Abstract: A low compression, resilient golf ball having a center and a cover, wherein at least a portion of the ball is formed from the conversion reaction of an amount of polybutadiene, a free radical source, and a cis-to-trans catalyst including at least one inorganic sulfide at a sufficient temperature to form a polybutadiene reaction product which includes an amount of trans-polybutadiene greater than the amount of trans-polybutadiene present before the conversion reaction and a cis-to-trans catalyst including at least one inorganic sulfide. The reaction product preferably has a first dynamic stiffness measured at −50° C. that is less than about 130 percent of a second dynamic stiffness measured at 0° C. A multi-layer golf ball having a center, at least one intermediate layer disposed concentrically about the center, and a cover, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the center, intermediate layer, or both, are made from the reaction product.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core comprised of a polymer containing an acid group neutralized by an organic acid or a salt thereof, the organic acid or salt thereof being present in an amount sufficient to neutralize the polymer by at least about 80%, wherein the core has a first Shore D hardness, a compression of no greater than about 80, and a diameter of no less than about 1.53 inches; and a cover comprised of a material having a second Shore D hardness at least 10 points less than the first hardness.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to golf balls comprising at least a cover layer and a core layer, wherein at least one layer is a blend, the ionomeric component of which comprises from about 97 wt. % to about 35 wt. % of at least one high acid ionomer resin and from about 3 wt. % to<15 wt. % of at least one very low modulus ionomer (VLMI) resin. Up to about 70 wt. % of at least one standard ionomer resin may be included in the blend, if desired. The copolymer ionomers of the invention include E/X/Y copolymers where E is ethylene, X is a softening comonomer present in from 0 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of the polymer, and Y is acrylic or methacrylic acid present in from about 5 wt. % to about 35 wt. % of the polymer, wherein the acid moiety is neutralized from about 1% to about 90% to form an ionomer by at least one cation. In the ethylenic high acid copolymer ionomer, Y is present from 16.5 wt. % to about 35 wt. % in the polymer while in the ethylenic standard copolymer ionomer, Y is present from about 5 wt.

Abstract: A wound golf ball comprising a center, a cover, and at least one wound layer disposed between the center and the cover, wherein the at least one wound layer is formed of a tensioned elastomeric thread having at least one ply, wound about the center with a tension of less than about 700 g, and wherein the center has a first deformation value, formed by applying a load to the center within the range from an initial load of 10 kg to a final load of 130 kg, and the golf ball has a second deformation value, formed by applying a load to the golf ball within the range from an initial load of 10 kg to a final load of 130 kg, such that a difference between the second deformation and the first deformation is less than 0.4 mm.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core, an intermediate layer, and a cover layer; wherein the intermediate layer is formed of a polymer blend comprising an ionomer having at least about 16% acid groups and a grafted-metallocene polymer; and the cover layer comprises a castable reactive liquid material. Optionally, a non-ionomer may be blended with the polymer blend or, in an alternative, the high acid ionomer may be blended solely with the non-ionomer.

Abstract: A low compression, resilient golf ball having a center and a cover, made from a polybutadiene reaction product having polybutadiene, a cis-to-trans catalyst including an organosulfur component, and a free radical source. The reaction product has a first dynamic stiffness measured at −50° C. that is less than about 130 percent of a second dynamic stiffness measured at 0° C. A multi-layer golf ball having a center, at least one intermediate layer disposed concentrically about the center, and a cover. At least a portion of at least one of the center, intermediate layer, or both, are made from a reaction product including polybutadiene having a cis-to-trans catalyst that includes at least one organosulfur component and a free radical source. The reaction product has a first dynamic stiffness measured at −50° C. that is less than about 130 percent of a second dynamic stiffness measured at 0° C.

Abstract: A golf ball having a diameter and being comprised of a core and a cover, wherein the core is further comprised of a non-aqueous liquid mass at the center of the ball. The ball includes a first solid layer surrounding the fluid mass and a second, layer surrounding and abutting the first layer. The first layer has an inner diameter of 15 to 70% of the ball diameter and is a polymeric material and the second layer has an outer diameter of 80 to 98% of the ball diameter.

Abstract: A low compression, resilient golf ball having a center and a cover, made from a polybutadiene reaction product having polybutadiene, a cis-to-trans catalyst including a Group VIA element, such as at least one of sulfur, polymeric sulfur, selenium, or tellurium, and a free radical source. The reaction product typically has a first dynamic stiffness measured at −50° C. that is less than about 130 percent of a second dynamic stiffness measured at 0° C. A multi-layer golf ball having a center, at least one intermediate layer disposed concentrically about the center, and a cover. At least a portion of at least one of the center, intermediate layer, or both, are made from a reaction product including polybutadiene having a cis-to-trans catalyst that includes at least one elemental sulfur, polymeric sulfur, selenium, or tellurium component and a free radical source.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core, a cover, and at least one intermediate layer disposed between the core and the cover, wherein the core has a compression of less than about 60 and the intermediate layer is formed from a blend comprising a polyurethane material, wherein the golf ball has a compression of about 75 to about 85.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core and a cover layer, wherein the core has an outer diameter of no greater than about 1.62 inches; the cover layer comprises an inner cover layer and an outer cover layer having a material hardness of less than about 60 Shore D; and at least one of the core or the cover comprises high-Mooney-viscosity rubber, high-Mooney-viscosity rubber regrind, or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising at least a cover layer and a core layer, wherein at least one layer is formed from a blend comprising about 97 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of at least one high acid ionomer resin, about 3 wt. % to less than 15 wt. % of at least one very low muodulus ionomer (VLMI) resin, and optionally less than about 70 wt. % of at least one standard ionomer resin.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a multi-layer golf ball which comprises a core, a cover layer and at least one intermediate layer disposed between the core and cover, wherein the intermediate layer comprises a polyether-type polyurethane and optionally, a second thermoplastic component such as polyetherester block copolymer, polyesterester block copolymer, polyetheramide block copolymer, dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer, functionalized styrene-butadiene elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic polyesters, metallocene polymer or blends thereof and a density-modifying filler such as zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or blends thereof.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core of one or more layers, a cover layer of one or more layers and a mantle layer disposed between the core and the cover. The mantle layer comprises a thermoplastic material, preferably having a hardness of greater than 60 Shore D and a Bashore resilience of greater than 34 and a vicat point of greater than 350° F.

Abstract: The disclosed invention provides a golf ball including a core and a cover of at least two layers, wherein the at least one cover layer includes an inner cover layer of at least one ionomer resin and an outer cover formed from a polymer blend including at least one grafted metallocene-catalyzed polymer and at least one ionomer neutralized with a metal cation, and optionally, a non-grafted metallocene-catalyzed polymer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of making a golf ball comprising the steps of cooling a golf ball subassembly such that the golf ball subassembly undergoes a volumetric reduction, and applying a cover layer over the volumetrically reduced golf ball subassembly. The method can further include a three-step curing process after applying the cover layer. The three-steps include maintaining mold halves containing the covered subassembly at a first temperature, heating the mold halves to a second temperature, then maintaining the mold halves at a third temperature. Also, the method can include cooling the cover materials in a mixer so that higher levels of catalyst can be used.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a multi-layered core golf ball that comprises a center, a cover and a thin laminate comprising of at least one core layer formed around the center to create an inner ball, wherein the laminate includes at least one outer core layer that is relatively stiff and hard relative to the center, at least one outermost core layer that is heavily filled with a density increasing material and at least one core layer that functions as a moisture vapor barrier. One core layer may serve to provide all the functions in a single layer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward more durable golf ball cores and more durable golf balls. The golf balls of this invention comprise a cover and a core wherein the core may further comprise a center and one or more layers of a mantle disposed between the center and the cover. The core, the mantle or the layers of the mantle, comprise a mixture of one or more thermoset rubber materials and at least one compatible, modified, non-ionic polyolefin. The non-ionic polyolefin that is modified may be a homopolymer, copolymer, terpolymer, block copolymer or a mixture thereof that is present at about 0.5 to about 10 parts per hundred of the thermoset rubber material used in the core or core layer.

Abstract: A method for making a multilayer golf ball including a solid center having a center hardness, a plurality of laminates cut into a plurality of shapes formed around the center to create an inner ball, and a cover formed around the inner ball, wherein the plurality of layers can include at least a first layer having a hardness greater than the center hardness and a second layer having a hardness greater than the first layer hardness, and optionally a third layer disposed between the first and the second layers having a hardness greater than the first layer hardness.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a multi-layer golf ball which comprises a core, a cover layer and at least one intermediate layer disposed between the core and cover, wherein the intermediate layer comprises a polyether-type polyurethane and optionally, a second thermoplastic component such as polyetherester block copolymer, polyesterester block copolymer, polyetheramide block copolymer, dynamically vulcanized thermoplastic elastomer, functionalized styrene-butadiene elastomer, thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic polyesters, metallocene polymer or blends thereof and a density-modifying filler such as zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or blends thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to golf balls having improved adhesion between adjacent layers, as well as methods for making golf balls having such improved adhesion. In particular, the golf balls of the present invention comprise a cover, a core and optionally one or more intermediate layers disposed between the cover and the core, wherein the outer surface of the core, an intermediate layer(s) or both the core and the intermediate layers has a finely textured surface profile integrally molded in the outer surface thereof. The finely textured surface profile comprises a plurality of peaks having a maximum depth of about 2 mils to about 15 mils.