “self-correct” in the air, thus giving it increased overall accuracy.
The USGA and the R&A are the two main regulatory federations in the world, with the first accounting for the United States and Mexico, and the second for all other enlisted countries. If these two bodies agree to the new patent, then it's very likely that the future will see the use of grooved balls in tournaments worldwide.