Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core and at least one cover layer disposed about the core; the core comprising a geometric center and an outer surface, the core further comprising an untreated region extending radially from the geometric center a distance DUTr and a treated region disposed about the untreated region and extending inward from the outer surface a depth DTr, said treated region having been exposed to and comprising a fatty acid and/or fatty acid salt composition, the core further comprising an intermediate untreated region disposed about the untreated region and adjacent the treated region, the intermediate untreated region having a third hardness, wherein the first hardness is different than the second hardness and the third hardness, wherein the core comprises a first core layer extending radially from the geometric center and a second core layer disposed about the first core layer, and wherein the first core layer comprises the untreated region and the intermediate untreated region, and wherein the

Abstract: Compositions for golf balls that include polyurethane and/or polyurea linkages and that are crosslinked in the soft segments of the polymer backbone to improve the crosslink density and effect a hardness gradient throughout the molded article.