Buoyant dimpled golf ball having CoR ≥0.810, specific gravity <1.00 g/cc, initial velocity ≥250 ft/s, first aerodynamic coefficient magnitude between about 0.25 and about 0.30 and first aerodynamic force angle between about 29 degrees and 34 degrees at Reynolds Number of 230000 and spin ratio of 0.085; and second aerodynamic coefficient magnitude between about 0.26 and about 0.31 and second aerodynamic force angle between about 31 degrees and 36 degrees at Reynolds Number of 180000 and spin ratio of 0.101. Golf ball may additionally have third aerodynamic coefficient magnitude between about 0.27 and about 0.32 and third aerodynamic force angle between about 34 degrees and 39 degrees at Reynolds Number of 133000 and spin ratio of 0.133; and fourth aerodynamic coefficient magnitude between about 0.33 and about 0.38 and fourth aerodynamic force angle between about 38 degrees and 43 degrees at Reynolds Number of 89000 and spin ratio of 0.183.

The present invention provides methods for producing molded golf balls and the resultant balls. The methods of this invention involve producing foamed polyurethane covers and these methods help reduce dimple distortions and other surface imperfections. These golf balls contain an inner core and outer foamed polyurethane cover. One or more intermediate layers can be disposed between the core and cover. In one embodiment, a castable liquid polyurethane composition containing a foaming agent is dispensed into mold cavities, which are then pressed together to form a foam cover for the ball.

Multi-layered golf balls having at least one layer made from silicone (polysiloxane) elastomers; silicone (polysiloxane) elastomer/polyurethane blends; polycarbonate-polysiloxane blends and copolymers; and polycarbonate-polysiloxane/polyurethane blends are provided. For example, three-piece, four-piece, and five-piece golf balls containing different core and cover structures can be made. The polysiloxane compositions have good thermal stability and durability without sacrificing resiliency. The polysiloxane compositions also have high elongation, tensile strength, chemical/fluid-resistance, and weatherability properties. These compositions can be used to form any layer, for example, core, intermediate, or cover, in the golf ball.

A golf ball is provided that achieves a satisfactory distance on full shots with an iron, is superior in the short game, and has a good feel at impact and a good durability. The golf ball has a core formed of a rubber composition as one or more layer, an envelope layer formed of a resin material as one or more layer, an intermediate layer formed of a resin material as one layer, and a cover formed of a resin material as one layer having a thickness of not more than 1.0 mm. The layers of the ball have Shore C hardnesses at the respective surfaces thereof which together satisfy certain specific conditions, the core and the ball have respective deflections which satisfy certain conditions and the core has a specific internal hardness profile.

The invention relates to golf balls having at least one layer formed from a highly-neutralized polymer material that has been crosslinked. In particular, the compositions of the invention include a highly-neutralized polymer, at least one crosslinking initiator, and at least one coagent. The invention also relates to methods of making the compositions and golf ball constructions that incorporate the compositions of the invention in at least a portion thereof.

Golf ball incorporating core consisting of: a solid inner core layer consisting of a peroxide cured polybutadiene rubber composition and having a diameter of 1.25 inches or less and a center Shore C hardness (H.sub.center) of 50 or less; and an outer core layer consisting of a thermoplastic composition Tc as defined herein and having a thickness of 0.400 inches or greater and an outer surface Shore C hardness (H.sub.outer surface) of 70 or greater, wherein H.sub.outer surface>H.sub.center, and H.sub.outer surface−H.sub.center≧40. The peroxide cured polybutadiene rubber composition may comprise a reaction product of polybutadiene and a sufficient amount of peroxide to form the solid inner layer having the center Shore C hardness (H.sub.center) of 50 or less. In one embodiment, 100 phr polybutadiene and from about 0.05 phr to about 3.0 phr of peroxide are mixed with at least one of 5 phr or less of a metal oxide; 5 phr or less of a metal coagent; or 5 phr or less of a metal carbonate. Alternatively, the solid inner core layer has a diameter of 1.10 inches or less or less than 1.0 inches.

A golf ball 2 includes a spherical core 4, a mid layer 6, and a cover 8. The core 4 is obtained by crosslinking a rubber composition. The difference between: a hardness H(5.0) at a point which is located at a distance of 5 mm from the central point of the core 4; and a hardness Ho at the central point is 6.0 or greater. The difference between: a hardness H(12.5) at a point which is located at a distance of 12.5 mm from the central point; and the hardness H(5.0) is 4.0 or less. The difference between a hardness Hs at the surface of the core 4 and the hardness H(12.5) is 10.0 or greater. The difference between the hardness Hs and the hardness Ho is 22.0 or greater. There is no zone in which a hardness decreases from the central point to the surface. A Shore D hardness H3 of the cover is greater than a Shore D hardness H2 of the mid layer.

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 golf ball includes a relatively large polymer core and has a soft ball compression. The polymer is, in the illustrated embodiments, a highly neutralized acid polymer. The golf ball may, optionally, include an outer core made of a different material, such as a thermoset polybutadiene rubber. The golf ball may, optionally, include a mantle layer made of an ionomer material. The inner core having a diameter of between 24 mm and 40 mm, and in some designs, between 28 mm and 32 mm, yields increased iron initial velocity and lower iron spin while maintaining driver performance.

Golf ball having at least three layers comprising ionomeric and/or HNP compositions, wherein for each two adjacent layers, a relationship is established between a ratio of the volumes of the two adjacent layers and a ratio of the percent neutralizations of those two layers such that the volumes and % neutralizations of all layers are interrelated and interdependent to produce unique and desirable playing characteristics. In one embodiment, a golf ball of the invention has T layers, wherein T≧3 and each of T layers has a different volume “V” and comprises an ionomeric and/or HNP composition having a different % neutralization “N”. Furthermore, each of n inner layers of the T layers (n<T) has an adjacent surrounding layer n+1 such that a volume V.sub.n and a % neutralization N.sub.n of each inner layer and a volume V.sub.(n+1) and % neutralization N.sub.(n+1) of each adjacent surrounding layer n+1 satisfy the relationship (V.sub.n−V.sub.(n+1))/N.sub.n≧(N.sub.n−N.sub.(n+1))/N.sub.(n+1).