In a golf ball for professional golfers and skilled amateurs which has a single-layer core, a cover and at least one intermediate layer therebetween, the intermediate layer has a specific gravity of at least 1.05, the sphere the sphere obtained by encasing the core with the intermediate layer (intermediate layer-encased sphere) and the ball have a surface hardness relationship which satisfies the condition:
(surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere)>(surface hardness of ball).
The core has a diameter of from 35.5 to 39.5 mm and a distinctive hardness profile that satisfies specific conditions. The ball is endowed with both an excellent flight performance and excellent durability to repeated impact.

A golf ball includes a core and a cover, in which a large number of dimples are formed on an outside surface of the cover, the cover is formed using an ionomer resin as a chief material, an initial velocity of the ball is set within a predetermined range, a deflection when a predetermined load is applied to the ball is set within a predetermined range, a relationship of a ratio to a lift coefficient/drag coefficient at a Reynolds number of 218,000 and a spin rate of 2,800 rpm, a lift coefficient/drag coefficient at a Reynolds number of 184,000 and a spin rate of 2,900 rpm, and a lift coefficient/drag coefficient at a Reynolds number of 158,000 and a spin rate of 3,100 rpm is specified, and a volume occupancy ratio of the dimples is set within a predetermined range.

Provided is a golf ball including a core, an intermediate layer, and a cover. A relationship between surface hardnesses of an intermediate layer-encased sphere and the ball satisfies a predetermined relational expression. With a ball initial velocity and a deflection under a predetermined load applied to the ball optimized, and letting a value of (initial velocity of coreweight of core) be Ciw, a value of [(initial velocity of intermediate layer-encased sphereinitial velocity of core)(weight of intermediate layer-encased sphereweight of core)] be Miw, and a value of [(initial velocity of ballinitial velocity of intermediate layer-encased sphere)(weight of ballweight of intermediate layer-encased sphere)] be CViw, the following condition is satisfied:

[00001]$2500\mathrm{Ciw}+\mathrm{Miw}+\mathrm{CViw}2650,$

wherein a total volume of the dimples is from 306 to 363 mm.sup.3.

In a golf ball including a core, an intermediate layer, and a cover, the relationship of the surface hardness between an intermediate layer-encased sphere and the ball satisfies a predetermined relational expression, and with an initial velocity of the ball and a deflection under a predetermined load applied to the ball optimized, and letting a value of (initial velocity of coreweight of core) be Ciw, a value of [(initial velocity of intermediate layer-encased sphereinitial velocity of core)(weight of intermediate layer-encased sphereweight of core)] be Miw, and a value of [(initial velocity of ballinitial velocity of intermediate layer-encased sphere)(weight of ballweight of intermediate layer-encased sphere)] be CViw, the expression of Ciw+Miw+CViw is optimized, and a volume occupancy ratio VR of the dimples is set within a predetermined range.

A multi-piece solid golf ball includes a core, an intermediate layer, and a cover, in which a large number of dimples are formed on an outside surface of the cover, a relationship between a surface hardness of an intermediate layer-encased sphere and a surface hardness of the ball is specified, an initial velocity of the ball is set from 76.0 to 77.724 m/s, a relationship of a ratio to a lift coefficient/drag coefficient at a Reynolds number of 218,000 and a spin rate of 2,800 rpm, a lift coefficient/drag coefficient at a Reynolds number of 184,000 and a spin rate of 2,900 rpm, and a lift coefficient/drag coefficient at a Reynolds number of 158,000 and a spin rate of 3,100 rpm is specified, and a volume occupancy ratio of the dimples is set within a predetermined range.

A multi-piece solid golf ball includes 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, a relationship of surface hardnesses of each sphere is specified, an initial velocity of the ball is set to 75.0 to 77.724 m/s, and a relationship of a ratio to a lift coefficient/drag coefficient at a Reynolds number of 218,000 and a spin rate of 2,800 rpm, a lift coefficient/drag coefficient at a Reynolds number of 184,000 and a spin rate of 2,900 rpm, and a lift coefficient/drag coefficient at a Reynolds number of 158,000 and a spin rate of 3,100 rpm is specified.

Golf balls disclosed herein have a combination of aerodynamic properties and construction parameters providing a desired set of performance characteristics.

Golf balls disclosed herein have a combination of aerodynamic properties and construction parameters providing a desired set of performance characteristics.

Golf balls disclosed herein have a combination of aerodynamic properties and construction parameters providing a desired set of performance characteristics.

Golf balls disclosed herein have a combination of aerodynamic properties and construction parameters providing a desired set of performance characteristics.