An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball having excellent abrasion resistance and spin performance on driver shots. The present invention provides a golf ball having a spherical core and a cover covering the spherical core, wherein the cover contains a polyurethane, wherein the polyurethane comprises, as a constituent component, (A) a polyisocyanate component and (B) a polyol component containing (b1) a polyrotaxane, and wherein (b1) the polyrotaxane has a cyclodextrin, a linear molecule piercing through the cyclic structure of the cyclodextrin, and a blocking group located at both terminals of the linear molecule to prevent disassociation of the cyclodextrin, and at least a part of hydroxyl groups of the cyclodextrin is modified with a caprolactone chain via —O—C.sub.3H.sub.6—O— group.

Golf balls having multi-layered covers, wherein at least one of the cover layers is substantially transparent, are provided. The cover includes an inner cover layer made of an ionomer composition; an intermediate cover layer made of an aromatic polyurethane composition; and outer cover layer made of an aliphatic polyurethane composition, wherein the total thickness of the multi-layered cover is no greater than 0.110 inches. In one version, the outer cover layer is substantially transparent and the underlying intermediate cover layer is colored. In another version, both the outer and intermediate cover layers are substantially transparent. Light-reflective fillers such as pearlescent pigments, glitter, and metallics may be added to the cover layers. The resulting ball has pleasing decorative effects.

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball having excellent shot feeling and flight distance. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a spherical core, a first resin layer and a second resin layer, wherein the first resin layer is formed from a first resin composition containing (A) a polyamide resin, (B) a copolymer and/or a metal ion-neutralized product thereof, and (C) a thermoplastic elastomer, and having a ratio (flexural elastic modulus/slab hardness) of a flexural elastic modulus (MPa) to a slab hardness (Shore D hardness) in a range from 3 to 5; and the second resin layer is formed from a second resin composition containing (D) a polyamide resin, and (E) a copolymer and/or a metal ion-neutralized product thereof.

A method and an apparatus for playing golf on a hard surface comprises a replaceable striking pad attached to a conventional golf club head by means of at least one attachment means, a spiked ball, a portable ball trap to trap the spiked ball and an optional remotely controlled vehicle to position the portable ball trap. The replaceable striking pad includes a small lip at a bottom end on a front face and a holding ledge having substantially curved edges extending away from the bottom end of the front face. The holding ledge is adaptable to wrap around a bottom sole of the golf club head. The portable ball trap includes a thin flat platform with tapered edges, a central threaded pole positioned on the thin flat platform and a circular frame having a plurality of hinged tabs threaded to the central threaded pole.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel golf ball having excellent spin performance on approach shots. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a golf ball body and a paint film composed of at least one layer and formed on a surface of the golf ball body, wherein a base resin constituting an outermost layer of the paint film is a polyurethane obtained by a reaction between (A) a polyol composition and (B) a polyisocyanate composition, and a loss modulus (E″) at the temperature of −50° C. obtained by measuring a dynamic viscoelasticity of the polyurethane is 1.00×10.sup.8 Pa or more.

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball having excellent spin performance on approach shots under a wet condition and excellent spin performance on approach shots under a condition that there is grass between the golf ball and the dub face. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a golf ball body and a paint film composed of at least one layer and formed on a surface of the golf ball body, wherein an outermost layer of the paint film located at the outermost layer of the golf ball contains a base resin and a porous filler, the base resin contains a polyurethane obtained by a reaction between (A) a polyisocyanate composition and (B) a polyol composition containing a urethane polyol as a polyol component, the porous filler contains SiO.sub.2 in an amount of 50 mass % or more as a constituent component, and a loss tangent (tan δ) of the outermost layer of the paint film measured with a dynamic viscoelasticity measuring apparatus under following conditions has a peak temperature in a range of from −43° C. to 40° C.

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball having excellent spin performance on approach shots under a wet condition and excellent spin performance on approach shots under a condition that there is grass between the golf ball and the club face. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a golf ball body and a paint film composed of at least one layer and formed on a surface of the golf ball body, wherein an outermost layer of the paint film located at the outermost layer of the golf ball contains a base resin and a porous filer, the base resin contains a polyurethane obtained by a reaction between (A) a polyisocyanate composition and (B) a polyol composition containing a urethane polyol as a polyol component, the porous filler contains SiO.sub.2 in an amount of 50 mass % or more as a constituent component, and a loss tangent (tan δ) of the outermost layer of the paint film measured with a dynamic viscoelasticity measuring apparatus under following conditions has a peak temperature in a range of from −40° C. to 40° C.

A resin composition for golf balls is made of (A) polyurethane or polyurea and (B) a styrene resin material, component (B) being included in an amount of 0.5 to 50 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of component (A). In a golf ball having a core and a cover of one or more layer encasing the core, at least one cover layer is formed of this resin composition. The resin composition is especially useful as a golf ball cover material because the ball does not fly too far and is easier to control on approach shots, yet does not sacrifice distance on shots with a driver.

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball traveling a great flight distance. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a spherical core and a cover covering the spherical core, wherein the golf ball has a ratio (t2/t1) of a time (t2) to a time (t1) of 1.05 or more in a hitting test using a driver (at a head speed of 40 m/sec), wherein the time (t1) is a time taken from a moment that the driver begins to contact with the golf ball to a moment that the golf ball reaches a maximum deformation amount, and the time (t2) is a time taken from the moment that the golf ball reaches the maximum deformation amount to a moment that the golf ball leaves the driver.

An object of the present invention is to provide a golf ball having excellent spin performance on approach shots under a wet condition and excellent spin performance on approach shots under a condition that there is grass between the golf ball and the club face. The present invention provides a golf ball comprising a golf ball body and a paint film composed of at least one layer and formed on a surface of the golf ball body, wherein an outermost layer of the paint film located at the outermost layer of the golf ball contains a base resin and a porous filer, the base resin contains a polyurethane obtained by a reaction between (A) a polyisocyanate composition and (B) a polyol composition containing a urethane polyol as a polyol component, the porous filler contains SiO.sub.2 in an amount of 50 mass % or more as a constituent component, and a loss tangent (tan ) of the outermost layer of the paint film measured with a dynamic viscoelasticity measuring apparatus under following conditions has a peak temperature in a range of from 40 C. to 40 C.