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 golf balls having a pattern of stellated polygon shaped dimples and grooves on the outer surface thereof.

Golf ball having a generally spherical surface and comprising a plurality of dimples separated by a land area formed on the ball surface, wherein the plurality of dimples includes at least one non-spherical dimple having a non-axially symmetric plan shape and a defined point of maximum dimple depth, wherein: (i) each dimple cross-section of the non-spherical dimple consists of two arcs, each arc extending from the defined point of maximum dimple depth to a point at the land area of the golf ball; and (ii) every point on the perimeter of the non-spherical dimple is located at a radial angle, , about a unit circle, where 02, and the edge angle value of the non-spherical dimple at any given point on the perimeter is defined by the solution of an edge angle function f(), wherein f() is a non-periodic, continuous, differentiable function.

Golf balls according to the present invention achieve flight symmetry and overall satisfactory flight performance due to a dimple surface volume ratio that is equivalent between opposing hemispheres despite the use of different dimple geometries, different dimple arrangements, and/or different dimple counts on the opposing hemispheres.

Golf balls according to the present invention achieve flight symmetry and overall satisfactory flight performance due to a dimple surface volume ratio that is equivalent between opposing hemispheres despite the use of different dimple geometries, different dimple arrangements, and/or different dimple counts on the opposing hemispheres.

The present invention is directed to golf balls having improved aesthetics and desirable aerodynamic properties due, at least in part, to the novel shape of the dimples on the surface thereof. In particular, the present invention is directed to a golf ball that includes at least a portion of its dimples having a shape obtained from the intersection of a toroid and a sphere. The resulting curve of intersection represents the dimple perimeter and the intersecting portion of the surface of the toroid represents the dimple surface shape.

The present invention 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 low frequency periodic functions along a closed simple path. In addition, the present invention provides methods for designing dimples having a plan shape defined by a low frequency periodic function along a closed simple path.

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.

A golf ball has a generally spherical surface and a plurality of dimples separated by a land area formed on the surface. The plurality of dimples includes a plurality of non-spherical dimples each having a non-axially symmetric plan shape, a varying edge angle, and a geometric centroid of the non-axially symmetric plan shape (GC). Each dimple cross-section of each non-spherical dimple consists of two arcs, each arc extending from a defined point of maximum dimple depth to a point at the land area of the golf ball. Each non-spherical dimple is oriented at an orientation angle, ?, relative to a reference line. The orientation angle ? is dependent on the position of the GC on the surface of the golf ball.

Golf balls according to the present invention achieve flight symmetry and overall satisfactory flight performance due to a dimple surface volume ratio that is equivalent between opposing hemispheres despite the use of different dimple geometries, different dimple arrangements, and/or different dimple counts on the opposing hemispheres.