Cute Dimples

This video is kind of ridiculous (supercomputers have better things to solve), but it shows hows science permeates through just about every aspect of society.

Simply put, golf balls have dimples to decrease the drag on them as they fly through the air. This allows them to go further. YAY! More technically, the air next to the ball stays connected the ball for longer, so air is shed from the back of the ball rather than the top of the ball. The vacuum that is created behind the ball is therefore reduced. So, essentially, the ball is being sucked backward less. Also, because the ball has backspin, lift is generated because of an increase of pressure underneath the ball and a decrease of pressure above the ball.

Sadly, asymmetric golf balls like the Polara (shown below) have been banned from tournament play (but graphite-shaft-gigantic-titanium-alloy-head clubs haven't been?) which I think should be considered aggression against golfer-aerodynamicists. And I want to make a happy face golf ball with cute dimpled cheeks.