A method for forming a golf ball with a graphene core disclosed herein. The method includes mixing a graphene masterbatch material with a polybutadiene material to form a core mixture, wherein the graphene masterbatch material comprises graphene in an amount from 0.1 to 80.0 weight percent of the graphene masterbatch material mixed with a carrier polymer in an amount from 99.9 to 20 weight percent of the graphene masterbatch material.

Multi-piece golf balls containing a multi-layered core structure are provided. The core structure includes a small, heavy inner core (center) having a relatively high specific gravity, an intermediate core layer, and a surrounding outer core layer. The layers of the core structure may have different hardness gradients. In one preferred embodiment, each core layer has a positive hardness gradient. The center of the core comprises a metal material such as copper, steel, brass, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, and alloys thereof. The intermediate core layer is preferably formed from a thermoset composition such as polybutadiene rubber, and the outer core layer is preferably formed from a thermoplastic composition such as an ethylene acid copolymer. The resulting ball has high resiliency and good spin control.

A system for measuring golf ball trajectory characteristics is disclosed. The system includes artificial grass with a launch location for a golf ball and a plurality of wide-angle distance optical sensors mechanically connected to the artificial grass positioned such that a field of measurement of each wide-angle distance optical sensors intersects. The system also includes a central processing unit connected to the wide-angle distance optical sensors, the central processing unit configured to collect distance measurements from the wide-angle distance optical sensors and to determine a velocity of a trajectory of the golf ball from the launch location to the intersection of the field of measurement of each wide-angle distance optical sensors given a distance between the plurality of the wide-angle distance optical sensors, a distance between the plurality of the wide-angle distance optical sensors and the launch location, and the distance measurements from the plurality of the wide-angle distance optical sensors. Once the velocity of the trajectory of the golf ball is determined, the central processing unit transmits the velocity to a display.

A method for forming a golf ball core with a nanofiller masterbatch is disclosed herein. The method includes mixing the nanofiller masterbatch, a graphene masterbatch material with other materials to form a core mixture, wherein the masterbatch preferably comprises 1-80% by weight of nanofillers and 20-99% by weight of a carrier polymer.

A method for forming a golf ball core with a nanofiller masterbatch is disclosed herein. The method includes mixing the nanofiller masterbatch, a graphene masterbatch material with other materials to form a core mixture, wherein the masterbatch preferably comprises 1-80% by weight of nanofillers and 20-99% by weight of a carrier polymer.

Multi-piece golf balls containing a multi-layered core structure are provided. The core structure includes a small, heavy inner core (center) having a relatively high specific gravity, an intermediate core layer, and a surrounding outer core layer. The layers of the core structure may have different hardness gradients. The center of the core comprises a metal material such as copper, steel, brass, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, and alloys thereof dispersed in a thermoset polymeric matrix. The intermediate core layer is preferably formed from a first thermoplastic composition such as an ethylene acid copolymer ionomer resin; and the outer core layer is preferably formed from a second thermoplastic composition. The resulting ball has high resiliency and good spin control.

The invention relates to golf balls having at least one layer formed from a highly-neutralized polymer material that has been crosslinked. In particular, the compositions of the invention include a highly-neutralized polymer, at least one crosslinking initiator, and at least one coagent. The invention also relates to methods of making the compositions and golf ball constructions that incorporate the compositions of the invention in at least a portion thereof.

A golf ball 2 includes a spherical core 4, an inner mid layer 6, an outer mid layer 8, a reinforcing layer 10, and a cover 12. When distances (%) from a central point of the core 4 to nine points and JIS-C hardnesses at the nine points, which nine points are obtained by dividing a region from the central point of the core 4 to a surface of the core 4 at intervals of 12.5% of a radius of the core 4, are plotted in a graph, R.sup.2 of a linear approximation curve obtained by a least-square method is equal to or greater than 0.95. Hm1 is greater than Hm2. Hc is less than Hm1. T2 is equal to or greater than 0.5 mm but equal to or less than 1.6 mm.

Multi-piece golf balls containing a dual-layered core and dual-layered cover are provided. The core structure includes a small, heavy inner core (center) having a relatively high specific gravity, and a surrounding outer core layer. The core layers may have different hardness gradients. The center of the core comprises a metal material such as copper, steel, brass, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, and combinations and alloys thereof preferably dispersed in a thermoplastic polymeric matrix. The outer core layer is preferably formed from a thermoset composition such as polybutadiene. The multi-layered cores and covers have selective specific gravity relationships between the different layers. This helps provide the ball with good flight distance and spin control. The resulting balls have good resiliency and other playing performance properties.

Multi-piece golf balls containing a dual-layered core are provided. The ball further includes single or multi-layered covers. The core structure includes a small, heavy inner core (center) having a relatively high specific gravity, and a surrounding outer core layer. The core layers may have different hardness gradients. The center of the core comprises a metal material such as copper, steel, brass, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, and combinations and alloys thereof preferably dispersed in a thermoplastic polymeric matrix. The outer core layer is preferably formed from a thermoset composition such as polybutadiene. These multi-layered core constructions with metal-containing centers have selective specific gravity relationships between the different layers. This helps provide the ball with good flight distance and spin control. The resulting balls have good resiliency and other playing performance properties.