What Is The Volume Of A Golf Ball?
A golf ball is a sphere or at least it would be if it weren’t for the dimples on the cover. It’s relatively simple to work out the volume of a sphere although if you want the exact volume of golf ball you’ll need to use a different procedure. Let’s see what the volume of a golf ball would be assuming it’s a perfect sphere.
What Is The Volume Of A Golf Ball?
The formula to calculate the volume of a sphere is:
4/3πr3
Where r is the radius of the sphere.
Since a golf ball on the conforming list cannot have a diameter of less than 1.680 inches we know that ball manufacturers will make them at least this big. A few balls such as the Callaway Supersoft Magna were somewhat larger at 1.732 inches.
This means the vast majority of golf balls will have a volume of at least 2.4827 inches3, or 40.68437 centimeters3. The dimples will somewhat reduce the overall volume, but you can see a way to calculate the exact volume later in the article. The size of golf balls will vary slightly even within the same box, but they are all within a few percent of each other in terms of size and volume.
An oversize ball like the Magna would have a volume of around 2.72 inches3 (44.58 centimeters3).
What Is The Volume Of A Ball Including The Dimples?
Assuming you don’t know the number, diameter and depth of the dimples, then the simplest way to calculate the exact volume of the ball would be to use the displacement method.
- Fill a container to the brim with water where you know the volume of said container.
- Place the golf ball into the water so that some water is displaced. Make sure you don’t make a mess!
- Measure how much water is left in the container and subtract that from the original amount.
- The difference between the two figures is the exact volume of the golf ball.
If you did know the size of all the dimples then you could deduct that from the original calculation of a sphere’s volume.
What is the Typical Size of a Golf Ball
The R&A/USGA specifies in the Rules of Golf that the golf ball should have a minimum diameter of 1.68 inches (42.672 mm). The minimum circumference of a golf ball is therefore 5.27787 inches (134.058 mm). To calculate circumference we use π x diameter. Since a ball is a sphere the width and height are just the same as the diameter.
Are All Golf Balls the Same Size
No, all golf balls are not the same size. The minimum diameter for a golf ball is 1.68 inches, but there are also a small number of oversize balls available. The oversize balls are designed for beginners and high handicap golfers in an effort to make it easier to hit the ball.
There also used to be a smaller size ball sanctioned by the R&A.
When Did Golf Balls Size Change
The size of golf balls was standardized in 1990 by the games governing bodies. The R&A had previously sanctioned a ball that was 1.62 inches in diameter. It was often known as the “British ball”. After the rule change, all golf balls needed to be at least 1.68 inches in diameter.
It’s pretty unlikely you’ll find a small ball on the course now although you might still find them on eBay occasionally or some boutique manufactures who recreate antique balls.
For the past 32 years, the standard golf ball must weigh no more than 1.62 ounces (45.93 grams) and be at least 1.68 inches in diameter.
Size of a Golf Hole (Cup)
The size of a hole, or “cup,” is a diameter of 4.25 inches. This is regulated by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of Saint Andrews (R&A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA). This was adopted as the standard after the R&A added to their rules in 1891.
Conclusion
So depending on the diameter of the ball the volume will change somewhat but the vast majority of golf balls will have a diameter of 1.68 inches or slightly more.
| Ball Diameter inches (cm) | Volume in inches3 | Volume in centimeters3 |
| 1.62 (4.1148) | 2.2261 | 36.4792 |
| 1.68 (4.2672) | 2.4827 | 40.6844 |
| 1.732 (4.39928) | 2.7205 | 44.5803 |
Frequently Asked Questions [FAQ]
How Many Golf Balls Fit in a Cubic Foot?
A golf ball has a volume of 2.4827 inches3. There are 1728 inches3. in a cubic foot. This means that you could fit as many as 696 golf balls in a cubic foot in theory.
In practice, you would leave some empty space depending on the shape and how you managed to pack them so you wouldn’t be able to fit that many in. Sphere packing theory suggests at best you will achieve around 78% so that means around 542 is more realistic.
How Many Golf Balls Can Fit In Wembley Stadium?
Apparently, Wembley has a volume of around 4,000,000 m3. This means that you could fit approximately 98,317,855,235 golf balls in the venue assuming no allowance for empty space when packing.
Again assuming the most optimistic packing density brings this down to 76,687,927,083.
How Many Golf Balls Can Fit In A Boeing 747?
According to airbridgecargo a 747-8f has a main deck volume of 692.7 m3 and a lower hold volume of 150 m3. Assuming a best case packing scenario you will be able to use about 78% of that space.
That means around 13,280,421 would fit on the main deck. A further 2,875,795 should fit in the lower hold giving a total of 16,156,216!
