From what I understand Lodge says that stippled texture has something to do with their curing process. I'm not sure I understand why it's desirable to remove it if it's doing it's job.
Lodge can say whatever they want...but the stippling is more likely to simply be the result of the casting process. In days of old, the makers of cast iron cookware actually finished their cookware to a smooth surface. It costs more to do this, as it take more time and tooling. So what you're seeing in the stippled surface is actually an unfinished job, regardless of what Lodge (and other cast iron cookware makers with similar finish) may say.
And it DOES make a difference...without that smooth surface, Lodge will NEVER be quite as non-stick as vintage, or higher quality, cast iron cookware.
As for doing its job...what actually does the job is the seasoning. And the pre-seasoned Lodge cookware just isn't all that good of a seasoning job. It would probably take another 4 or 5 seasoning cycles to get it up to about where it should be.
Properly seasoned, it's d*mn near like a non-stick pan. A small drizzle of oil and you're good to go.
Like I said...I like Lodge because they're cheap. They're not the best, but they are cheap.
THAT SAID...
There are a lot of other great sources of cast iron cookware out there, I've seen a 10.5" skillet going for as high as $270. But you don't have to pay that kind of money to get a great quality cast iron skillet with a smooth finish. You can do your own, but I've been thinking recently "how much is my time worth"?
When you consider how much one makes in an hour, your time can be worth quite a lot.
I have found a few cast iron cookware sites which sell polished skillets less than $100. Stargazer is one, and I may buy something from them to check it out. ESPECIALLY since they offer a discount to military and veterans, which they double on Memorial Day and Veteran's Day. I can't fully open their website at work right now (filters are blocking images and such), but if I recall correctly an unseasoned 10.5" skillet was about $60 and a pre-seasoned one about $80. 15% or 30% off that would really bring an already fairly low price down to a really tempting value for something I wouldn't have to finish to a smooth surface myself.
If I do buy a Stargazer, I'll post my review of it.