Multi-piece golf balls containing a multi-layered core structure are provided. The core structure includes a small, heavy inner core (center) having a relatively high specific gravity, an intermediate core layer, and a surrounding outer core layer. The layers of the core structure may have different hardness gradients. In one preferred embodiment, each core layer has a positive hardness gradient. The center of the core comprises a metal material such as copper, steel, brass, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, and alloys thereof. The intermediate core layer is preferably formed from a first thermoset composition such as polybutadiene rubber, and the outer core layer is preferably formed from a second thermoset composition. The resulting ball has high resiliency and good spin control.

Multi-piece golf balls having a solid core and cover are provided. The ball contains a small, heavy inner core and surrounding outer core layer. The inner core preferably contains metal powder such as copper, steel, brass, tungsten, titanium, nickel, iron, tin, and bronze particles dispersed in a thermoset or thermoplastic polymeric matrix. For example, a polybutadiene rubber matrix may be used. In one preferred embodiment, the inner core contains elemental iron powder. Preferably, the particles have a weight average size in the range of about 10 μm to about 450 μm. In one embodiment, the outer surface of the inner core has a structure with projecting members. For example, the outer surface may contain multiple projecting ribs with gaps located between the ribs. The ball includes a cover surrounding the core structure. The cover may be multi-layered.

Golf ball consisting of an inner part comprising at least an elastomeric polymer and a reinforcing agent comprising graphene nano-platelets in which at least 90% of the nano-platelets has a lateral size (x, y) from 50 to 50,000 nm and a thickness (z) from 0.34 to 45 nm, and a C/O ratio ≥100:1.

Multi-piece golf balls containing a multi-layered core structure having layers with different hardness gradients and specific gravities are provided. The core structure includes a small, heavy inner core (center) having a relatively high specific gravity with metal material preferably dispersed in a first thermoset composition. 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 second thermoset composition. The resulting ball has high resiliency and good spin control.

A golf ball is provided that has a spherical core exhibiting a stiffness from 400 MPa to 200 GPa. The stiffness of the core may be controlled by adjusting the materials of construction and the ratio of the materials. This results in a golf ball that is legal for play and capable of drive distances essentially equivalent to those of currently-available high performance golf balls, but also provides a golf ball that has less hook and slice during play.

A golf ball with embedded electronics to allow proximity to be tracked and to monitor golfer performance is disclosed. The golf ball comprises a processor connected to an accelerometer, communications circuitry, a spin detector, and memory, wherein the processor stores accelerometer data from the accelerometer and rotation data regarding rotation of the spin detector in the memory. The processor converts the data regarding the rotation of the spin detector into a rotation speed and a rotation direction, said rotation speed determined by a frequency of the data, and said rotation direction determined by a magnitude of the data. The communications circuitry is configured to communicate the accelerometer data, the rotation direction, and the rotation speed to a central interrogator for analysis of a golfer's performance.

A system and method for measuring motion properties of a movable object, such as a sporting device, wherein the movable object has an embedded magnetized unit creating a magnetic field. A measurement device, having a first magnetic field sensor positioned a known distance away from a second magnetic field sensor, is positioned in the vicinity of the movable object's trajectory, whereby the first and second magnetic field sensors output signals when the movable object passes within their respective proximities. A control module, that is responsive to the output signals created by the magnetic field sensors, is configured to record the times of output signal events. The control module is further configured to calculate motion properties, such as the speed and rate of spin, of the movable object based upon the recorded times of various sensor output events and the known distance between the first and second magnetic field sensors.

A method for forming a golf ball with a graphene core disclosed herein. The method includes mixing a graphene masterbatch material with a polybutadiene material to form a core mixture, wherein the graphene masterbatch material comprises graphene in an amount from 0.1 to 80.0 weight percent of the graphene masterbatch material mixed with a carrier polymer in an amount from 99.9 to 20 weight percent of the graphene masterbatch material.

Golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the core includes between 2 and 20 smaller spheres that are surrounded by a second core composition having at least one different physical property than the composition(s) forming the smaller spheres. The smaller spheres can be entirely surrounded by the second core composition; or, at least two smaller adjacent spheres may each be partially surrounded by the second core composition while also being in partial contact with each other.

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball traveling a great flight distance and having a good shot feeling and durability on driver shots. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a core, at least one intermediate layer covering the core and a cover covering the intermediate layer, wherein the core is formed from a core rubber composition containing (a) a base rubber containing a polybutadiene, (b) an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and/or a metal salt thereof as a co-crosslinking agent, (c) a crosslinking initiator, and (d) a terpene-based resin, and a material hardness (Hm) of the intermediate layer and a material hardness (Hc) of the cover satisfy an equation of Hm≤Hc.