One of the great tragedies in my life is that, since having moved to Frederick, I have yet to play a single round of golf. It’s such a fun, relaxing sport…but not without its share of “Mundane Mysteries”. Such as: why do the round white golf balls have hundreds of dimples on their surface? Are those tiny depressions just for looks, or do those pockmarks serve a purpose?

Actually, those dimples are what make golf, as we know it, possible. Golf balls weren’t always dimpled; early players of the game used smooth balls, but they noticed that the more a ball got nicked & scuffed, the further it would travel. So, in the case of the modern golf ball, form definitely followed function.

Golf ball dimples create what’s called “aerodynamic optimization”, which basically means it enables the ball to travel longer distances by affecting its lift & drag while in the air. A dimpled ball travels twice as far as a smooth one, because the dimples produce an air boundary around the ball that reduces the ball’s wake as well as its drag. Roughly half of the ball’s lift comes from its spin, with the other half coming from the optimization of the lift force created by the dimples (which also produce turbulence in the layer around the ball).

The overall result of all the physics involved is that air flows more smoothly around a dimpled ball, while air in front of it moves faster. The ball’s essentially in the middle of a perfect aerodynamic sandwich, with higher pressure behind it pushing the ball forward, while the reduced pressure in front allows it to move faster.

How deep the dimples are also makes a big difference. A standard golf ball has 300-500 dimples, at an average depth of 0.010 inches. Most are spherical, but some companies use a hexagon shape as a way to decrease drag even more.

So, now that we know golf balls have dimples for good reason, the biggest drag is that I haven’t yet met someone with access to a local course where I can put my golf skills (or lack thereof) to use. Hopefully, that changes soon.

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice), or shoot me an email at [email protected].

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Having to pay a traffic fine can put anyone in a bad mood. Fines are regularly $150 or more, plus you could have to make a court appearance, and you’re likely to see a bump in your car insurance. And, since they’re costly & time-consuming, we do our best to avoid getting traffic citations…or are they tickets? What’s the difference between a traffic citation & a traffic ticket?

The answer is pretty simple, actually…there isn’t a difference.

When it comes to traffic violations, nothing separates a citation from a ticket. The terms are interchangeable & either can be used depending on the wording each particular officer or department prefers. Citation is the proper legal term for a written record of a traffic violation, but to call it a ticket doesn’t mean anything different. You’ll still be penalized, fined, and possibly get points on your license. The number of points, which depends both on the violation & the state where you live, can impact your insurance premiums (though they can be minimized through defensive driving courses or simply by falling off over time).

Typically, you’re likely to get a ticket for speeding, failure to obey traffic lights or signs, or driving under the influence. Not wearing a seat belt or driving without a license plate are also potential reasons you could be written up. But, once you have the ticket (which is considered a legal document), you’re obligated to pay the fine or go to court to dispute it. Not doing either of those things may result in additional charges being leveled against you, or your license could be revoked.

A traffic warning, however, is something different. That’s typically a verbal or written reprimand from an officer that you’ve violated a traffic law & should be more cautious in the future. You’re more likely to get off with just a warning if it’s your first offense.

Citation or ticket, though, one isn’t any better or worse than the other. The bottom line: you don’t want to get either one. So, drive safe!

Got a Mundane Mystery you’d like solved? Send me a message via social media (@AndyWebbRadioVoice) or shoot me an email at [email protected].