Why is the carry of a ball with a rough surface longer than one with a smooth surface? The reason is dimples, the roughness. There are two secrets to this.

[Dimples cause lift]

 When a ball is hit and rolls with the face up （back spin）, the air current above the ball is faster than that below the ball and it causes a difference in air pressure which creates lift. If the ball has dimples, the air becomes susceptible and the difference in the speed of the air currents above the ball and below the ball becomes bigger and the lifting power becomes higher. As a result, the ball does not fall easily and the carry becomes longer.

[Dimples decrease air resistance]

 The air current around the ball flows to the back of the ball and makes a pocket of the air that moves drawn by the ball. It becomes power to draw the ball back （air resistance） and make the carry shorter. If the ball has dimples, the air current hugs the ball closely and the air pocket becomes smaller. As a result, air resistance becomes smaller and the carry becomes longer.

 This phenomenon is used for other sports. Nowadays, swimming suits or ski suits with rough surfaces are used all over the world. It is one of the achievements of science and technology.

Source：
 Information of Descente, Ltd.