Abstract:
Golf balls having a core comprising a polyalkenamer rubber composition are provided. The rubber composition may further include other rubbers such as, for example, polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene propylene rubber, ethylene propylene diene rubber, and styrene-butadiene rubber. The rubber composition helps improve resiliency of the core and provides the ball with a comfortable and soft feel. In one version, a solid, single core having an outer surface and geometric center is provided, wherein the outer surface has a hardness greater than the hardness of the geometric center to define a positive hardness gradient of at least 10 Shore C. In a second version, a dual-core having an inner core and surrounding outer core layer is provided. The inner core has a positive hardness gradient, while the outer core has a zero; negative; or positive hardness gradient.
Abstract:
The invention is directed to a method of making a neutralized non-ionomeric polymer composition (NNIPC) suitable for use in a golf ball component comprising the steps of: providing a non-acid copolymer composition (NACC); soaking the NACC in an organic acid to form a soaked non-acid copolymer composition (SNACC); providing a cation source in an amount sufficient to neutralize at least a portion of the organic acid; and melt processing the SNACC and cation source to form the NNIPC. The invention also relates to a method of making a golf ball incorporating the NNIPC made according to the inventive method and to the resulting golf ball.
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to golf balls having a diameter of greater than 1.68 inches and including at least one layer formed from an HNP composition.
Abstract:
Multi-piece golf balls having a solid core and cover are provided. The ball contains an inner core made of a foam composition and surrounding outer core layer. Preferably, foamed polyurethane is used to form the inner core and polybutadiene rubber is used to make the outer core. The specific gravity (density) of the inner core is preferably less than the density of the outer core. The outer surface of the inner core preferably has a non-uniform structure and includes projecting members. The ball preferably has a high Moment of Inertia (MOI). The ball includes a single or multi-layered cover surrounding the core structure.
Abstract:
Multi-layered golf ball core sub-assemblies and the resulting golf balls are provided. The core structure includes an inner core (center) comprising a foam composition, preferably foamed polyurethane. The intermediate and outer core layers are preferably formed from non-foamed thermoset compositions such as polybutadiene rubber. The core layers have different hardness and specific gravity levels. The core assembly preferably has a positive hardness gradient extending across the entire assembly. The core structure and resulting ball have relatively good resiliency.
Abstract:
Multi-layered golf ball core sub-assemblies and the resulting golf balls are provided. The core structure includes an inner core (center) comprising a foam composition, preferably foamed polyurethane. The intermediate core layer is preferably formed from a thermoplastic composition such as an ethylene acid copolymer ionomer resin; and the outer core layer is preferably formed from a thermoset composition such as polybutadiene rubber. The core layers have different hardness and specific gravity levels. The core assembly preferably has a positive hardness gradient extending across the entire assembly. The core structure and resulting ball have relatively good resiliency.
Abstract:
Multi-layered golf balls having at least one layer made of polyamide/acid anhydride-modified polyolefin blended compositions are provided. Preferably, a transparent polyamide is used. In one version, the composition comprises a blend of polyamide, acid anhydride-modified polyolefin, and plasticizer. The golf ball includes a core having at least one layer and a cover having at least one layer. The polyamide/acid anhydride-modified polyolefin composition may be used to form any core, cover, or other layer in the golf ball. In one version, the polyamide/acid anhydride-modified polyolefin composition is used to form the outer core layer, and a rubber composition is used to form the inner core.
Abstract:
A golf ball comprising a core and a cover layer having a cover inner surface and a cover outer surface that treated with and comprises a fatty acid and/or fatty acid salt composition and has a hardness α, the cover inner surface not being treated with and not comprising the fatty acid and/or fatty acid salt composition and having a hardness β. Hardness α is greater than hardness β. The cover layer may alternatively comprise an untreated cover region and a treated cover region that extends inward from the cover outer surface a depth of about 1% or greater of a distance between the cover outer surface and the cover inner surface. Alternatively, the treated cover region may extend inward from the cover outer surface a predetermined depth DCTr while the untreated cover region is disposed between the cover inner surface and the treated cover region a predetermined depth DCUTr.
Abstract:
Golf balls comprising a multi-layer core and a cover are disclosed. The multi-layer core comprises at least one intermediate core layer formed from a metallic, composite, or inorganic/organic hybrid composition.
Abstract:
A golf ball includes a unitary core having an outer surface, a geometric center, and a soft transition region adjacent to the outer surface, and is formed from a substantially homogenous composition. The ball further includes an outer cover layer. The soft transition region has a thickness of up to 4 mm, has about 8 to 20 percent trans-polybutadiene isomer, and has a negative hardness gradient of up to 15 Shore C. The core has an overall negative hardness gradient of up to 20 Shore C and has a gradient quotient, GQ, defined by the equation: G + T 10 × COR ≤ 7 where G is the overall negative hardness gradient in Shore C, T is the percent of trans-polybutadiene isomer at the core outer surface, and COR is the coefficient of restitution measured at an incoming velocity of 125 ft/s.