Abstract: Multi-layered golf balls having at least one layer made of a polyester composition containing a polyester thermoplastic elastomer and plasticizer are provided. The plasticizers help reduce the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the composition and various plasticizers may be used. For example, the composition may include alkyl oleate plasticizers such as ethyl oleate and octyl oleate. Polyester-ether block copolymers are particularly preferred. The golf ball includes a core having at least one layer and a cover having at least one layer. The polyester composition may be used to form any core, cover, or other layer in the golf ball.

Abstract: Multi-piece golf balls having a multi-layered solid core and multi-layered cover are provided.

Abstract: Golf ball constructions incorporating at least one layer comprising a polycyclopentene rubber having advantageously modified end groups.

Abstract: A golf ball includes a core having an outer surface and a geometric center. The core is formed from a substantially homogenous rubber composition. An ionomeric inner cover layer is formed about the core and has a material hardness of about 60 Shore D or greater. The golf ball includes an outer cover layer formed from a polyurea or a polyurethane and having a material hardness of about 60 Shore D or less. The outer surface of the core has a trans content of about 12% or less and a hardness of about 71 to 88 Shore C. The geometric center of the core has a trans content of about 10% or less and a hardness of about 60 to 80 Shore C. The core has an outer surface hardness greater than a geometric center hardness by about 5 to 19 Shore C to define a positive hardness gradient.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Golf balls comprising a multi-layer core and a cover are disclosed. The multi-layer core comprises at least one intermediate core layer formed from a metallic, composite, or inorganic/organic hybrid composition.

Abstract: Multi-layered golf balls containing a two-layered core assembly are provided. Preferably, at least one of the core layers is formed from a thermoplastic composition that comprises: a) thermoplastic non-acid polymer, and b) plasticizer. In one preferred embodiment, the inner core is made of a first thermoplastic composition comprising the non-acid polymer and plasticizer; and the outer core layer is made of a second thermoplastic composition. For example, an ethylene acid copolymer may be used to form the outer core layer. A fatty acid ester such as ethyl oleate is preferably used as the plasticizer. Suitable non-acid polymers include, for example, polyesters, polyamides, polyolefins, and polyurethanes. The core assembly has a relatively high resiliency at given compressions.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: Multi-piece golf balls containing a multi-layered core structure having layers with different hardness gradients and specific gravities are provided. The core structure includes a small, heavy inner core (center) having a relatively high specific gravity with metal material preferably dispersed in a first thermoset composition. The intermediate core layer is preferably formed from a thermoplastic composition such as an ethylene acid copolymer ionomer resin; and the outer core layer is preferably formed from a second thermoset composition. The resulting ball has high resiliency and good spin control.

Abstract: 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 first thermoset composition such as polybutadiene rubber, and the outer core layer is preferably formed from a second thermoset composition. The resulting ball has high resiliency and good spin control.

Abstract: Golf balls having a multi-layered core made of a foamed composition are provided. The core assembly preferably includes a foam inner core (center) and surrounding outer core layer. Preferably, a polyurethane foam composition is used to form the foam center. The core layers have different hardness gradients and specific gravity values. The foamed inner core assembly includes a geometric center, outer surface (skin), and thermal barrier layer that helps protect the foamed center region from the negative effects of high temperatures used during the ball-manufacturing process. Non-foamed thermoset materials such as polybutadiene rubber may be used to form the thermal barrier layer. The foam cores have good resiliency, thermal stability, and durability over a wide temperature range. The ball further includes a cover that may be multi-layered.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to golf balls consisting of a multi-layer core and a cover. The multi-layer core includes at least one layer formed from a relatively soft or low modulus HNP composition and at least one layer formed from a relatively hard or high modulus HNP composition.

Abstract: Multi-layered golf balls having a core made of a foamed composition, preferably polyurethane foam, are provided. The ball includes a dual-layered core having a foam inner core (center) and surrounding outer core layer. The outer core layer may be made from a non-foamed thermoset material such as polybutadiene rubber. The ball further includes an inner cover, preferably made from an ionomer composition comprising an O/X-type acid copolymer, wherein O is ?-olefin, and X is a C3-C8 ?,?-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid. The outer cover may be made from a non-foamed thermoset or thermoplastic material such as polyurethane. Preferably, the specific gravity of the inner cover is greater than the specific gravity of the outer core, which is greater than the specific gravity of the inner core. The finished ball has good distance and low-spin properties.

Abstract: Multi-layered golf balls containing a two or three-layered cover assembly are provided. In one embodiment, the cover assembly includes a relatively hard inner cover and relatively soft outer cover. Alternatively, the cover assembly may include a relatively soft inner cover with a relatively hard outer cover. Three-layered covers comprising an inner cover, intermediate cover, and outer cover layer also may be prepared. Preferably, at least one of the layers is formed from a thermoplastic composition that preferably comprises: a) ethylene acid copolymer, b) plasticizer, and c) cation source. A fatty acid ester such as ethyl oleate is preferably used as the plasticizer. The cover assembly has good impact durability and helps provide the ball with relatively high resiliency at given compressions.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to golf balls having a diameter of greater than 1.68 inches and including at least one layer formed from an HNP composition.

Abstract: Multi-layered golf balls having at least one layer made of a foamed silicone composition are provided. Multi-layered golf balls having at least one layer made of non-foamed silicone elastomer composition also are provided. For example, three-piece, four-piece, and five-piece golf balls containing different core and cover structures can be made. The foamed silicones have good thermal stability and durability without sacrificing resiliency. The non-foamed silicone elastomers have high elongation, tensile strength, chemical/fluid-resistance, and weatherability properties. These compositions can be used to form any layer, for example, core, intermediate, or cover, in the golf ball.

Abstract: Golf ball comprising thermoplastic blend of (i) ionomer(s); (ii) different thermoplastic polymer(s); (iii) reactive crosslinker(s) consisting of maleic group-modified polymer(s), and/or glycidyl (meth)acrylate-modified polymer(s) (“PGM”); and (iv) catalyst(s); ionomer present in amount of about 45 wt % or greater, and PGM present in amount of from about 2 wt % to about 35 wt %. Thermoplastic polymer may be present in amount of from about 8 wt % to about 50 wt %; or from about 25 wt % to about 45 wt %; or from about 35 wt % to about 50 wt %. Amount of ionomer may be greater than amount of thermoplastic polymer. Thermoplastic polymer may be a polyurethane present in amount of greater than 20 wt % and up to about 40 wt %; and the PGM is present in amount of from about 5 wt % to about 30 wt %. In some embodiments, PGM is present in an amount of from about 15 wt % to about 35 wt %.

Abstract: Golf ball incorporating thermoplastic blend of (i) ionomer(s); (ii) different thermoplastic polymer(s) selected from thermoplastic polyurethane(s), thermoplastic urea(s), thermoplastic urea-urethane hybrid(s), or combinations thereof; and (iii) polymethyl (meth)acrylate-based copolymer(s) and/or core-shell polymer(s) having a core and/or a shell containing polymethyl (meth)acrylate-based copolymer(s). Ionomer(s) are present in thermoplastic blend in amount of about 45 wt % or greater. Different thermoplastic polymer present in blend in amount of: from about 8 wt % to about 50 wt %; or greater than 20 wt %, or from about 25 wt % to about 45 wt %; or from about 35 wt % to about 50 wt %. In a particular embodiment, amount of ionomer(s) is greater than thermoplastic polyurethane amount.

Abstract: Golf ball incorporating thermoplastic blend of (i) ionomer(s); (ii) different thermoplastic polymer(s) selected from thermoplastic polyurethane(s), thermoplastic urea(s), thermoplastic urea-urethane hybrid(s), or combinations thereof; and (iii) polymethyl (meth)acrylate-based copolymer(s) and/or core-shell polymer(s) having a core and/or a shell containing polymethyl (meth)acrylate-based copolymer(s). Ionomer(s) are present in thermoplastic blend in amount of about 45 wt % or greater. Different thermoplastic polymer present in blend in amount of: from about 8 wt % to about 50 wt %; or greater than 20 wt %, or from about 25 wt % to about 45 wt %; or from about 35 wt % to about 50 wt %. In a particular embodiment, amount of ionomer(s) is greater than thermoplastic polyurethane amount.

Abstract: Golf ball incorporating thermoplastic blend of (i) ionomer(s); (ii) different thermoplastic polymer(s) selected from thermoplastic polyurethane(s), thermoplastic urea(s), and/or thermoplastic urea-urethane hybrid(s); and (iii) acrylonitrile styrene acrylate(s) and/or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene(s) (“ASA and/or ABS”). Ionomer(s) present in amount of about 45 wt % or greater and ASA and/or ABS present in amount of from about 2 wt % to about 35 wt %. Thermoplastic polymer(s) may be present in amounts about 8 wt % to about 50 wt %; or about 25 wt % to about 45 wt %; or about 35 wt % to about 50 wt %. Ionomer amount may be greater than thermoplastic polymer amount. Thermoplastic polymer may be a polyurethane present in amount of greater than 20 wt % to about 40 wt %; while ASA and/or ABS is present in amount of from about 5 wt % to about 30 wt %. ASA and/or ABS sometimes present in amount of from about 15 wt % to about 35 wt %.