Abstract: In a golf ball comprising a core and a cover, at least one layer of the cover is composed mainly of a mixture of an amino-terminated block polymer and an ionomer resin in a weight ratio between 3/97 and 60/40. The mixture is effectively moldable, and the golf ball is improved in rebound, durability, and scuff resistance.

Abstract: A multi-piece solid golf ball includes a core, at least one mantle layer enclosing the core, and a cover that is made primarily of a thermoplastic polyurethane composition. The cover and the mantle layer have a difference in Shore D hardness therebetween such that −8≦[(cover hardness)−(mantle layer hardness)]≦5. The cover and the core have a difference in Shore D hardness therebetween such that 5≦[(cover hardness)−(average core hardness)]≦25. The core has an average Shore D hardness of 30 to 50, and the cover has a Shore D hardness of at least 52. The ball has an initial velocity of at least 76.4 m/s.

Abstract: In a golf ball comprising a core and a cover of plural layers, a cover inner layer is formed primarily of an ionomer resin in admixture with a compound containing at least two reactive functional groups and having a molecular weight of up to 20,000 and a cover outer layer is formed primarily of a non-ionomer resin. The ball is fully durable to repeated impact, and maintains good spin performance, rebound characteristics and feel even after repeated impact.

Abstract: In a golf ball comprising a core and a cover of one or more layers, the cover or its layer is formed primarily of a mixture comprising a blend of (a) an ionomer resin in the form of an alkali metal-neutralized ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer and (b) an olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer or an olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid-unsaturated carboxylate copolymer, and (c) a thermoplastic elastomer. The golf ball exhibits good surface finish and has improved rebound, feel and durability.

Abstract: In a golf ball comprising a core and a cover of one or more layers, the cover or its layer is formed primarily of a mixture comprising a blend of (a) an ionomer resin in the form of a divalent metal-neutralized ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer and (b) an olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer or an olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid-unsaturated carboxylate copolymer, (c) a thermoplastic elastomer, (d) a fatty acid or derivative thereof having a molecular weight of 280 to 1,500, and (e) a basic metal compound. The mixture is thermally stable, flowable and easy to mold and the ball has improved rebound, feel and durability.

Abstract: A golf ball material containing (a) a calcium ion-neutralized olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid-unsaturated carboxylate random copolymer having an acid content of 2-12% by weight, and (b) a calcium ion-neutralized olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid random copolymer having an acid content of 8-15% by weight, in a weight ratio from 100:0 to 40:60, and having a Shore D hardness of 30-60 is effectively moldable and is capable of providing golf balls with excellent rebound energy and a pleasant feel when hit.

Abstract: A resin composition comprising, in admixture, (A) a specific thermoplastic resin component, (B) at least one wax component selected from among (b-1) a fatty acid having 20-80 carbon atoms and/or a derivative thereof and (b-2) an oxidized natural wax and/or derivative having a neutralization value of 60-190 mg KOH/g, and optionally, (C) a basic inorganic metal compound capable of neutralizing acid groups in the thermoplastic resin component (A) and/or the wax component (B) is improved in flow, moldability and heat resistance and thus suitable to form a layer of a golf ball which exhibits improved rebound and distance properties.

Abstract: In a golf ball comprising a core and an enclosure of one or more layers enclosing the core, at least one enclosure layer is formed of a rubber composition comprising a base rubber based on 1,4-polybutadiene having a cis-1,4-structure, an &agr;,&bgr;-unsaturated carboxylic acid, a metal oxide, and a polymerization initiator. The rubber composition is subjected to crosslinking reaction. The ball has a great resilience, pleasant feel, good controllability upon iron shots, and high resistance against flaw on the cover surface.

Abstract: In a golf ball including a core and a cover of at least one layer, the cover layer is formed of a heated mixture of an ionomer resin and a metal salt such as magnesium stearate. The heated mixture exhibits such a crystal melting behavior that when measured by DSC, the difference between first and second peak temperature is up to 30° C. The ball is improved in resilience.

Abstract: A golf ball material containing (a) a calcium ion-neutralized olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid-unsaturated carboxylate random copolymer having an acid content of 2-12% by weight, and (b) a calcium ion-neutralized olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid random copolymer having an acid content of 8-15% by weight, in a weight ratio from 100:0 to 40:60, and having a Shore D hardness of 30-60 is effectively moldable and is capable of providing golf balls with excellent rebound energy and a pleasant feel when hit.

Abstract: A golf ball material comprising a heated mixture of (a) a random copolymer containing at least 5% by weight of a metal ion-neutralized unsaturated carboxylic acid having an acid content of at least 16% by weight, (b) a thermoplastic elastomer, (c) a fatty acid and/or derivative thereof having a molecular weight of 280-1,500, and (d) a basic metal compound capable of neutralizing unneutralized acid groups in components (a) and (c) has good thermal stability, flow and moldability, and can be molded into a part exhibiting excellent rebound, ensuring the manufacture of golf balls with high performance.

Abstract: Provided is a multi-piece solid golf ball, wherein an outer layer cover is made from a material containing a polyurethane based elastomer as a main component; a surface Shore D hardness of a solid core is in a range of 50 to 60, a Shore D hardness of an inner layer cover is in a range of 53 to 61, and a Shore D hardness of the outer layer cover is in a range of 52 to 58; an average value of the surface Shore D hardnesses of the solid core and inner and outer layer covers is in a range of 53 to 58; a value obtained by dividing a thickness of the outer layer cover by a thickness of the inner layer cover is in a range of 0.48 to 1.00, and a total of the thickness of the outer layer cover and the thickness of the inner layer cover is in a range of 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm; and a dimple volume occupying ratio VR value is in a range of 0.66% to 0.85%.

Abstract: A golf ball includes a portion formed from a golf ball-forming composition containing at least one kind selected from a crosslinked silicone rubber powder and a crosslinked silicone resin powder. Each of the crosslinked silicone rubber powder and the crosslinked silicone resin powder has an average particle size in a range of 60 to 500 &mgr;m. The golf ball is excellent in durability against repetitive hitting and adhesiveness of a coating film, and particularly, has a good resilience and a long flight distance in both a wide temperature range and a wide hitting head speed range.

Abstract: A solid golf ball has a solid core and a cover formed of a resin composition comprising the reaction product of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer with dicyclohexylmethane-4, 4″-diisocyanate. The ball is efficiently moldable and meets such requirements as a pleasant feel, ease of control, high resilience, and minimized scuffs by iron shots.

Abstract: A golf ball is formed with a resin composition which contains 5 to 95 weight % of a polyester block copolymer (A) and 95 to 5 weight % of an ionomer resin (B); and a (polyester-aromatic vinyl based copolymer) block copolymer (C), which is mixed with both the polyester block copolymer (A) and the ionomer resin (B) in an amount of 1 to 40 parts by weight on the basis of 100 parts by weight of the total of the polyester block copolymer (A) and the ionomer resin (B). The polyester block copolymer (A) mainly contains a high-melting point crystalline polymer segment (a1) composed of a crystalline aromatic polyester unit, and a low-melting point polymer segment (a2) composed of an aliphatic polyether unit and/or an aliphatic polyester unit. The ionomer resin (B) is produced by neutralizing a copolymer mainly containing an &agr;-olefine (b1) and an &agr;,&bgr;-unsaturated carboxylic acid (b2) having 3 to 8 carbon atoms with at least one metal ion (b3) selected from univalent, divalent, and trivalent metal ions.

Abstract: In a golf ball comprising a core and a cover, the cover is formed of a cover stock based on a mixture of an ionomer resin and a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer and having a hardness of at least 55 as measured by a ASTM D2240 type D durometer. The cover stock avoids any discoloration upon long-term UV exposure and is easy to mold. The ball has advantages including moderate backspin upon driver shots, good travel distance performance, and durability against repetitive hits.

Abstract: In a golf ball comprising an elastic solid core, a mantle layer, and a resin cover having a plurality of dimples, the difference in Shore D hardness between the cover and the mantle layer is at most 10, and the dimples have a total volume of 280-350 mm2. This combination of features provides the golf ball with an excellent balance of rebound, spin and feel, and an outstanding total distance.

Abstract: In a multi-piece golf ball comprising a solid core, a surrounding layer, an intermediate layer, and a cover, at least one of the surrounding layer, the intermediate layer and the cover is formed of a heated mixture having a melt index of at least 1.0 dg/min and comprising (a) an olefin-carboxylic acid-optional carboxylate random copolymer and/or (d) a metal ion-neutralized olefin-carboxylic acid-optional carboxylate random copolymer; (b) a fatty acid or derivative; and (c) a neutralizing basic inorganic metal compound. The surrounding layer, the intermediate layer and the cover have a Shore D hardness of 10-55, 40-63 and 45-68, respectively, the hardness increasing in the order of surrounding layer, intermediate layer and cover. The ball is improved in feel, control, durability and flight performance.

Abstract: In a multi-piece golf ball comprising a solid core, an intermediate layer, and a cover, the intermediate layer and/or the cover is formed of a heated mixture having a melt index of at least 1.0 dg/min and comprising (a) an olefin-carboxylic acid random copolymer and/or (d) a metal ion-neutralized olefin-carboxylic acid random copolymer and/or a metal ion-neutralized olefin-carboxylic acid-carboxylate random copolymer; (b) a fatty acid or derivative having a molecular weight of at least 280; and (c) a neutralizing basic inorganic metal compound. All expressed in Shore D hardness, the intermediate layer has a hardness of 40-63, the cover has a hardness of 45-68, and they satisfy the relationship: the hardness of solid core at its center≦the hardness of intermediate layer≦the hardness of cover.

Abstract: A golf ball includes a solid core, and a cover having one layer or two or more layers provided to directly cover the solid core or cover the solid core via an intermediate layer. At least one layer of the cover is taken as a high hardness cover layer which is made from a base resin containing an inorganic filler in an amount of 5 to 40 parts by weight on the basis of 100 parts by weight of the base resin and which has a Shore D hardness in a range of 66 to 80. With this configuration, the golf ball can exhibit a high carrying performance, a desirable very soft feeling of hitting, and an excellent durability against continuous hitting.