Abstract: A golf ball includes an inner core layer including a thermoplastic highly-neutralized ionomer formed from a copolymer of ethylene and an ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acid, an organic acid or salt thereof, and sufficient cation source to neutralize the acid groups of the copolymer by 80% or greater. The inner core has a geometric center hardness and a surface hardness to define a first positive hardness gradient having a first slope, S1. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core and is formed from a second thermoplastic highly-neutralized ionomer. The outer core layer has an interior hardness and an outer surface hardness greater than the interior hardness to define a second positive hardness gradient having a second slope, S2. The golf ball also includes a cover layer.

Abstract: A golf ball including a thermoplastic inner core layer that has a geometric center hardness greater than its surface hardness to define a negative hardness gradient. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core and is formed from a thermoplastic material and has an inner surface hardness substantially less than its outer surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient. An inner cover layer is disposed about the outer core layer and an outer cover layer is disposed about the inner cover layer.

Abstract: A golf ball including a thermoplastic inner core layer that has a geometric center hardness greater than its surface hardness to define a negative hardness gradient. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core and is formed from a thermoplastic material and has an inner surface hardness substantially less than its outer surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient. An inner cover layer is disposed about the outer core layer and an outer cover layer is disposed about the inner cover layer.

Abstract: A golf ball includes an inner core layer and an outer core layer. The inner core layer is formed from a first thermoplastic material and has a geometric center hardness that is greater than its surface hardness to define a first negative hardness gradient. The outer core layer is formed from a second thermoplastic material and has an inner surface hardness greater than its outer surface hardness to define a second negative hardness gradient. Inner and outer cover layers are disposed over the outer core layer. The negative hardness gradient of the inner core layer is about ?1 to ?5 Shore C. The negative hardness gradient of the outer core layer is at least ?1 Shore C but less than ?7 Shore C. A difference between the inner core layer surface hardness and the outer core layer inner surface hardness is at least ?3 Shore C.

Abstract: A golf ball includes an inner core layer formed from a first thermoplastic material and having a geometric center hardness less than a surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core and is formed from a second thermoplastic material. The outer core layer has a surface hardness less than a hardness at a point about 0.5 to 2 mm from an interface between the inner core layer and the outer core layer to define a negative hardness gradient. An inner cover layer is disposed outer core layer and an outer cover layer is disposed about the inner cover layer. The positive hardness gradient os the inner core layer is up to about 10 Shore C and the negative hardness gradient of the outer core layer is less than about 10 Shore C.

Abstract: A golf ball includes an inner core layer including a thermoplastic highly-neutralized ionomer formed from a copolymer of ethylene and an ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acid, an organic acid or salt thereof, and sufficient cation source to neutralize the acid groups of the copolymer by 80% or greater. The inner core has a geometric center hardness and a surface hardness to define a first positive hardness gradient having a first slope, S1. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core and is formed from a second thermoplastic highly-neutralized ionomer. The outer core layer has an interior hardness and an outer surface hardness greater than the interior hardness to define a second positive hardness gradient having a second slope, S2. The golf ball also includes a cover layer.

Abstract: A golf ball includes a core including a thermoplastic inner core and a thermoset outer core layer. The inner core has a surface hardness of about 40 to 80 Shore C and a center hardness of about 30 to 75 Shore C. The center hardness is less than the surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient. A cover is formed over the core and includes an inner cover layer and an outer cover layer. The thermoplastic inner core includes a highly-neutralized ionomer formed from a copolymer of ethylene and an ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acid, an organic acid or salt thereof, and sufficient cation source to neutralize the acid groups of the copolymer by 80% or greater. The outer core layer comprises a polybutadiene rubber and has a positive hardness gradient of less than 25 Shore C.

Abstract: A golf ball includes an inner core layer formed from a thermoplastic material comprising a highly-neutralized ionomer comprising a copolymer of ethylene and an ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acid, an organic acid or salt thereof, and sufficient cation source to fully-neutralize the acid groups of the copolymer by 80% or greater. The inner core has a geometric center hardness less than its surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient. An outer core layer is formed over the inner core and is formed from a substantially homogenous thermoset composition. The outer core layer has an interior hardness substantially less than an outer surface hardness to define a steep positive hardness gradient. An inner cover layer and an outer cover layer are formed over the outer core layer.

Abstract: A golf ball includes a core including a thermoplastic inner core and a thermoset outer core layer. The inner core has a surface hardness of about 40 to 80 Shore C and a center hardness of about 30 to 75 Shore C. The center hardness is less than the surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient. A cover is formed over the core and includes an inner cover layer and an outer cover layer. The thermoplastic inner core includes a highly-neutralized ionomer formed from a copolymer of ethylene and an ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acid, an organic acid or salt thereof, and sufficient cation source to neutralize the acid groups of the copolymer by 80% or greater. The outer core layer comprises a polybutadiene rubber and has a positive hardness gradient of less than 25 Shore C.

Abstract: A golf ball includes an inner core layer formed from a thermoplastic material. The inner core has a center hardness that is greater than the surface hardness to define a negative hardness gradient. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core. The outer core has a surface hardness that is greater than the surface hardness of the inner core to define a positive hardness gradient. An inner cover layer and an outer core layer are formed over the outer core layer. The negative hardness gradient of the inner core is about ?1 to ?5 Shore C, the positive hardness gradient of the outer core layer is less than 25 Shore C, the surface hardness of the outer core layer is about 45 Shore D to about 70 Shore D, and the surface hardness of the inner core is about 20 Shore D to about 60 Shore D.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising a core and a cover layer. The cover layer, clearcoat, or indicia include an additive, invisible to the naked eye without an external excitation source, the additive including an engineered taggant formed from a crosslinked melamine and rare earth elements.

Abstract: A golf ball includes an inner core layer formed from a thermoplastic material. The inner core has a center hardness at the center that is greater than the surface hardness at the surface to define a negative hardness gradient. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core. The outer core has a surface hardness that is greater than the surface hardness of the inner core to define a positive hardness gradient. An inner cover layer and an outer core layer are formed over the outer core layer. The negative hardness gradient of the inner core is about ?1 to ?5 Shore C, the positive hardness gradient of the outer core layer is less than 25 Shore C, the surface hardness of the outer core layer is about 45 Shore D to about 70 Shore D, and the surface hardness of the inner core is about 20 Shore D to about 60 Shore D. A clean copy of the amended Abstract is presented below: A golf ball includes an inner core layer formed from a thermoplastic material.

Abstract: A golf ball including a thermoplastic inner core and a thermoset outer core layer is described. The inner core has a surface hardness of 43 to about 65 Shore D and a center hardness of about 30 to 43 Shore D that is less than the surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient. A cover includes an inner and outer cover layer. The thermoplastic inner core is formed from a highly-neutralized ionomer comprising a copolymer of ethylene and an ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acid, an organic acid or salt thereof, and sufficient cation source to fully-neutralize the acid groups of the copolymer by 80% or greater. The outer core layer includes a polybutadiene rubber and has a surface hardness greater than an interior hardness by about 6 to 11 Shore D points to define a shallow positive hardness gradient.

Abstract: A golf ball includes an inner core layer formed from a thermoplastic material. The inner core has a hardness at the center that is greater than the hardness at the surface to define a negative hardness gradient. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core. The outer core has a surface hardness that is greater than the surface hardness of the inner core to define a positive hardness gradient. An inner cover layer and an outer core layer are formed over the outer core layer. The negative hardness gradient of the inner core is about ?1 to ?5 Shore C, the positive hardness gradient of the outer core layer is less than 25 Shore C, the surface hardness of the outer core layer is about 45 Shore D to about 70 Shore D, and the surface hardness of the inner core is about 20 Shore D to about 60 Shore D.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising a thermoplastic inner core layer that has a geometric center hardness greater than its surface hardness to define a “negative” hardness gradient. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core and is formed from a substantially homogenous thermoset composition, typically rubber, and has an inner surface hardness substantially less than its outer surface hardness to define a “positive” hardness gradient. An inner cover layer is disposed about the outer core layer and an outer cover layer is disposed about the inner cover layer.

Abstract: A golf ball includes an inner core layer formed from a thermoplastic material comprising a highly-neutralized ionomer comprising a copolymer of ethylene and an ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acid, an organic acid or salt thereof, and sufficient cation source to fully-neutralize the acid groups of the copolymer by 80% or greater. The inner core has a geometric center hardness less than its surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient. An outer core layer is formed over the inner core and is formed from a substantially homogenous thermoset composition. The outer core layer has an interior hardness substantially less than an outer surface hardness to define a steep positive hardness gradient. An inner cover layer and an outer cover layer are formed over the outer core layer.

Abstract: A golf ball including a thermoplastic inner core and a thermoset outer core layer is described. The inner core has a surface hardness of 43 to about 65 Shore D and a center hardness of about 30 to 43 Shore D that is less than the surface hardness to define a positive hardness gradient. A cover includes an inner and outer cover layer. The thermoplastic inner core is formed from a highly-neutralized ionomer comprising a copolymer of ethylene and an ?,?-unsaturated carboxylic acid, an organic acid or salt thereof, and sufficient cation source to fully-neutralize the acid groups of the copolymer by 80% or greater. The outer core layer includes a polybutadiene rubber and has a surface hardness greater than an interior hardness by about 6 to 11 Shore D points to define a shallow positive hardness gradient.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising a thermoplastic inner core layer that has a geometric center hardness greater than its surface hardness to define a “negative” hardness gradient. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core and is formed from a substantially homogenous thermoset composition, typically rubber, and has an inner surface hardness less than its outer surface hardness to define a “positive” hardness gradient. An inner cover layer is disposed about the outer core layer and an outer cover layer is disposed about the inner cover layer. The “negative” hardness gradient of the inner core is typically ?1 to ?5 Shore C and the “positive” hardness gradient of the core layer is less than 25 Shore C points. The difference between the inner core surface hardness and the outer core inner surface hardness, ?h, should be less than 25 Shore C points.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising a thermoplastic inner core layer that has a geometric center hardness greater than its surface hardness to define a first “negative” hardness gradient. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core and is formed from a substantially homogenous thermoset composition, typically rubber, and has an inner surface hardness greater than its outer surface hardness to also define a “negative” hardness gradient. An inner cover layer is disposed about the outer core layer and an outer cover layer is disposed about the inner cover layer. The “negative” hardness gradient of the inner core is typically ?1 to ?5 Shore C and the “negative” hardness gradient of the core layer is typically at least ?1 Shore C but less than ?7 Shore C. The difference between the inner core surface hardness and the outer core inner surface hardness, ?h, should be at least ?3 Shore C.

Abstract: A golf ball comprising a thermoplastic inner core layer that has a geometric center hardness greater than its surface hardness to define a “negative” hardness gradient. An outer core layer is disposed about the inner core and is formed from a substantially homogenous thermoset composition, typically rubber, and has an inner surface hardness substantially less than its outer surface hardness to define a “positive” hardness gradient. An inner cover layer is disposed about the outer core layer and an outer cover layer is disposed about the inner cover layer.