In a golf ball having a core, an envelope layer, an intermediate layer and a cover, the difference between the center hardness and the surface hardness of the core is set in a specific range, the intermediate layer is formed of a resin material that includes a high-acid ionomer, the Shore C hardness relationships among the core center and the surfaces of the envelope-encased layer and the intermediate layer-encased sphere satisfy specific conditions; and the ball has a deflection when compressed under a given load which is at least 2.7 mm. This ball achieves a good distance on shots with a driver, utility club or iron, is receptive to spin in the short game, and has a soft feel at impact on all shots, making it useful to amateur golfers.

Multi-layered golf balls having an inner core with a relatively large diameter are provided. In one embodiment, the golf ball comprises an inner core, outer core, and cover. The inner core comprises a thermoset or thermoplastic composition. For example, a blend of polybutadiene rubbers can be used to form the inner core. The outer core layer is relatively thin and comprises a thermoset or thermoplastic composition. The dimensions and compressions of the core layers have specific relationships referred to as the Core Profile. The golf ball further comprises a cover having at least one layer. Ethylene acid copolymer ionomers and polyurethanes, particularly thermoplastic polyurethane, can be used to form the cover.

A golf ball a core, one or more intermediate layers, and one or more cover layers. The core may comprise an inner portion and an outer portion. One or more layers of the golf ball may be formed by the application of ultrasonic welding on two half shells to form. One or more of the layers may be formed by a number of different chemical compositions, and may have varying thicknesses, hardnesses, coefficients of restitution, and PGA compression. The golf ball itself may have varying coefficient of restitution and PGA compression, depending on the layers.

Compositions including a hardness agent and a water releasing agent and golf ball cores made from such compositions having a tailored hardness gradient are disclosed. The type and concentration of the components in the composition, including a hardness agent and a water releasing agent, affect the hardness, hardness gradient, and compression of cores made from the composition and, thus, can be used to produce a golf ball having desirable performance characteristics.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a golf ball having an increased spin rate when being hit with an 8-iron while suppressing rise in a spin rate when being hit with a driver. The present disclosure provides a golf ball comprising a spherical core having an inner core and an outer core, and a cover positioned outside the spherical core, wherein A×a is 12,200 or less and B×b is 20,400 or more, where “a” represents an average hardness (Shore C) of a hardness (H2.5) at a point of 2.5 mm from a center of the spherical core and a hardness (H5) at a point of 5 mm from the center of the spherical core, “b” represents an average hardness (Shore C) of a hardness (H7.5) at a point of 7.5 mm from the center of the spherical core and a hardness (H9) at a point of 9 mm from the center of the spherical core, “A” represents an impulse difference (kN.Math..Math.s) between a back spin impulse and a top spin impulse measured using a contact force tester under a condition corresponding to a condition when the golf ball is hit with a driver, and “B” represents an impulse difference (kN.Math..Math.s) between a back spin impulse and a top spin impulse measured using a contact force tester under a condition corresponding to a condition when the golf ball is hit with an 8-iron.

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.

A rubber composition for golf balls includes (a) a base rubber, (b) a co-crosslinking agent which is an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a metal salt thereof, (c) a crosslinking initiator, (d) an alcohol and (e-1) an organosulfur, and the amount of component (d) is from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the base rubber (a) and the organosulfur of component (e-1) is alkylphenoldisulfide polymers represented by the specific chemical formula. When the rubber composition is used in a golf ball having a core and a cover of one or more layers encasing the core, by setting the hardness difference in the core interior hardness profile to a large value while maintaining a desired core hardness, low spin properties can be manifested on golf ball shots, enabling the flight performance of the ball to be improved.

A rubber composition for golf balls includes (a) a base rubber, (b) a co-crosslinking agent which is an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or a metal salt thereof, (c) a crosslinking initiator, (d) an alcohol and (f) sulfur, and the amount of component (d) is from 0.1 to 10 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of the base rubber (a). When the rubber composition is used in a golf ball having a core and a cover of one or more layers encasing the core, by setting the hardness difference in the core interior hardness profile to a large value while maintaining a desired core hardness, low spin properties can be manifested on golf ball shots, enabling the flight performance of the ball to be improved.

In a golf ball having a core of one or more layer and a cover of one or more layer encasing the core, the core has a deflection when compressed under a specific load of at least 3.8 mm; at least an innermost portion of the core has a specific difference between maximum and minimum values in cross-sectional hardnesses (JIS-C) from a center to a surface thereof; and the center core is formed of a rubber composition that includes (a) a base rubber, (b) an α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid and/or metal salt thereof, (c) a diacyl peroxide and/or a peroxyester, and (d) a dialkyl peroxide and/or a peroxyketal. The golf ball has a low spin rate on driver shots by low head speed golfers, and thus achieves an improved distance, while minimizing any decrease in durability.

In a golf ball having a core, envelope layer, intermediate layer and cover, the (core diameter)/(ball diameter) value falls within a particular range, the core has a specific hardness profile, and the Shore C hardness relationships among the core center and surface hardnesses and the surface hardnesses of the envelope layer-encased sphere, intermediate layer-encased sphere and ball satisfy the following conditions:

core surface hardness<surface hardness of envelope layer-encased sphere<surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere>ball surface hardness,  (1)

(surface hardness of envelope layer-encased sphere)−(core center hardness)≥28.  (2)

Also, the envelope layer, intermediate layer and cover have respective thicknesses which satisfy the condition:

cover thickness<intermediate layer thickness envelope layer thickness.  (3)

This ball enables mid-level and skilled amateur golfers to achieve superior distances on driver shots and on iron shots, and moreover has a soft yet good feel at impact.