High performance golf ball having a reduced-distance

• US 7,901,302 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2008
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Acushnet Company (FILA Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Morgan, William E., Sullivan, Michael J., Jordan, Michael D., Aoyama, Steven, Hebert, Edmund A., Ladd, Derek A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trimiew; Raeann
• Application Number:
  US12/236,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20090023519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 473/351, 473/378, 473/373, 473/374
• US Class Current: 473/378
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0004 Surface depressions or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0006 Arrangement or layout of dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0012 Dimple profile, i.e. cross-sectional view
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0017 Specified total dimple volume
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0018 Specified number of dimples
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0019 Specified dimple depth
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/002 Specified dimple diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00215 Volume ratio
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/003 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/00776 Slab hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0078 Coefficient of restitution
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0087 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0089 Coefficient of drag
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/009 Coefficient of lift
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0096 Spin rate

Abstract

A golf ball including a core and a cover layer, wherein the golf ball has a lift to weight ratio greater than about 1.7 at a Reynolds number of about 207,000 and a non-dimensional spin ratio of about 0.095, a COR of 0.790 or less, and a weight of about 1.39 to 1.62 oz; and wherein the cover layer has an outer surface including dimples covering 55% to 75% of the outer surface.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a core; and

a cover layer;

wherein the golf ball has a lift to weight ratio greater than about 1.7 at a Reynolds number of about 207,000 and a non-dimensional spin ratio of about 0.095, a COR of 0.790 or less, and a weight of about 1.39 to 1.62 oz; and

wherein the cover layer has an outer surface comprising dimples covering 55% to 75% of the outer surface.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises polybutadiene, butyl rubber, a co-reaction agent, or a peroxide.

3. The golf ball of claim 2, wherein the butyl rubber is halogenated.

4. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the COR is about 0.550 to 0.785.

5. The golf ball of claim 4, wherein the COR is about 0.600 to 0.780.

6. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the weight is about 1.45 to 1.60 oz.

7. The golf ball of claim 6, wherein the weight is about 1.45 to 1.58 oz.

8. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball has an outer diameter of about 1.675 in to 1.695 in.

9. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball has a drag-to-weight ratio that is 2.4 or greater at a Reynolds number of about 207,000 and a non-dimensional spin ratio of about 0.095.

10. The golf ball of claim 9, wherein the golf ball has a drag-to-weight ratio that is 2.7 or greater at a Reynolds number of about 207,000 and a non-dimensional spin ratio of about 0.095.

11. The golf ball of claim 10, wherein the golf ball has a drag-to-weight ratio that is 3.0 or greater at a Reynolds number of about 207,000 and a non-dimensional spin ratio of about 0.095.

12. The golf bail of claim 1, wherein the dimple coverage is 65% to 75%.

13. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover layer comprises an ionomer, non ionomer, or polyurethane.

14. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the golf ball comprises a casing or inner cover layer disposed between the core and the cover.

15. The golf ball of claim 14, wherein the inner cover or casing layer comprises an ionomer and the cover comprises a polyurethane.

16. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the core comprises a polybutadiene, a co-reaction agent, a peroxide, and at least one of a butyl rubber, a halogenated butyl rubber, a butyl rubber copolymer, a sulfonated butyl rubber, a polyisobutylene, an ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, a copolymer of isobutylene and methylstyrene, or a styrene butadiene rubber.

17. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the cover layer comprises a urethane.

18. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the lift to weight ratio is greater than about 1.9 at a Reynolds number of about 207,000 and a non-dimensional spin ratio of about 0.095.

19. The golf ball of claim 18, wherein the lift to weight ratio is greater than about 2.1 at a Reynolds number of about 207,000 and a non-dimensional spin ratio of about 0.095.