I can be driven but have no wheels. I can be sliced but stay whole. What am I?

This clever riddle points to a golf ball, an unassuming sphere central to the sport. When a golfer "drives" the ball, they use a powerful club, typically a driver, to propel it across vast distances on the course. The ball is launched forward with incredible speed, but it possesses no wheels or internal mechanism for movement. Similarly, a golf shot can be "sliced," a common term for a mishit where the ball veers sharply off its intended path, usually to the right for a right-handed player, due to excessive sidespin imparted during impact. However, despite the shot's descriptive name, the physical golf ball remains entirely intact and whole; it is only its trajectory through the air that takes a "slice."

The design of a golf ball is a marvel of engineering, specifically crafted for optimal flight. Modern golf balls feature a multi-layered construction, often with a solid core made of synthetic rubber, surrounded by various mantle layers and a durable outer cover, frequently made from materials like Surlyn or urethane. These layers contribute to the ball's speed, feel, and spin characteristics.

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of a golf ball is its dimpled surface. These small indentations are not merely decorative; they are crucial for aerodynamics. Dimples create a turbulent boundary layer around the ball, which reduces aerodynamic drag and increases lift, allowing the ball to travel much farther and with a more stable flight path than a smooth sphere would. Historically, golf balls have evolved from early "featheries" – leather pouches stuffed with wet feathers that hardened upon drying – to "gutta-percha" balls made from natural rubber, eventually leading to the highly engineered, dimpled balls we use today.