Acushnet Company

Erin C Mcdermott

Manjari Kuntimaddi

Dennis Britton

Golf balls having core layers with individual hardness gradients are provided. The cores have at least one layer with an increased 'positive' hardness gradient (or a “hard-to-soft” hardness) where the outer surface of the core is harder than the center. The increased positive hardness gradient can be achieved by introducing a water-releasing agent into the core rubber formulation during the curing process. The cores may also have a “zero” hardness gradient in another layer. By utilizing different hardness gradients in the core layers, the present disclosure allows for the properties of the final golf ball to be manipulated to produce desired performance characteristics.

Golf balls having core layers with individual hardness gradients

Compositions including a hardness agent, a water releasing agent, and a complexing agent and golf ball cores made from such compositions having a tailored hardness gradient are disclosed. The type and concentration of the components in the composition affect the hardness, hardness gradient, and compression of cores made from the composition and, thus, can be used to produce a golf ball having desirable performance characteristics.

Golf ball with increased core hardness gradient and reduced spin

A golf ball includes a core, a cover layer, and a chromogenic polymer incorporated into at least one of the cover layer or a coating layer applied to the cover layer. The chromogenic polymer causes the golf ball to exhibit a color-shift effect upon application of an external stimulus. The color-shift effect can be measured as a deltaE of greater than 2 when the external stimulus is within a target range. The external stimulus may be different depending on the type of chromogenic polymer, and, as a result, the target range depends on the type of external stimulus.

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Fairhaven, MA, United States of America

Erin C Mcdermott