Abstract: In a golf ball having a core and a cover with a plurality of dimples on the surface, the cover is formed primarily of polyurethane, the dimples have a specific volume occupancy ratio and the ball has a diameter of at least 42.8 mm. In an impact test carried out by hitting the ball with a driver at a head speed of 40 m/s, the sum t1+t2 of the time t1 required from initial contact by the driver with the ball for deformation of the ball to reach a maximum and the time t2 required from the state of maximum ball deformation for the ball and driver to separate is 660 ?sec or less. This golf ball makes it possible for golfers who have a high head speed and ordinary golfers who do not to compete without relying excessively on superiority in terms of distance.

Abstract: A golf ball material contains (i) fine particles that have an average particle size of less than 300 ?m and are composed of a crosslinked multi-component copolymer having conjugated diene units, non-conjugated olefin units and aromatic vinyl units; and (ii) a thermoplastic resin. The conjugated diene units include butadiene units, the non-conjugated olefin units include units selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene and 1-butene units, the aromatic vinyl units include styrene units, and the content of the conjugated diene units in the multi-component copolymer is 5 wt % or more. This golf ball material is soft, has an excellent rebound resilience and also has a good processability.

Abstract: Golf ball having a generally spherical surface and comprising a plurality of dimples separated by a land area formed on the ball surface, wherein the plurality of dimples includes at least one non-spherical dimple having a non-axially symmetric plan shape and a defined point of maximum dimple depth, wherein: (i) each dimple cross-section of the non-spherical dimple consists of two arcs, each arc extending from the defined point of maximum dimple depth to a point at the land area of the golf ball; and (ii) every point on the perimeter of the non-spherical dimple is located at a radial angle, ?, about a unit circle, where 0???2?, and the edge angle value of the non-spherical dimple at any given point on the perimeter is defined by the solution of an edge angle function f(?), wherein f(?) is a non-periodic, continuous, differentiable function.

Abstract: In a golf ball for professional golfers and skilled amateurs which has a single-layer core, a cover and at least one intermediate layer therebetween, the sphere obtained by encasing the core with the intermediate layer (intermediate layer-encased sphere) and the ball have a surface hardness relationship which satisfies the condition: (surface hardness of intermediate layer-encased sphere)>(surface hardness of ball). The core has a diameter of from 35.5 to 39.5 mm and a distinctive hardness profile that satisfies specific conditions. The ball is endowed with both an excellent flight performance and excellent durability to repeated impact.

Abstract: A golf ball composed of a core and a cover has a spin rate and a launch angle on approach shots at a head speed (HS) of 20 m/s or 10 m/s that satisfy formulas (1) and (2) below: Spin W/Spin D?0.70??(1) Ang W/Ang D<1.20??(2). Here, Spin D is the spin rate (rpm) under dry conditions, Spin W is the spin rate (rpm) under wet conditions, Ang W is the launch angle (°) under wet conditions and Ang D is the launch angle (°) under dry conditions. The golf ball suppresses a decrease in the spin rate on approach shots in rainy weather and thus has an improved controllability, making it especially useful to professional golfers and skilled amateurs who desire a high spin performance around the green.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for arranging dimples on a golf ball surface in which the dimples are arranged in a pattern derived from at least one irregular domain generated from a regular or non-regular polyhedron. The method includes choosing control points of a polyhedron, generating an irregular domain based on those control points, packing the irregular domain with dimples, and tessellating the irregular domain to cover the surface of the golf ball. The control points include the center of a polyhedral face, a vertex of the polyhedron, a midpoint or other point on an edge of the polyhedron and others. The method ensures that the symmetry of the underlying polyhedron is preserved while minimizing or eliminating great circles due to parting lines.

Abstract: A golf ball with a cover or mantle layer that comprises a polyurethane and ionomer hybrid made by compounding or dry blending acid functional polyurethane and an ionomer is disclosed herein. The golf ball comprises a core (single core or dual core), a mantle layer (single layer or dual layer) and a cover layer.

Abstract: Golf ball comprising layer formed from polymer composition comprising delignified natural wood. The delignified natural wood may be basswood, oak, poplar, ash, alder, aspen, balsa wood, beech, birch, cherry, butternut, chestnut, cocobolo, elm, hickory, maple, oak, padauk, plum, walnut, willow, yellow poplar, bald cypress, cedar, cypress, fir, hemlock, larch, pine, redwood, spruce, tamarack, juniper, yew, and/or bamboo and having a lignin content of less than 20 wt %. Hemicellulose content may be less than 30 wt %, or about 15 wt % or less, or less than 15 wt %. The delignified natural wood is included in the polymer composition in an amount of 20 wt % or less, based on total weight of the polymer composition. Examples of polymer compositions include rubbers, polyurethanes, polyureas, ionomers, and combinations thereof. In specific embodiments, the golf ball core and/or intermediate layer is formed from the polymer composition. The delignified wood may comprise chopped wood pieces and/or powder.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A golf ball core, mantle, and/or cover layer(s) of golf ball having a composition comprising functionalized aluminosilicate particles having a particle size of less than 50 ?m is disclosed herein. The aluminosilicate microspheres with an average diameter less than 50 ?m are functionalized with, but not limited to, polysulfide, vinyl, amino, epoxy, hydroxyl, carboxyl, methacryloyl, hydrocarbon, mercapto and isocyanate.

Abstract: A golf ball with a cover layer composed of at least one polymer and a micropowder material is disclosed herein. The micropowder material comprises polybutadiene rubber, isoprene rubber, zinc diacrylate, zinc oxide, zinc stearate, peroxide initiator, a peptizer, barium sulfate, tungsten, bismuth oxide and or bismuth oxychloride, and styrene butadiene rubber.

Abstract: Compositions including a hardness 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 the hardness agent, affects 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.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising: (a) a core; (b) at least one mantle layer adjacent to the core; (c) an inner cover layer adjacent to the mantle layer; and (d) an outer cover layer adjacent to the inner cover layer, wherein the inner cover layer has a material Shore D hardness that is at least 3 less than the material Shore D hardness of the outer cover layer, and the inner cover layer has a thickness of less than 0.050 in.

Abstract: Golf balls having covers made of thermoplastic polyurethane compositions are provided. Multi-piece golf balls can be made. Polyurethane primer coatings and polyurethane top-coatings are applied to the thermoplastic polyurethane cover. Different coating methods can be used. Isocyanate-rich and polyol-rich polyurethane coatings can be applied. In one embodiment, the golf ball can be treated with a multi-functional isocyanate prior to applying the coatings. The polyurethane cover composition and surface coatings can further include catalysts, ultraviolet (UV)—light stabilizers, and other additives. Heat is used to cure the coatings. The coating methods have many benefits and the finished balls have good physical properties.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a cured product of a golf ball rubber composition imparting excellent durability. The present invention provides a cured product of a golf ball rubber composition cured from a golf ball rubber composition containing (a) a base rubber, (b) an ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms and/or a metal salt thereof as a co-crosslinking agent, and (c) a crosslinking initiator, wherein the cured product of the golf ball rubber composition satisfies the following mathematical formula (1): Y<(0.1×X)?1.30??(1) in the formula (1), Y represents an effective crosslinking density of the cured product of the rubber composition (mmol/cc), and X represents an amount of the component (b) with respect to 100 parts by mass of (a) the base rubber (parts by mass).

Abstract: Golf balls having a dimple pattern arranged in a tetrahedral layout are disclosed. The dimple pattern has four substantially identical dimple sections, where each dimple section is defined by a spherical triangle. The dimples in each of the four dimple sections have at least three different dimple diameters including a minimum dimple diameter, a maximum dimple diameter, and at least one additional dimple diameter. The resulting dimple pattern has a surface coverage of about 70 percent or less. The reduced surface coverage helps to reduce the flight of the golf balls.

Abstract: Golf ball comprising a core, an outer layer and at least one adhesion promoting coating disposed between each of the core and the outer layer; the core comprising a rubber composition comprising at least one zinc-containing and/or magnesium-containing component; the outer layer comprising at least one ionomer; and the adhesion promoting coating comprising a waterborne dispersion comprised of at least one ethylene acid copolymer having an acid content of at least 15% by weight wherein the copolymer is at least partially neutralized with one or more neutralizing agent; wherein at least one neutralizing agent is selected from ammonia compounds and/or amine compounds. In a specific embodiment, the at least one neutralizing agent comprises i) mono and/or divalent metal compounds and ii) ammonia compounds and/or amine compounds.

Abstract: Embodiments of multi-component putters comprising an upper portion and a lower portion are described herein. The upper portion is formed from a first material having a first density and the lower portion is formed from a second material having a second density. The first density is less than the second density. The upper portion is affixed to the lower portion via an adhesive or a combination of adhesives and interlocking geometry. The multi-component putter design provides increased forgiveness and moment of inertia compared to a putter formed from a single material.

Abstract: A rubber composition for a golf ball core includes (a) a conjugated diene polymer, (b) a copolymer of a conjugated diene compound and a non-conjugated olefin, and (c) an organic peroxide. Golf balls having at least one core layer formed of such a rubber composition and a cover of one or more layers encasing the core exhibit improved durability to cracking on repeated impact while maintaining the basic properties required of golf balls, such as flight and spin controllability on approach shots.

Abstract: A rubber composition for a golf ball core includes (a) a conjugated diene polymer, (b) a multi-component copolymer having conjugated diene units, non-conjugated olefin units and aromatic vinyl units, and (c) an organic peroxide. The conjugated diene units include butadiene units, the non-conjugated olefin units include ethylene units, and the aromatic vinyl units include styrene units. The content of conjugated diene units with respect to the multi-component copolymer is at least 5 wt %. Golf balls having at least one core layer formed of such a rubber composition and a cover of one or more layers encasing the core exhibit improved durability to cracking on repeated impact while maintaining the basic properties required of golf balls, such as flight and spin controllability on approach shots.