Golf Balls Including Highly Neutralized Polymer Having a Hardness Modifier

摘要

A golf ball includes a core made from a highly neutralized polymer that has been mixed with a hardness modifier. The modifier may be a process oil or a plasticizer. In particular, the modifier may be a naphthenic process oil, a paraffinic process oil, a phthalate plasticizer, a trimellitate plasticizer, an adipate plasticizer, a sebacate-based plasticizer, a maleate-based plasticizer, and blends thereof. Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing a golf ball that includes changing the hardness of a highly neutralized polymer core.

主权项

1. A golf ball, comprising:
a core; a cover layer substantially surrounding the core; at least one of the core and the cover layer being made of a polymer mixture comprising a polymer and a modifier, wherein the polymer comprises a highly neutralized polymer and the modifier is selected from the group consisting of plasticizers and combinations thereof; wherein the modifier is present in the polymer mixture in a sufficient amount such that the modifier reduces a hardness of the polymer mixture from a first value that is approximately the same as a hardness of the highly neutralized polymer to a second value that is less than the hardness of the highly neutralized polymer.