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In this tutorial I will explain how to work with the spherize filter to make objects look rounder and 3D. I will demonstrate this and the lightning effect by creating a golf ball.

1. First of all, we need to realize a pattern, so we open a new document: File – New – Width: 25 / Height: 25 – OK.
   Select the color Black, the Elipse Tool and with holding SHIFT draw a circle.
   

2. From top: Edit – Define Pattern – give a name to it – OK.

3. Create a new document: File – New – 350 x 350 px – OK.
   Add a new layer: Layer – New – Layer – OK.
   Select the Elipse Tool again, and while holding SHIFT draw a circle all over the surface.
   While drawing, if we hold SHIFT, we can move the circle.
   

4. Right Click on the layer – Blending Options – check Pattern Overlay – select at Pattern the one created at the first step, and at Scale put add 80% – OK.

5. Check Color Overlay – select a shade of grey, with a 50% opacity.

6. Right Click on the layer with the circle and select Convert to Small Object so that we can work with it as an image without styles, then Right Click again and select Rasterize Layer.

7. From top, Filter – Distort – Spherize – Amount: 100% – OK.
   

8. Filter – Render – Lightning Effects – at Style, select Default.
   Light Type: Omni
   Texture Channel: Red
   Check White is high
   Height: 98 

   Then make the circle bigger, by pulling from a point from the left side of the circle.

   This are the changes I’ve made. Then press OK.
   

9. From top, Image – Adjustments – Levels – move the cursor from the middle to the rigt.
   

10. Edit – Free Transform and with holding SHIFT pressed, spin it 45 degrees and make the ball smaller.
    

11. Select the Background Layer and make a new layer above it, Layer – New  Layer – OK.
    Select the Elipse Tool and draw a similar oval, with the role of a shadow.
    
    Then go to Filter – Blur – Blur More.

12. Select the layer with the ball and from the top: Filter – Render – Lightning Effects. I’ve added the following settings, you can change then in such manner that it looks better to you, but be careful that the lower part of the light ray must be over the base of the ball.
     

    And this is it. For the final image, I’ve added a scene with a golf field.