A golf ball comprising a core and a cover layer having a cover inner surface, a cover outer surface, a treated cover region, and an untreated cover region, the treated cover region extending inward from the cover outer surface a depth DCTr and being treated with and comprising a fatty acid and/or fatty acid salt composition, the untreated cover region disposed between the cover inner surface and the treated cover region and having a depth DCUTr, the untreated cover region comprising n regions of hardness wherein n≧1 and wherein at least one of the n regions of hardness has a hardness H1 such that the hardness α is greater than the hardness H1, and wherein each of said n regions of hardness further comprise a depth DCUTn such that DCTr≦(1/n)(DUT1+DUT2+ . . . +DUTn). In another embodiment, DCTr≦(n)(DCUT1+DCUT2+ . . . +DCUTn). In yet another embodiment, DCTr≦(1/n2)(DCUT1+DCUT2+ . . . +DCUTn).