A golf ball dimple pattern based on a square dipyramid, i.e., two square pyramids connected base-to-base, is disclosed. The dimples are arranged within four substantially identical triangular sections on each of two substantially identical hemispheres of the ball.

A golf ball has a large number of exposed portions 22 on a surface thereof. An average value Hav of heights H of these exposed portions 22 is not less than 0.5 m and not greater than 50 m. The surface of the golf ball has one or more first zones and one or more second zones. An average value Hav1 of the heights H of the exposed portions 22 on these first zones is higher than an average value Hav2 of the heights H of the exposed portions 22 on these second zones. Preferably, the average value Hav1 and the average value Hav2 satisfy the following mathematical formula.

3(Hav1Hav2)50

A golf ball 2 includes a core 4 and a cover 6 positioned outside the core 4. The cover 6 is formed in a mold having support pins by injection molding. A ratio (V/S) of a volume V (mm.sup.3) of the cover 6 to an amount of compressive deformation S (mm) of the core 4 is not less than 1000 and not greater than 1900. The cover 6 has a shore D hardness of not greater than 62. The golf ball 2 has a plurality of dimples 8 on a surface thereof. A total volume W of these dimples is not less than 490 mm.sup.3 and not greater than 620 mm.sup.3. A ratio (/P) of a latitude (degree) of each support pin to a total cross-sectional area P (mm.sup.2) of the support pins is not less than 0.35 and not greater than 0.60.

A golf ball includes a center, a mid layer, a cover and dimples. The cover has a Shore D hardness of 30-50. The golf ball has an amount of compressive deformation of 3.0-5.0 mm. The ball meets a mathematical formula (I):

0.80((L1+L2)/2)0.95(I).

L1 represents a ratio of a lift coefficient relative to a drag coefficient, the lift coefficient and the drag coefficient being measured under conditions of a Reynolds number of 1.29010.sup.5 and a spin rate of 2820 rpm. L2 represents a ratio of a lift coefficient relative to a drag coefficient, the lift coefficient and the drag coefficient being measured under conditions of a Reynolds number of 1.77110.sup.5 and a spin rate of 2940 rpm.

In a multi-piece solid golf ball having a core, an envelope layer, an intermediate layer and a cover, the intermediate layer is formed into two layersan inner layer and an outer layer. The surface hardness of the envelope layer-encased sphere, the surface hardness of the inner intermediate layer-encased sphere, the surface hardness of the outer intermediate layer-encased sphere and the surface hardness of the ball together satisfy a specific relationship. This ball has an excellent flight when struck by golfers whose head speeds are not that fast and has a soft yet good feel at impact, thus making it highly suitable for amateur golfers.

The present invention provides a golf ball having an aerodynamic subsurface for packing dimples. More particularly, the invention relates to a golf ball having an exterior surface and at least a first subsurface containing at least two dimples located solely on the subsurface and lying below the exterior surface of the golf ball. A transition zone between the exterior surface and the subsurface is disclosed having an angle of transition and a top radius and a bottom radius. According to the present invention, the exterior surface and at least the first subsurface have at least a first and second surface textures that are different.

The present disclosure is directed to golf balls having improved aerodynamic performance due, at least in part, to the selection of the plan shapes of the dimples thereon. In particular, the present invention is directed to a golf ball that includes at least a portion of its dimples having a plan shape defined by a Clausen function of order 2 mapped along a simple closed path. Additionally, the present invention provides methods for designing dimples having a plan shape defined by a Clausen function of order 2 mapped along a simple closed path.

The present invention is directed to golf balls having surface textures with unique appearances and improved aerodynamic characteristics due, at least in part, to the use of curvilinear dimple plan shapes. In particular, the present invention is directed to a golf ball that includes at least a portion of its dimples having a plan shape defined by a number of convex or concave arcs that are derived from the vertices of a regular n-sided polygon, for example, an equilateral triangle or square.

The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.

A multi-piece solid golf ball having a two-layer core with an inner core layer and an outer core layer and having a cover of at least two layers including an intermediate layer and an outer layer with numerous dimples on the surface is characterized in that the hardest cover layer has a specific material hardness and the ball has a specific value obtained by subtracting the surface hardness of the overall core from the surface hardness of the hardest cover layer, a specific deflection, and a specific value obtained by subtracting the initial velocity of the inner core layer from the initial velocity of the sphere consisting of the inner core layer encased by the outer core layer. This golf ball enables relatively low head speed golfers to achieve a good distance on full shots with drivers and iron clubs and also provides a soft, comfortable feel at impact.