A golf ball wherein a slide amount Ds is 1.05 mm or less and a post-slide contact time Tc is 600 μs or more in the case where a golf ball 140 is dropped freely from a height position of 3 m above and away from a collision surface 130a inclined 58 degrees with respect to a horizontal direction to collide with the collision surface, the slide amount Ds being a vertical displacement of the golf ball from when the golf ball starts sliding on the collision surface to when the golf ball stops sliding on the collision surface, and the post-slide contact time Tc being a period from when the golf ball stops sliding on the collision surface to when the golf ball leaves the collision surface.

Golf balls having covers made of thermoplastic polyurethane compositions are provided. The golf ball includes an inner core and surrounding thermoplastic polyurethane outer cover. Multi-piece golf balls having outer cores, inner covers, and intermediate layers can be made. The invention includes cast molding methods for increasing the molecular weight of the thermoplastic polyurethane composition used to make the cover and ultimately to a golf ball cover having high shear and cut-resistance

A golf ball comprising: (a) a core; (b) an inner mantle layer; (c) an intermediate mantle layer; (d) an outer mantle layer; and (e) at least one cover layer; wherein the core has a PGA compression of less than 70, and the core/inner mantle layer/intermediate mantle layer combined construct has a PGA compression of at least 30.

A golf ball with a core comprising polybutadiene and graphene is disclosed herein. The golf ball has a single core comprising polybutadiene and graphene. Alternatively, the golf ball has a dual core with an inner core comprising polybutadiene and graphene. Alternatively, the golf ball has a dual core with an outer core comprising polybutadiene and graphene.

Golf balls having covers made of thermoplastic polyurethane compositions are provided. Multi-piece golf balls can be made. Polyurethane primer coatings and polyurethane top-coatings are applied to the thermoplastic polyurethane cover. Different coating methods can be used. Isocyanate-rich and polyol-rich polyurethane coatings can be applied. In one embodiment, the golf ball can be treated with a multi-functional isocyanate prior to applying the coatings. The polyurethane cover composition and surface coatings can further include catalysts, ultraviolet (UV)-light stabilizers, and other additives. Heat is used to cure the coatings. The coating methods have many benefits and the finished balls have good physical properties.

In a multi-piece solid golf ball having a core, an envelope layer, an intermediate layer and a cover, the core is formed primarily of a base rubber and has a diameter set in a specific range, the envelope layer, intermediate layer and cover are each formed of resin materials, and the envelope layer is formed into two layers—an inner layer and an outer layer. The center and surface hardnesses of the core, the surface hardness of the inner envelope layer-encased sphere, the surface hardness of the outer envelope layer-encased sphere, the surface hardness of the intermediate layer-encased sphere and the surface hardness of the ball together satisfy a specific relationship. This ball achieves a satisfactory distance on full shots both with a driver and with irons, in addition to which it is superior in the short game and has a good feel at impact and an excellent scuff resistance.

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

In a golf ball having a core, an intermediate layer and a cover, the core is formed primarily of a base rubber and has a diameter set in a specific range, and the intermediate layer and cover are each formed of resin materials. The core has an internal hardness such that, regarding the hardness at the core center, the hardnesses at positions located at 2 mm intervals from the core center outward up to 16 mm and the core surface hardness, the hardness differences therebetween are set within a specific range. The ball surface hardness is set so as to be higher than the surface hardness of the intermediate layer-encased sphere. This ball achieves a satisfactory distance on full shots not only with a driver, but also with a long iron or a middle iron, in addition to which it has an excellent durability to repeated impact.

In a golf ball having a core, an intermediate layer and a cover, the core is formed primarily of a base rubber, has a diameter set in a specific range and has a specially designed internal hardness profile, the intermediate layer and the cover are each formed of resin materials, and the surface hardness of the ball is higher than the surface hardness of the intermediate layer-encased sphere. This ball achieves a satisfactory distance on full shots with a driver and with long and middle irons, provides a good spin performance on approach shots, and has a durability to repeated impact and a scuff resistance that are both excellent.

In a multi-piece solid golf ball having a core, an envelope layer, an intermediate layer and a cover, the core, an intermediate layer-encased sphere and the ball have surface hardnesses which satisfy a specific relationship, and the envelope layer, the intermediate layer and the cover have thicknesses which satisfy a specific relationship. Also, the core has a hardness profile in which the hardnesses at the core surface, core center, a position 5 mm from the core center, and a position midway between the surface and center of the core satisfy specific relationships. This golf ball, when used by mid- and high-level amateurs, enables the golfer to maintain an adequate distance on shots with a driver and achieve a good distance on iron shots, has a good spin performance on approach shots and has a good feel on impact. In addition, the ball has an excellent scuff resistance when struck with a grooved wedge.