A golf ball includes a core having an outer surface and a geometric center. The core is formed from a substantially homogenous rubber composition. An ionomeric inner cover layer is formed about the core and has a material hardness of about 60 Shore D or greater. The golf ball includes an outer cover layer formed from a polyurea or a polyurethane and having a material hardness of about 60 Shore D or less. The outer surface of the core has a trans content of about 12% or less and a hardness of about 71 to 88 Shore C. The geometric center of the core has a trans content of about 10% or less and a hardness of about 60 to 80 Shore C. The core has an outer surface hardness greater than a geometric center hardness by about 5 to 19 Shore C to define a positive hardness gradient.

A touch activated lighted sports ball is formed as a sphere having a core and an outer layer. A pair of electrodes are exposed on an exterior surface of the outer layer. An electronic circuit is disposed within the core. The electronic circuit has a battery, a lamp, an active circuit element, and an electronic switch. The electronic switch is connected to the pair of electrodes, and is responsive to current flowing through a low resistance path between the electrodes to energize the lamp.

Golf ball comprising one or more layers and/or indicia formed from a fluorescent composition comprising: a base polymer; and a colorant; wherein the colorant is a small-molecule ionic isolation lattice formed from one or more fluorescent dye and one or more cyanostar macrocycles. The one or more fluorescent dyes may include at least one dye selected from xanthenes, oxazines, styryls, cyanines, trianguleniums, or mixtures thereof. The colorant may be a dispersion of the small-molecule ionic isolation lattice in a carrier medium or a powder. In particular embodiments, at least one of the one or more layers is a cover layer and/or a coating layer.

A golf game assembly includes a plurality of goals. The plurality of goals may be arranged on a support surface. Each of the goals is comprised of a phosphorescent material to be visible at night. A plurality of golf clubs is provided. Each of the golf clubs is comprised of a phosphorescent material to be visible at night. A selected one of the golf clubs is selected by a player. A plurality of balls is provided. A selected one of the balls may be placed on the support surface. Thus, the player may strike the selected ball with the selected golf club. Each of the balls is comprised of a phosphorescent material to be visible at night.

Golf ball with through-hole(s) incorporating hollow air pocket(s) to produce thinner outer wall facilitating more speed and responsiveness off of the golf club's face at impact is disclosed. A thin outer wall is desirable in golf ball design. A wall that is too thick inhibits rebound and promotes fracturing. A thinner wall with structural supports allows for the outer wall to be thinned while producing an internal structure that promotes rebound and not structural failure. This volume of material formed into the volume to help resist deformation of the outer shell. The internal structure between the outer shell and inner axial shaft can be a honeycomb-like pattern or concentric rings to create more structure, less air volume and faster response. These smaller compartments of air will create more rebound because of the additional force of the more responsive inner structure providing a spring effect as well.

Golf ball 2 of the present invention has core 4, cover 10 situated on the external side of the core 4, and paint layer 16 provided to cover this cover 10. The base polymer of the cover 10 is a urethane resin. The base polymer of the paint layer 16 is a urethane resin. The cover 10 has a thickness Tc of 0.1 mm or greater and 0.7 mm or less. The paint layer 16 has a thickness Tp (mm) of 0.015 mm or greater and 0.040 mm or less. The ratio (Tp/Tc) is 0.021 or greater and 0.40 or less. Preferably, the paint layer 16 is formed with two or more layers 18 and 20. Preferably, the base polymer of the paint layer 16 is a two-pack type urethane resin or a two-pack type epoxy resin.

Multi-piece golf balls having a multi-layered solid core and multi-layered cover are provided.

Multi-layer golf balls having a hard, high compression center, a relatively soft intermediate layer, and a stiff outer cover layer, are provided. The outer surface hardness of the intermediate layer is less than that of both the center and the outer cover layer.

Systems, apparatus, and methods for using mobile sporting goods. In one aspect, the system permits a sporting enthusiast to track the location of a mobile sporting good, such as a golf ball, relative to a target, such as a target on a driving range, and correlate that location to a simulated location on a simulated golf hole.

A cured elastomer golf ball component is made by heating an elastomer compound containing an ethylenically unsaturated elastomer, an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and first and second free radical initiators to a first crosslinking temperature T.sub.1 in a compression mold and partially crosslinking the elastomer, then heating to a second crosslinking temperature T.sub.2 and curing the elastomer component of the golf ball. Either: (i) the first initiator has a half-life of about 0.2-5 minutes at T.sub.1, the second initiator has a half-life of about 0.2-5 minutes at T.sub.2, and T.sub.2 is higher T.sub.1 by at least about 30° C.; or (ii) the second initiator's one-minute half-life temperature is at least about 30° C. higher than the first initiator's one-minute half-life temperature, T.sub.1 is within about 20° C. of the first initiator's one-minute half-life temperature, and T.sub.2 is within about 20° C. of the second initiator's one-minute half-life temperature.