Optimization

Optimization is a final, rigorous step in Titleist golf ball development. Once a successful dimple pattern has been identified for a given golf ball construction, Titleist engineers conduct multiple rounds of testing, making small adjustments to the depths and the edge angles of the dimples themselves. As the dimples become shallower, the golf ball flies higher in the air. As dimples become deeper, the golf ball flies lower. Between those two extremes is an optimal trajectory that will maximize the possible distance for that dimple pattern and the golfer.  

From one test iteration to another, the dimples depths are only changed by about 2/10,000 of an inch during optimization. To put that into context, that's about the size of a red blood cell. Why does Titleist go to such extremes to refine the aerodynamics on its golf balls? Because research has shown that a golf ball with uneven dimple depths, off by as little as the width of a human hair, can turn a good swing into a bad shot, and cause the ball to fly offline.