The present invention is directed to thermoset rubber compositions comprising from 1 phr to 20 phr of a zinc ionomer. The thermoset rubber composition is used to form at least one layer of a one-piece, two-piece, or multi-layer golf ball.

Disclosed herein are heterogeneous golf ball compositions comprising a thermosetting polymer matrix and discrete particles of thermoplastic polymer dispersed within the matrix.

Golf balls comprising a multi-layer core and a cover are disclosed. The multi-layer core comprises at least three layers, including at least one thermoset layer and at least one thermoplastic layer. The innermost core layer is relatively small, having a diameter of from 0.50 inches to 1.30 inches, and has a plurality of projections disposed thereon.

The invention provides a solid golf ball which has a core of at least one layer and a cover of at least one layer. At least one layer of the core is formed primarily of polybutadiene and includes at least 0.05 part by weight of a polyurethane resin powder having an average particle size of not more than 2 mm per 100 parts by weight of rubber component. At least one layer of the cover is formed primarily of polyurethane.

The present invention generally relates to golf balls and more particularly to golf balls having multi-layered cores comprising a thermoset rubber center, a thermoplastic intermediate core layer, and a thermoset rubber outer core layer. A cover layer is disposed about the multi-layered core. At least one of the center, intermediate core layer, and outer core layer comprises a polyalkenamer rubber. In one preferred embodiment, the center, intermediate core, and outer core layers have positive hardness gradients. The core layers preferably have different specific gravities. The polyalkenamer rubber may be blended with other rubbers such as polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene propylene diene, and styrene-butadiene rubbers. The polyalkenamer rubber composition helps improve resiliency of the core and provides the ball with a comfortable and soft feel.

An ultra-low compression golf ball is disclosed herein. The core preferably has a PGA compression less than 30. The mantle layer and cover have approximately the same thickness. The cover comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane material and has a specific gravity greater than the core and mantle layer. The golf ball has a PGA compression less than 75 and a COR of at least 0.780.

The present invention provides a multi-piece solid golf ball including a core, a surrounding layer, an intermediate layer, and a cover, in which a large number of dimples are formed on an outside surface of the cover, the core is formed of a single layer or a plurality of layers of a rubber composition, the surrounding layer is formed of a single layer or a plurality of layers of a resin composition, the intermediate layer and the cover are both formed of a single layer of a resin composition, and a relationship between an initial velocity of an intermediate layer-encased sphere and an initial velocity of the ball satisfies the following condition:

(initial velocity of ball)<(initial velocity of intermediate layer-encased sphere).

Further, a deflection of the ball under a predetermined load is optimized, and a lift coefficient and a drag coefficient at a predetermined Reynolds number and spin rate of the dimples are set within a predetermined range.

In a golf ball having a core, a cover and at least one intermediate layer formed therebetween, the core, intermediate layer and cover have respective specific gravities with a standard deviation of not more than 0.07 or less, the cover has a material hardness on the Shore D hardness scale of 52 or less, and the ball has a deflection when compressed under a final load of 1,275 N (130 kgf) from an initial load of 98 N (10 kgf) which is 2.8 mm or less. The amount of deviation in the ball center of gravity is exceedingly small, increasing the straightness with which the ball rolls on putts with a putter.

An ultra-low compression three-piece golf ball is disclosed herein. The core preferably has a PGA compression less than 30. The mantle layer and cover have approximately the same thickness. The cover comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane material and has a specific gravity greater than the core and mantle layer. The golf ball has a PGA compression less than 75 and a COR of at least 0.780.

The present invention is directed to thermoset rubber compositions comprising from 1 phr to 20 phr of a zinc ionomer. The thermoset rubber composition is used to form at least one layer of a one-piece, two-piece, or multi-layer golf ball.