The present invention is directed to golf balls consisting of a multi-layer core and a cover. The multi-layer core includes at least one layer formed from a relatively soft or low modulus HNP composition and at least one layer formed from a relatively hard or high modulus HNP composition.

The present invention is directed to golf balls consisting of a multi-layer core and a cover. The multi-layer core includes at least one layer formed from a relatively soft or low modulus HNP composition and at least one layer formed from a relatively hard or high modulus HNP composition.

The present invention relates to the use of a fatty acid (meth)acrylic acid salt in a golf ball layer. The fatty acid (meth)acrylic acid salt may be added to one or more portions of a golf ball including a core, intermediate, or cover layer. For example, in one embodiment, the fatty acid (meth)acrylic acid salt may be blended with a polybutadiene rubber material. In another embodiment, the fatty acid (meth)acrylic acid salt of the present invention may be blended with an ionomer. In some embodiments, the fatty acid (meth)acrylic acid salt may be blended with a formulation including both a polybutadiene rubber component and an ionomer.

A golf ball and a method of forming a golf ball is disclosed herein. The golf ball includes an alignment aid or feature that is integrally formed with a core body of the golf ball. A cover is provided that allows the alignment aid to be visible from an exterior of the golf ball. The alignment aid can be formed as central spherical segment that fuses two spherical cap portions with each other to form the core body. Different material selections can be made for the spherical cap portions and the central spherical segment that can further provide variation in performance characteristics of the golf ball.

Systems and methods for tracking a sports object are provided. A sports object includes a core assembly arranged within a shell and having multiple components to receive and transmit signals corresponding to movement of the sports object, as well as to support operational tracking of the sports object. The core assembly includes a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB) comprised of a plurality of sections. The PCB is configured to at least partially envelope the energy storage device at a geometric center of the assembly. The PCB is connected to one or more antennas (e.g., via one or more contacts), which may be arranged on one or more sections of the PCB, arranged on a surface of the shell, and/or in a volume within the shell.

Multi-layered golf balls having at least one layer made of a polyester composition containing a polyester thermoplastic elastomer and plasticizer are provided. The plasticizers help reduce the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the composition and various plasticizers may be used. For example, the composition may include alkyl oleate plasticizers such as ethyl oleate and octyl oleate. Polyester-ether block copolymers are particularly preferred. The golf ball includes a core having at least one layer and a cover having at least one layer. The polyester composition may be used to form any core, cover, or other layer in the golf ball.

In a multi-piece solid golf ball having a rubber two-layer core consisting of an inner layer and an outer layer, a cover, and at least one intermediate layer therebetween, the inner core layer has a diameter of at least 30 mm, the difference in JIS-C hardness between the center of the inner core layer and the surface of the outer core layer is at least 25, the ball satisfies the relationship A/B1.5, where A and B are the deflections of, respectively, the inner core layer and the two-layer core when compressed under specific loading conditions, and the intermediate layer has a higher material hardness than the cover. This ball enables mid- to high-level golfers both to achieve even longer distances and to maintain the spin performance on approach shots at a high level.

In a multi-piece solid golf ball having a core, a cover and an intermediate layer therebetween, letting Hc be the JIS-C hardness at the core center, H12 be the JIS-C hardness at a position 12 mm from the core center and Ho be the JIS-C hardness at the core surface, the core has a hardness profile which satisfies the conditions 0H12Hc15, 15HoH1230, (HoH12)(H12Hc)10 and 20HoHc40. Also, letting A be the value represented by (HoH12)(H12Hc), the spin index of the ball, defined as the dynamic coefficient of friction for the ball multiplied by A, is at least 3.0. This golf ball can satisfy at a high level the flight and control performance relied on by professional golfers and skilled amateurs.

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball excellent in hitting durability. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a spherical core and at least one cover layer covering the spherical core, wherein at least a part of the spherical core is formed from a rubber composition containing (a) a base rubber, (b) a co-crosslinking agent, (c) a crosslinking initiator, and (x) an olefin-alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer, and a content of (x) the olefin-alkyl (meth)acrylate copolymer in the rubber composition ranges from 0.5 part by mass to 7.0 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of (a) the base rubber.

Golf ball having CoR of at least 0.810, specific gravity SG.sub.B of less than 1.00 g/cc, and initial velocity of at least 250 ft/s and comprising a first layer L.sub.1, a second layer L.sub.2 surrounding L.sub.1, and a third layer L.sub.3 surrounding L.sub.2. L.sub.1 is formed from at least one highly neutralized polymer and has first specific gravity SG.sub.1; L.sub.2 is formed from at least one partially neutralized polymer and has second specific gravity SG.sub.2; and L.sub.3 is formed from at least one of a thermoset or thermoplastic composition and has third specific gravity SG.sub.3. At least two of SG.sub.1, SG.sub.2, and SG.sub.3 is less than 1.13 g/cc. SG.sub.1 may be less than 1.13 g/cc, or less than 1.0 g/cc. The thermoset or thermoplastic composition may comprise polyurethane(s), polyurea(s), polyurethane(s)/polyurea(s) hybrids, and/or ionomers such as at least partially neutralized polymers and/or HNPs.