JP2011240125A - Golf ball - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a golf ball which is able to substantially reduce the distance traveled by the ball when struck at a high HS (head speed), while at the same time dominantly getting a distance when struck at a low HS and on shots with an iron.SOLUTION: The golf ball has a solid core and at least one layer of a cover, and a number of dimples are formed on the surface of the outermost layer of the cover. The volume occupancy rate (VR) of the dimples is 1.0-1.4%, and the initial velocity of the ball measured by an initial velocity measuring device of the same type as of a drum rotation-type initial velocity instrument of USGA is 75.5-77.7 m/s. A ratio of total distance traveled when struck at a head speed of 54 m/s to total distance traveled when struck at a head speed of 35 m/s (HS54/HS35) is 1.30 to 1.50.

Description

  The present invention relates to a golf ball having a solid core and one or more layers of covers, and having a large number of dimples on the outermost surface of the cover, and more specifically, a high head speed (hereinafter referred to as “HS”). In addition, the present invention relates to a golf ball that greatly reduces the flight distance at the time of striking at the same time and at the same time reduces the flying distance reduction at the time of hitting at low HS and at the time of iron shot.

  With the evolution of golf equipment such as balls and clubs in recent years, the ball has been increasingly flying. For this reason, in order to maintain fairness of play, for example, in the case of a club, the size of the head, the length of the shaft, and the like are determined and strictly ruled. Similarly, the size, weight, initial speed, and the like of the ball are determined, and excessive jumping of the ball that impairs play equality is restricted.

  Regarding golf balls, the movement of regulation is accelerating, and there is a possibility that the upper limit of the flight distance under conditions used by professionals, that is, high HS conditions may be further regulated. Usually, when the flight distance under the high HS condition is reduced, the flight distance is reduced to the same extent even under the condition used by a general amateur player, that is, under the low HS condition. For this reason, it is desirable that the flying distance is reduced as much as possible while being used by a general amateur player while satisfying the above-mentioned regulations.

  Usually, in order to suppress the flying distance of the ball, the initial speed is reduced. In this case, the flying distance is approximately the same regardless of whether the head speed is high or low. Often decreases. Therefore, such a ball has a great disadvantage for a low HS player.

  As other means, various golf balls have been proposed in which the dimples on the surface of the ball are optimized or optimized to lower the flight trajectory and suppress the decrease in flight distance.

  For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-103846 (Patent Document 1) proposes a golf ball in which the diameter, depth, and number of dimples are optimized. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-043342 (Patent Document 2) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-043343 (Patent Document 3) optimize the amount of deformation of a ball when loaded with a 100 kgf load and set the dimple diameter to the dimple depth. A golf ball is proposed in which the value divided by 10 to 15 is set, or the ratio of the dimple space volume to the total volume of the phantom spherical surface assuming that there is no dimple on the ball surface is 0.7 to 1.1%. Has been. Further, JP 2000-107338 A (Patent Document 4) describes a golf ball for practice in which the weight and diameter of the ball are optimized.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-103846 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-043342 JP 10-043343 A JP 2000-107338 A

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a golf ball capable of obtaining a superior flight distance in a low HS area and an iron shot while suppressing a flight distance in a high HS area. To do.

  As a result of intensive studies to achieve the above object, the present inventors have found that a golf ball having a solid core and one or more covers and having a large number of dimples on the outermost cover surface is the outermost cover. By specifying the dimple volume occupancy (VR) for the dimples formed on the surface, and by specifying the ratio of the initial velocity of the ball and the total flight distance at the time of hitting high HS and low HS, The present inventors have found that it is possible to suppress a decrease in the flight distance at the time of striking with low HS and at the time of iron shot, while greatly reducing the flight distance at the time of striking.

  That is, the golf ball of the present invention is different from the normal method of reducing the initial velocity of the ball and the initial velocity of the core, by combining low ballistic dimples with the internal structure of the ball, thereby greatly reducing the flight distance of the ball at high HS, At the time of hitting with low HS and at the time of iron shot, a decrease in flight distance can be suppressed as much as possible for the reduction of high HS. The above “flying distance” means both the carry and the total distance including the run.

Accordingly, the present invention provides the following golf balls.
[1] In a golf ball having a solid core and one or more layers of covers, and having a large number of dimples on the outermost cover surface, the volume occupancy (VR) of the dimples is 1.0 to 1.4%. In addition, when the initial velocity of the ball measured using an initial velocity measuring device of the same type as the USGA drum rotation-type initial velocity meter is 75.5-77.7 m / s, and the head speed is hit at 54 m / s And a total flight distance ratio (HS54 / HS35) when hit with a head speed of 35 m / s is 1.30 to 1.50.

  The golf ball of the present invention can suppress a low HS and a decrease in a flight distance during an iron shot as much as possible for a significant reduction in a flight distance at a high HS, and particularly has a low HS. It should be suitable for use by competitors.

It is sectional drawing which shows an example of the internal structure of the golf ball which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating the dimple used by this invention. It is a top view showing the dimple pattern (I) used with the ball | bowl of the Example and the comparative example.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail.
The golf ball of the present invention includes a solid core (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as “core”) and one or more layers of a cover, and a plurality of dimples are formed on the surface of the outermost layer cover. When the ball is hit with high HS by combining the initial velocity of the ball and the ratio of the total flight distance when hitting high HS and low HS within a specific range and combining dimples satisfying specific conditions described later. The flight distance reduction when hitting with low HS can be suppressed while greatly reducing the flight distance. Here, the high HS region referred to in the present invention generally means 50 to 60 m / s, while the low HS region means 30 to 40 m / s.

  The internal configuration of the golf ball G of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it includes a core and one or more covers, and can be set as appropriate without departing from the object of the present invention. For example, in the case of a three-piece solid golf ball having two layers of an inner layer and an outer layer, as shown in FIG. 1, at least a core 1, an inner layer cover 2 covering the core 1, and an outer layer cover covering the inner layer cover 2 3 having a three-layer structure. In the case where the ball has a multilayer structure having two or more layers of covers, in the present invention, all layers may be collectively referred to as “covers”. That is, in the case of the three-piece solid golf ball shown in FIG. 1, the inner layer cover 2 and the outer layer cover 3 may be collectively referred to as “cover”. A large number of dimples D are usually formed on the surface of the outer layer cover 3, and these dimples D satisfy the requirements of the present invention to be described later. Although FIG. 1 shows a configuration in which the core 1, the inner layer cover 2, and the outer layer cover 3 are formed to have a three-layer structure, as described above, the configuration is appropriately changed without departing from the object of the present invention. If necessary, the cover can be formed in one layer or three or more layers. Further, the core 1 can be formed in a plurality of layers.

  The core in the present invention can be formed using, for example, a rubber composition containing a base rubber and a co-crosslinking agent, an organic peroxide, an inert filler, sulfur, an organic sulfur compound, and the like. As the base rubber of the rubber composition, those having a known polybutadiene as a main material are preferably used.

  Moreover, in this invention, an organic sulfur compound can be mix | blended with base rubber for the purpose of the resilience improvement of a core as needed. When the organic sulfur compound is blended, the blending amount is preferably 0.05 parts by mass or more, more preferably 0.1 parts by mass or more, and further preferably 0.2 parts by mass with respect to 100 parts by mass of the base rubber. The upper limit of the amount can be preferably 5 parts by mass or less, more preferably 4 parts by mass or less, and still more preferably 2 parts by mass or less. If the amount of the organic sulfur compound is too small, the effect of improving the resilience of the core may not be sufficiently obtained. Conversely, if the amount is too large, the hardness of the core becomes too soft, and the feeling is reduced. It becomes worse and the durability to cracking may be worsened when repeatedly hit.

  The diameter of the core is not particularly limited, but can be set to 30 to 42 mm. In this case, a preferable lower limit is 32 mm or more, more preferably 34 mm or more, and still more preferably 35 mm or more. Moreover, a preferable upper limit can be 41 mm or less, More preferably, it is 40 mm or less, More preferably, it is 39 mm or less, Most preferably, it can be 38 mm or less.

  Further, the amount of deflection of the core, that is, the amount of compressive deflection when an initial load of 98 N (10 kgf) to a final load of 1275 N (130 kgf) is not particularly limited, is 2.0 to 9.0 mm. Can be within range. In this case, a preferable lower limit is 2.3 mm or more, more preferably 2.8 mm or more, and still more preferably 3.3 mm or more. Moreover, a preferable upper limit can be 8.0 mm or less, More preferably, it is 7.0 mm or less, More preferably, it can be 6.0 mm or less. If the core is too hard (the deflection amount is small) than the above range, the flying distance reduction effect may not be sufficiently obtained when hitting with high HS. On the other hand, if the core is too soft (the amount of deflection is larger) than the above range, the feeling of hitting may become too soft, or the durability to cracking when repeatedly hitting may deteriorate.

  The specific gravity of the core is not particularly limited, but can be in the range of 0.9 to 1.4. In this case, a preferable lower limit is 1.0 or more, and more preferably 1.1 or more. Moreover, the preferable upper limit can be 1.3 or less, More preferably, it can be 1.2 or less.

  In the present invention, since the resilience can be improved by forming the solid core 1 using the above material, a golf ball capable of obtaining a stable trajectory can be provided.

  The golf ball G of the present invention forms one or more covers around the solid core 1. In the present invention, the number of cover layers to be formed, the material hardness (Shore D), and the thickness can be appropriately set without departing from the object of the present invention, and are not particularly limited. For example, when the two-layer cover of the inner layer cover 2 and the outer layer cover 3 is formed around the core 1 to produce the three-piece solid golf ball shown in FIG. 1, the following settings can be made. Here, the material hardness (Shore D) is a hardness measured using a type D durometer in accordance with ASTM D2240 for a sheet obtained by press-molding a cover material to a thickness of about 2 mm.

  First, the material hardness (Shore D) of the inner layer cover is not particularly limited, but can be 30 or more, preferably 35 or more, more preferably 40 or more, and most preferably 45 or more. it can. The upper limit is 66 or less, preferably 63 or less, and more preferably 60 or less. When the material hardness (Shore D) of the inner layer cover is too high, the hit feeling may be deteriorated.

  The thickness of the inner layer cover is not particularly limited, but can be 0.5 mm or more, preferably 0.7 mm or more, more preferably 1.0 mm or more, and further preferably 1.3 mm or more. can do. The upper limit is 3.0 mm or less, preferably 2.5 mm or less, more preferably 2.3 mm or less, and most preferably 2.2 mm or less. If the inner layer cover is too thin, the durability may be deteriorated, and if it is too thick, the hit feeling may not be good.

  The material hardness (Shore D) of the outer layer cover is not particularly limited, but can be 35 or more, preferably 40 or more, more preferably 43 or more, and still more preferably 46 or more. it can. The upper limit is 65 or less, preferably 63 or less, more preferably 61 or less, and most preferably 60 or less. If the material hardness (Shore D) of the outer layer cover is too low, the hit feeling may be too soft, and if it is too high, the durability may be deteriorated or the hit feeling may be deteriorated.

  The thickness of the outer layer cover is not particularly limited, but can be 0.5 mm or more, preferably 0.7 mm or more, and more preferably 0.8 mm or more. Moreover, the upper limit is 3.0 mm or less, Preferably it is 2.5 mm or less, More preferably, it is 2.0 mm or less, More preferably, it is recommended that it is 1.6 mm or less. When the thickness of the outer layer cover deviates from the above range, the hit feeling and durability may be deteriorated.

  In the present invention, the cover can be formed of a known material and is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include thermoplastic resins such as ionomer resins and various thermoplastic elastomers. Specific examples of the thermoplastic elastomer include polyester-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyamide-based thermoplastic elastomers, polyurethane-based thermoplastic elastomers, olefin-based thermoplastic elastomers, and styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers.

  In the present invention, such a cover material is not particularly limited, but a material selected from the group of polyurethane material (I), polyurethane material (II) and ionomer resin material shown below is a main material. It can be preferably used. Hereinafter, these materials will be described in order including the molding method.

Polyurethane material (I)
This material (I) is composed mainly of the following components (A) and (B).
(A) Thermoplastic polyurethane material (B) In a thermoplastic resin (B-2) in which an isocyanate compound (B-1) having two or more isocyanate groups as functional groups in one molecule does not substantially react with isocyanate Isocyanate mixture dispersed in

  A golf ball having a cover formed of the material (I) can have excellent feeling, controllability, cut resistance, abrasion resistance, and durability against cracking when repeatedly hit.

Next, each component will be described.
(A) The structure of the thermoplastic polyurethane material consists of a soft segment made of a polymer polyol (polymeric glycol), a chain extender constituting the hard segment, and a diisocyanate. Here, as the raw material polymer polyol, any of those conventionally used in the technology relating to thermoplastic polyurethane materials can be used, and is not particularly limited. The polyether type is preferable to the polyester type in that a thermoplastic polyurethane material having a high elastic modulus and excellent low-temperature characteristics can be synthesized. Examples of the polyether polyol include polytetramethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol. Polytetramethylene glycol is particularly preferable from the viewpoint of the resilience modulus and low temperature characteristics. The average molecular weight of the polymer polyol is preferably 1,000 to 5,000, and particularly preferably 2,000 to 4,000 in order to synthesize a thermoplastic polyurethane material having high impact resilience.

  As the chain extender, those used in the conventional technology relating to thermoplastic polyurethane materials can be suitably used. For example, 1,4-butylene glycol, 1,2-ethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, Examples include 1,6-hexanediol and 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, but are not limited thereto. These chain extenders preferably have an average molecular weight of 20 to 15,000.

  As a diisocyanate, what is used in the technique regarding the conventional thermoplastic polyurethane material can be used suitably, for example, 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate etc. Examples include aromatic diisocyanates and aliphatic diisocyanates such as hexamethylene diisocyanate, but are not limited thereto. However, some isocyanate species make it difficult to control the crosslinking reaction during injection molding. In the present invention, 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, which is an aromatic diisocyanate, is most preferred from the viewpoint of stability of reactivity with the (B) isocyanate mixture described later.

  As the thermoplastic polyurethane material composed of the above-mentioned materials, commercially available products can be suitably used. For example, trade names “Pandex T-8290”, “T-8295”, “T8260” (DCI Bayer Polymer) And product names “Rezamin 2593” and “2597” (manufactured by Dainichi Seika Kogyo Co., Ltd.).

  (B) In the isocyanate mixture, an isocyanate compound (B-1) having two or more isocyanate groups as functional groups in one molecule is dispersed in a thermoplastic resin (B-2) that does not substantially react with isocyanate. It is a thing. Here, as said isocyanate compound (B-1), what is used in the technique regarding the conventional thermoplastic polyurethane material can be used suitably, for example, 4,4'- diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 2, 4-toluene diisocyanate. , Aromatic diisocyanates such as 2,6-toluene diisocyanate, and aliphatic diisocyanates such as hexamethylene diisocyanate, but are not limited thereto. However, 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate is optimal in terms of reactivity and work safety.

  The thermoplastic resin (B-2) is preferably a resin having low water absorption and excellent compatibility with the thermoplastic polyurethane material. Examples of such resins include polystyrene resins, polyvinyl chloride resins, ABS resins, polycarbonate resins, and polyester elastomers (polyether / ester block copolymers, polyester / ester block copolymers, etc.). From the viewpoint of strength, a polyester elastomer, particularly a polyether / ester block copolymer is particularly preferable.

  (B) The blending ratio of the thermoplastic resin (B-2): isocyanate compound (B-1) in the isocyanate mixture is 100: 5 to 100: 100, particularly 100: 10 to 100: 40, in terms of mass ratio. preferable. When the blending amount of the isocyanate compound (B-1) with respect to the thermoplastic resin (B-2) is too small, in order to obtain a sufficient addition amount for the crosslinking reaction with the (A) thermoplastic polyurethane material, (B ) The isocyanate mixture must be added, and the physical properties of the material become insufficient due to the large influence of the thermoplastic resin (B-2). If the amount of the isocyanate compound (B-1) is too large relative to the thermoplastic resin (B-2), the isocyanate compound (B-1) causes a slip phenomenon during kneading, and it is difficult to synthesize the (B) isocyanate mixture. It becomes.

  (B) The isocyanate mixture is prepared by, for example, blending the isocyanate compound (B-1) with the thermoplastic resin (B-2), and kneading these thoroughly with a mixing roll or Banbury mixer at a temperature of 130 to 250 ° C. Or by cooling after cooling. A commercially available product can be suitably used as the isocyanate mixture (B), and examples thereof include trade name “Crosnate EM30” (manufactured by Dainichi Seika Kogyo Co., Ltd.).

  The material (I) is mainly composed of the aforementioned (A) thermoplastic polyurethane material and (B) isocyanate mixture. In this material (I), the blending amount of (B) isocyanate mixture with respect to 100 parts by mass of (A) thermoplastic polyurethane material is 1 part by mass or more, preferably 5 parts by mass or more, more preferably 10 parts by mass or more, The upper limit is 100 mass parts or less, More preferably, it is 50 mass parts or less, More preferably, it is 30 mass parts or less. (A) If the blending amount of the (B) isocyanate mixture with respect to the thermoplastic polyurethane material is too small, the crosslinking effect is not sufficiently exhibited, and if it is too large, unreacted isocyanate may cause a coloring phenomenon in the molded product, which is preferable. Absent.

  The material (I) is not an essential component, but may further contain other components (C) in addition to the components (A) and (B) described above. Examples of such other components include thermoplastic polymer materials other than thermoplastic polyurethane materials. More specifically, polyester elastomer, polyamide elastomer, ionomer resin, styrene block elastomer, polyethylene, nylon Examples thereof include resins. When blending the above component (C), the blending amount is appropriately selected according to adjustment of the hardness of the cover material, improvement of resilience, improvement of fluidity, improvement of adhesion, etc. However, it can be preferably 10 parts by mass or more with respect to 100 parts by mass of the component (A), and the upper limit is 100 parts by mass or less, preferably 75 parts by mass or less, more preferably 50 parts by mass or less. It can be. The material (I) may further contain various additives as required. For example, pigments, dispersants, antioxidants, light-resistant stabilizers, ultraviolet absorbers, mold release agents, etc. It can mix | blend suitably.

  When forming the cover using the material (I), a known molding method can be employed. For example, (A) a thermoplastic polyurethane material can be obtained by adding (B) an isocyanate mixture and performing dry mixing. The mixture can be supplied to an injection molding machine, and the cover can be molded by injecting a molten resin compound around the core. In this case, the molding temperature varies depending on the type of (A) thermoplastic polyurethane material, but is usually in the range of 150 to 250 ° C.

  As a reaction form and a crosslinked form of the golf ball cover obtained as described above, an isocyanate group reacts with a residual OH group of a thermoplastic polyurethane material to form a urethane bond, or a urethane group of a thermoplastic polyurethane material. It is considered that an addition reaction of an isocyanate group occurs to form an allophanate or burette crosslinked form. In this case, the cross-linking reaction does not proceed sufficiently immediately after the injection molding of the material (I), but the cross-linking reaction proceeds by performing annealing after the molding, and the characteristics useful as a golf ball cover are maintained. Here, annealing means that the cover is heated and aged at a constant temperature for a certain time, or aged for a certain period at room temperature.

Polyurethane material (II)
This material (II) is a single resin blend based on (D) a thermoplastic polyurethane and (E) a polyisocyanate compound. When the cover is formed with such a polyurethane material (II) as a main component, excellent feeling, controllability, cut resistance, abrasion resistance, and durability against cracking when repeatedly hit are obtained without impairing resilience. be able to.

  Here, the “single” resin compound does not supply the resin compound as a plurality of types of pellets, but supplies them to an injection molding machine or the like as a single type of pellet prepared by preparing a plurality of components into one pellet. This means that the cover is molded.

  In order to exhibit the effect of the present invention sufficiently effectively, a necessary and sufficient amount of unreacted isocyanate groups may be present in the cover resin material. Specifically, the above components (D) and (E) It is recommended that the total mass of the total and the total is 60% or more of the total mass of the cover, and more preferably 70% or more. Hereinafter, the component (D) and the component (E) will be described in detail.

  When the thermoplastic polyurethane (D) is described, the structure of the thermoplastic polyurethane includes a soft segment composed of a high-molecular polyol (polymeric glycol) which is a long-chain polyol, and a hard segment composed of a chain extender and a polyisocyanate compound. Including. Here, as the long-chain polyol as a raw material, any of those conventionally used in the technology relating to thermoplastic polyurethane can be used, and is not particularly limited. For example, polyester polyol, polyether polyol, polycarbonate polyol , Polyester polycarbonate polyol, polyolefin polyol, conjugated diene polymer polyol, castor oil polyol, silicone polyol, vinyl polymer polyol and the like. One kind of these long-chain polyols may be used, or two or more kinds may be used in combination. Of these, polyether polyols are preferred because they can synthesize thermoplastic polyurethanes having high impact resilience and excellent low-temperature properties.

  Examples of the polyether polyol include poly (ethylene glycol), poly (propylene glycol), poly (tetramethylene glycol), poly (methyltetramethylene glycol) and the like obtained by ring-opening polymerization of a cyclic ether. Can do. These polyether polyols may be used alone or in combination of two or more. In the present invention, poly (tetramethylene glycol) and poly (methyltetramethylene glycol) can be suitably used.

  The number average molecular weight of these long-chain polyols is preferably in the range of 1,500 to 5,000. By using a long-chain polyol having such a number average molecular weight, it is possible to reliably obtain a golf ball made of a thermoplastic polyurethane composition excellent in various properties such as the resilience and productivity described above. The number average molecular weight of the long-chain polyol is more preferably in the range of 1,700 to 4,000, and still more preferably in the range of 1,900 to 3,000.

  In addition, the number average molecular weight of said long chain polyol is the number average molecular weight computed based on the hydroxyl value measured based on JIS-K1557.

  As the chain extender, those used in the conventional technology relating to thermoplastic polyurethane can be suitably used. For example, a low molecular weight of 400 or less having two or more active hydrogen atoms capable of reacting with an isocyanate group in the molecule. It is preferably a molecular compound. Specific examples include 1,4-butylene glycol, 1,2-ethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediol, and the like. However, it is not limited to these. In the present invention, an aliphatic diol having 2 to 12 carbon atoms is preferable, and 1,4-butylene glycol is more preferable.

  As a polyisocyanate compound, what is used in the technique regarding the conventional thermoplastic polyurethane can be used suitably, and there is no restriction | limiting in particular. Specifically, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 2,4-toluene diisocyanate, 2,6-toluene diisocyanate, p-phenylene diisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate, naphthylene 1,5-diisocyanate, tetramethylxylene diisocyanate, hydrogenated One type or two or more types selected from the group consisting of xylylene diisocyanate, dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, tetramethylene diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, norbornene diisocyanate, trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate, and dimer acid diisocyanate can be used. However, some isocyanate species make it difficult to control the crosslinking reaction during injection molding. In the present invention, 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, which is an aromatic diisocyanate, is most preferable from the viewpoint of the balance between stability during production and expressed physical properties.

  The most preferable thermoplastic polyurethane as the component (D) is a thermoplastic polyurethane synthesized using a polyether polyol as a long-chain polyol, an aliphatic diol as a chain extender, and an aromatic diisocyanate as a polyisocyanate compound. The polyether polyol is polytetramethylene glycol having a number average molecular weight of 1,900 or more, the chain extender is 1,4-butylene glycol, and the polyisocyanate compound is 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, However, it is not limited to these.

  In addition, the active hydrogen atom: isocyanate group mixing ratio in the polyurethane forming reaction described above is a golf ball made of a thermoplastic polyurethane composition having various properties such as resilience, spin performance, scratch resistance and productivity as described above. Can be adjusted within a preferable range. Specifically, in producing a thermoplastic polyurethane by reacting the above long-chain polyol with a polyisocyanate compound and a chain extender, 1 mol of active hydrogen atoms contained in the long-chain polyol and the chain extender. It is preferable to use each component in such a ratio that the isocyanate group contained in the polyisocyanate compound is 0.95 to 1.05 mol.

  The production method of the component (D) is not particularly limited, and a long-chain polyol, a chain extender, and a polyisocyanate compound are used, and a known urethanization reaction is used to perform any of the prepolymer method and the one-shot method. It may be manufactured. Among them, it is preferable to perform melt polymerization in the substantial absence of a solvent, and it is particularly preferable to produce by continuous melt polymerization using a multi-screw extruder.

  Moreover, a commercial item can also be used as said (D) component, For example, brand name "Pandex T8295", "T8290", "T8260" (made by DIC Bayer Polymer Co., Ltd.), etc. are mentioned.

  Next, for the polyisocyanate compound used as the component (E), it is necessary that at least a part of the single resin compound is such that all isocyanate groups in one molecule remain unreacted. It is. That is, it suffices if there is a polyisocyanate compound in which all the isocyanate groups in one molecule are completely free in a single resin compound. A polyisocyanate compound in a free state may coexist.

  Although there is no restriction | limiting in particular as this polyisocyanate compound, Various isocyanate can be employ | adopted, Specifically, 4, 4'- diphenylmethane diisocyanate, 2, 4- toluene diisocyanate, 2, 6-toluene diisocyanate, p-phenylene diisocyanate, xylylene diisocyanate, naphthylene 1,5-diisocyanate, tetramethylxylene diisocyanate, hydrogenated xylylene diisocyanate, dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, tetramethylene diisocyanate, hexamethylene diisocyanate, isophorone diisocyanate, norbornene diisocyanate, trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate, One or more selected from the group consisting of dimer acid diisocyanates are used. Door can be. Adoption of 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate and isophorone diisocyanate among the above isocyanate groups affects the moldability due to an increase in viscosity associated with the reaction of the component (D) with the thermoplastic polyurethane. And a balance with the physical properties of the obtained golf ball cover material.

  Although not an essential component, the material (II) can further contain a thermoplastic elastomer other than the thermoplastic polyurethane as the component (F) in addition to the components (D) and (E). By blending this component (F) into the resin blend, various physical properties required for a golf ball cover material such as further improvement in fluidity, resilience, and scratch resistance of the resin blend can be enhanced. .

  Specific examples of the thermoplastic elastomer other than the component (F) and the thermoplastic polyurethane include polyester elastomer, polyamide elastomer, ionomer resin, styrene block elastomer, hydrogenated styrene butadiene rubber, and styrene-ethylene / butylene-ethylene block. Polymer or modified product thereof, selected from ethylene-ethylene butylene-ethylene block copolymer or modified product thereof, styrene-ethylene butylene-styrene block copolymer or modified product thereof, ABS resin, polyacetal, polyethylene and nylon resin One or more of them can be used. In particular, it is preferable to employ a polyester elastomer, a polyamide elastomer and a polyacetal for reasons such as improving the resilience and scratch resistance by reaction with an isocyanate group while maintaining good productivity.

  The composition ratio of the components (D), (E) and (F) is not particularly limited, but in order to exhibit the effects of the present invention sufficiently effectively, (D) :( E) by mass ratio. : (F) = 100: 2 to 50: 0 to 50, preferably (D) :( E) :( F) = 100: 2 to 30: 8 to 50 (mass ratio) is there.

  In the present invention, the component (D), the component (E), and the optional component (F) are mixed to prepare a single resin composition for forming a cover. In part, it is necessary to select conditions such that there is a polyisocyanate compound in which all isocyanate groups remain unreacted. For example, it is necessary to take measures such as mixing in an inert gas such as nitrogen gas or in a vacuum state. This resin compound is then injection-molded around the core arranged in the mold, but for reasons of smooth and easy handling, it has a length of 1 to 10 mm and a diameter of 0.5 to 5 mm. It is preferable to form in a pellet form. In the resin pellets, unreacted isocyanate groups are sufficiently left, and the unreacted isocyanate groups are converted into (D) component or (D) during post-treatment such as injection molding on the core or subsequent annealing. F) reacts with the component to form a cross-linked product.

  Further, various additives can be blended in the resin composition for forming a cover, if necessary. For example, pigments, dispersants, antioxidants, light stabilizers, ultraviolet absorbers, mold release agents. Etc. can be suitably blended.

  The melt mass flow rate (MFR) value at 210 ° C. of this resin blend is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 g / 10 min or more, more preferably 6 g / 10 min or more from the viewpoint of improving fluidity and productivity. . When the melt mass flow rate of the resin compound is small, the fluidity is lowered, which not only causes eccentricity at the time of injection molding, but also may reduce the degree of freedom of the cover thickness that can be molded. In addition, the measured value of said melt mass flow rate is a measured value based on JIS-K7210 (1999 edition).

  As a method for molding the cover, for example, the cover can be molded by supplying the above resin compound to an injection molding machine and injecting the molten resin compound around the core. In this case, the molding temperature varies depending on the type of thermoplastic polyurethane or the like, but is usually in the range of 150 to 250 ° C.

  In addition, when performing injection molding, purging or vacuuming with an inert gas such as nitrogen or a low humidity gas such as low dew point dry air at a part or all of the resin path from the resin supply part into the mold. Although it is desirable to perform molding in a low humidity environment, the present invention is not limited to this. Moreover, as a pressure feeding medium at the time of resin conveyance, low-humidity gas such as low dew point dry air or nitrogen gas is preferable, but is not limited thereto. By molding in the low humidity environment described above, the progress of the reaction of isocyanate groups before the resin is filled into the mold is suppressed, and polyisocyanate in a form in which the isocyanate groups are unreacted to some extent is formed into a resin molding By including in, it can reduce the fluctuation factors such as an unnecessary increase in viscosity, and can improve the substantial crosslinking efficiency.

  In addition, as a method for confirming the presence of the unreacted polyisocyanate compound in the resin compound before injection molding around the core, it is confirmed by extracting with an appropriate solvent that selectively dissolves only the polyisocyanate compound. However, as a simple method, a method of confirming by simultaneous differential thermothermal gravimetric measurement (TG-DTA measurement) in an inert atmosphere can be mentioned. For example, when the above single resin compound (material (II)) is heated at a heating rate of 10 ° C./min in a nitrogen atmosphere, a moderate weight reduction of diphenylmethane diisocyanate is confirmed from about 150 ° C. can do. On the other hand, in the resin sample in which the reaction between the thermoplastic polyurethane material and the isocyanate mixture is completely performed, the weight reduction from about 150 ° C. is not confirmed, and the weight reduction from about 230 to 240 ° C. can be confirmed.

  It is also possible to further improve the characteristics of the golf ball cover by injection molding the material (II) and then forming a cover, followed by annealing to further advance the crosslinking reaction. Here, annealing means aging for a certain period in a certain environment.

Ionomer resin material The ionomer resin material in the present invention is mainly composed of a metal salt of an olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid-unsaturated carboxylic acid ester random copolymer and / or a metal salt of an olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid random copolymer. The resin composition.

  The above olefin usually has 2 or more carbon atoms and preferably has an upper limit of 8 or less, particularly 6 or less. Specific examples include ethylene, propylene, butene, pentene, hexene, heptene, octene, etc. Preferably there is.

  Moreover, as unsaturated carboxylic acid, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid etc. can be mentioned, for example, It is especially preferable that they are acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.

  And as unsaturated carboxylic acid ester, the lower alkyl ester of unsaturated carboxylic acid mentioned above etc. are suitable, for example, specifically, methyl methacrylate, ethyl methacrylate, propyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, acrylic acid Examples thereof include methyl, ethyl acrylate, propyl acrylate, butyl acrylate and the like, and butyl acrylate (n-butyl acrylate, i-butyl acrylate) is particularly preferable.

  The random copolymer can be obtained by random copolymerizing the above components according to a known method. Here, the content (acid content) of the unsaturated carboxylic acid contained in the random copolymer is not particularly limited, but is usually 2% by mass or more, preferably 6% by mass or more, and more preferably 8% by mass. % Or more. Also, the upper limit of the unsaturated carboxylic acid content (acid content) is not particularly limited, but it is usually recommended to be 25% by mass or less, preferably 20% by mass or less, and more preferably 15% by mass or less. If the acid content is low, the resilience may be reduced, and if it is high, the processability of the material may be reduced.

The acid groups in the random copolymer described above are partially or completely neutralized with metal ions. In this case, the degree of neutralization is not particularly limited, but 20 mol% or more of acid groups are neutralized, preferably 30 mol% or more, more preferably 40 mol% or more, and still more preferably 70 mol%. More than mol% of acid groups are neutralized. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but can be 100 mol% or less, preferably 95 mol% or less, more preferably 90 mol% or less. If the degree of neutralization is less than 20 mol%, the resilience may be lowered. Here, examples of metal ions that neutralize acid groups include Na ⁺ , K ⁺ , Li ⁺ , Zn ⁺⁺ , Cu ⁺⁺ , Mg ⁺⁺ , Ca ⁺⁺ , Co ⁺⁺ , Ni ⁺⁺ , and Pb. ⁺⁺ etc. are mentioned. Of these, Na ⁺ , Li ⁺ , Zn ⁺⁺ , Mg ⁺⁺ , Ca ^{++ and the} like are particularly preferable in the present invention.

  Although content in particular of the metal salt (ionomer resin) of the said random copolymer is not restrict | limited, It is preferable to contain 100-50 mass% with respect to the whole resin composition. In this case, a more preferable lower limit is 60% by mass or more, further preferably 70% by mass or more, and most preferably 80% by mass or more. Moreover, a more preferable upper limit is 95 mass% or less, More preferably, it is 90 mass% or less. In the present invention, as the ionomer resin material, known materials can be used. Specifically, trade names “HPF1000” and “HPF2000” (manufactured by DuPont) and US Patent Application No. 12 / 340,790 are available. No. (or U.S. Patent Application No. 12 / 706,175), and the like. These can be used individually by 1 type or in mixture of 2 or more types.

  Further, various non-ionomer thermoplastic elastomers can be blended in order to further improve the feeling at impact. Examples of such non-ionomer thermoplastic elastomers include olefin-based thermoplastic elastomers, styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers, ester-based thermoplastic elastomers, urethane-based thermoplastic elastomers, etc. In particular, an olefinic thermoplastic elastomer can be suitably used. The olefinic thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic block copolymer having a polyolefin crystal block and a polyethylene / butylene random copolymer. Examples of the olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer include those having a crystalline polyethylene block (E) as a hard segment and a block made of a relatively random copolymer (EB) of ethylene and butylene as a soft segment. As the molecular structure, a block copolymer having a structure such as an E-EB system or an E-EB-E system in which a hard segment is at one end or both ends is preferably used.

  These can be obtained, for example, by hydrogenating polybutadiene. Here, the polybutadiene used for hydrogenation contains 95 to 100% by mass of 1,4-bonds in the total amount of butadiene structures as the bonding mode in the butadiene structure, and 50 to 50 of the 1,4-bonds. What has 100 mass%, more preferably 80-100 mass% in a block form is used suitably.

  The E-EB-E thermoplastic block copolymer includes 1,4-polymers rich in 1,4-bonds at both ends of the molecular chain and 1,4-bonds and 1,2-bonds in the middle. What is obtained by hydrogenating polybutadiene mixed with is preferable. Here, the amount of hydrogenation in the hydrogenated product of polybutadiene (passing ratio of double bonds to saturated bonds in polybutadiene) is preferably 60 to 100%, more preferably 90 to 100%. If the amount of hydrogenation is too small, deterioration such as gelation may occur in the blending process with an ionomer resin or the like. In addition, when a golf ball is formed, a problem may occur in the hit durability.

  In a block copolymer having an E-EB-based or E-EB-E-based structure in which a hard segment is at one or both ends as a molecular structure, preferably used as a thermoplastic block copolymer, the amount of hard segment is 10 It is preferable that it is -50 mass%. If the amount of the hard segment is too large, the object of the present invention may not be achieved effectively due to lack of flexibility, and if the amount of the hard segment is too small, a problem may occur in the formability of the blend.

  The melt mass flow rate of the thermoplastic block copolymer at a test temperature of 230 ° C. and a test load of 21.2 N is 0.01 to 15 g / 10 min, more preferably 0.03 to 10 g / 10 min. If it is out of the above range, problems such as weld, sink, and short circuit may occur during injection molding. The surface hardness of the thermoplastic block copolymer is preferably 10-50. If the surface hardness is too small, the durability of the golf ball upon repeated hitting may be reduced. On the other hand, if the surface hardness is too large, the resilience of the blend with the ionomer resin may decrease. The number average molecular weight of the thermoplastic block copolymer is preferably 30,000 to 800,000.

  Commercially available products can be used as the olefin-based thermoplastic elastomer, and specific examples include trade names “Dynalon 6100P”, “Same 6200P”, “Same 6201B” (manufactured by JSR), and the like. it can. Among these, Dynalon 6100P is a block polymer having a crystalline olefin block at both ends, and can be suitably used in the present invention. These olefinic thermoplastic elastomers may be used alone or in a combination of two or more.

  Various additives can be further added to the resin composition as necessary. For example, pigments, dispersants, anti-aging agents, ultraviolet absorbers, light stabilizers, and the like can be appropriately blended. .

  As the cover material used in the present invention, a known cover material can be used, and is not particularly limited, but the above-described polyurethane material (I), polyurethane material (II) and ionomer resin material are suitable. Can be used for

  In the golf ball of the present invention, in addition to specifying the initial velocity of the ball and the ratio of the total flight distance at the time of high HS and low HS hitting, a relatively low trajectory that satisfies the specific conditions described later can be obtained. By forming the dimple, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the flight distance when hitting with low HS while greatly reducing the flight distance when hitting with high HS. The conditions for the dimples formed in the golf ball of the present invention are described in detail below.

  In the present invention, dimples having the following conditions (1) to (3) are formed on the surface of the cover formed of the above material. The parameters (1) to (3) below are the product balls that have been completely processed when the ball surface is finished (painting, stamping, etc.) after the cover is formed. It is calculated based on the shape of the dimple.

Dimple condition (1)
The total number of dimples is not particularly limited, but is preferably 280 or more, more preferably 300 or more, and still more preferably 310 or more. Moreover, a preferable upper limit is 450 or less, More preferably, it is 420 or less, More preferably, it is 400 or less, Most preferably, it is 350 or less.

Dimple condition (2)
The ratio (dimple surface occupancy ratio) SR occupied by the total area of the phantom spherical surface surrounded by the edge of each dimple relative to the surface area of the phantom sphere is not particularly limited, but is 70% from the viewpoint of improving aerodynamic performance. The above is preferable. In this case, it can be more preferably 71% or more, still more preferably 72% or more.

Dimple condition (3)
The ratio of the sum of the dimple space volume below the plane surrounded by the edge of each dimple to the volume of the phantom sphere assumed to have no dimple on the ball surface (dimple volume occupancy) VR is to improve the aerodynamic performance. From 1.00 to 1.40%. In this case, a preferable lower limit is 1.05% or more, more preferably 1.10% or more. Moreover, the preferable upper limit is 1.35% or less, More preferably, it is 1.30% or less.

  The shape of the dimple is not limited to a circular shape, and can be appropriately selected from a polygonal shape, a teardrop shape, an elliptical shape, and the like. In addition, the spherical surface can be covered at a higher rate by using three or more dimple types, preferably five or more types. Also, by mixing large and small dimples and increasing the surface occupancy to a predetermined range, it is possible to suppress extreme CL (lift coefficient) fluctuations in the low speed region, so that the ball trajectory is relatively low. And the effects of the present invention are easily exhibited.

  The golf ball of the present invention can be in compliance with golf rules for competition purposes, and can be formed to have a diameter of 42.67 mm or more. The weight is usually 45.0 g or more, preferably 45.2 g or more, and the upper limit is preferably 45.93 g or less.

  The golf ball of the present invention includes the above core and one or more layers of covers, and includes a large number of dimples on the outermost cover surface. However, the amount of deflection deformation of the entire ball is particularly limited. Although it is not a thing, it is preferable to set it as 1.5 mm or more as a deformation | transformation amount from when the initial load 98N (10 kgf) is loaded with respect to a ball | bowl when the final load 1275N (130 kgf) is loaded. It is 6 mm or more, more preferably 1.8 mm or more, and most preferably 2.0 mm or more. Further, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but is preferably 6.0 mm or less, more preferably 5.0 mm or less, and further preferably 4.5 mm or less. If the amount of flexure deformation is too small, the flying distance will be too long when hit with high HS, and the objective of reducing the flying distance at the time of high HS hit, which is the object of the present invention, may not be achieved. In some cases, the crack durability is inferior, or the feel at impact is too soft.

  In the present invention, the initial velocity of the ball measured using an initial velocity measuring device of the same type as the USGA drum rotation-type initial velocity meter needs to be 75.5 to 77.7 m / s. In this case, the upper limit value is more preferably 77.6 m / s or less, and further preferably 77.4 m / s or less. If the initial velocity of the ball is too small, the flight distance not only at the time of hitting with high HS but also at the time of hitting with low HS may be greatly reduced. On the other hand, if the initial velocity of the ball is too high, it may fly too much when hit with high HS.

In the golf ball of the present invention, the VR is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of suppressing a reduction in a flight distance when hitting with a low HS while greatly reducing a flight distance when hitting with a high HS. And the above-mentioned deflection amount is the following formula 4 × VR + deflection amount = 7.0 to 10.0
It is preferable to satisfy the relationship. When the relationship between the VR and the amount of deflection deformation deviates from the range of the above formula, a sufficient flight distance reduction effect may not be obtained when striking at a high HS, and further, good hit feeling and sufficient The crack durability may not be obtained. In the present invention, the above formula is an index representing the relationship between proper dimples and structures that can secure the flight distance when hit with low HS while suppressing the flight distance when hit with high HS. It becomes.

  As described above, the golf ball of the present invention has a significantly reduced flight distance when hit with high HS. In this case, although not particularly limited, the head speed is 54 m / s, the ball The total flight distance is preferably 300 yards or less under the conditions of an initial velocity of 78.0 ± 0.5 m / s, a launch angle of 9.7 ± 0.5 degrees, and an initial backspin amount of 2700 ± 100 rpm.

  Further, it is preferable that the difference in total flight distance due to the size of HS is small, and in the present invention, the ratio of the total flight distance (HS54 / HS35) when hit with HS54 m / s and when hit with HS35 m / s is 1 (HS54 / HS35). .30 or more is required. In this case, the preferable lower limit of the above ratio is 1.35 or more, more preferably 1.38 or more, and still more preferably 1.40 or more. Moreover, the upper limit is 1.50 or less, preferably 1.49 or less, more preferably 1.48 or less.

  As described above, according to the present invention, low HS and a decrease in flight distance during an iron shot can be suppressed as much as possible while greatly reducing the flight distance at high HS. It is possible to obtain a golf ball that is superior to the player who has it.

  EXAMPLES Hereinafter, although an Example and a comparative example are shown and this invention is demonstrated concretely, this invention is not restrict | limited to the following Example.

[Examples 1 to 4, Comparative Examples 1 to 4]
After preparing the rubber composition shown in the following Table 1, a solid core was produced by vulcanization molding at 155 ° C. for 15 minutes. The numbers in the table indicate “parts by mass”.

The trade names of the materials listed in the table are as follows.
・ Polybutadiene rubber: Product name “BR01” manufactured by JSR
-Isoprene rubber: JSR, trade name "IR2200"
・ Peroxide 1: manufactured by NOF Corporation, trade name “Park Mill D” dicumyl peroxide ・ Peroxide 2: manufactured by NOF Corporation, trade name “Perhexa C-40” 1,1-bis (t-butyl per Oxy) cyclohexane barium sulfate: manufactured by Sakai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., trade name “Precipitated Barium Sulfate 100”
・ Zinc oxide: manufactured by Sakai Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. ・ Anti-aging agent: manufactured by Ouchi Shinsei Chemical Co., Ltd., trade name “NOCRACK NS-6”
・ Zinc acrylate: Nihon Distillation Kogyo Co., Ltd. ・ Zinc stearate: NOF Corporation, trade name “Zinc Stearate G”

  Next, the cover material shown in Table 2 below was injection-molded on the core to obtain a golf ball in which the core was covered with an inner layer cover and an outer layer cover having a predetermined thickness.

The trade names of the materials listed in the table are as follows.
-HPF2000: DuPont ionomer resin-Pandex: DIC Bayer Polymer, MDI-PTMG type thermoplastic polyurethane-Polyisocyanate compound: 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate-Thermoplastic elastomer: Toray DuPont, Product name "Hytrel 4001"
・ Titanium oxide: manufactured by Ishihara Sangyo Co., Ltd., trade name “Taipeke R550”
・ Polyethylene wax: Sanyo Kasei Co., Ltd., trade name “Sun Wax 161P”

  In this case, a large number of dimples were formed on the surface of the cover simultaneously with the injection molding of the cover, and the coating was applied by spray coating. In each example and comparative example, the dimples on the surface of the ball after painting satisfy the parameters in Tables 3 to 5 below. In the table below, the dimple type Da means a dimple having a diameter of 3.7 mm or more, and the dimple Db means a dimple having a diameter of less than 3.7 mm.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the dimple depth (DP) in the table is a vertical distance from a virtual plane L drawn by connecting the land joint positions of the dimples to the bottom (deepest position) of the dimples. is there. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the dimple diameter (DM) is a position where the dimple portion is in contact with the land portion (a portion where no dimple is formed), that is, a diameter (passage) between the highest points of the dimple portion. In many cases, the golf ball is painted or the like, and such a ball indicates a dimple diameter and a depth in a paint coating state.

  Regarding the dimple patterns in the table, Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example 4 are in Table 3 (FIG. 3), Example 4 is in Table 4 (FIG. 3), and Comparative Examples 1 to 3 are in Table 5 (FIG. 3). Each is shown. These drawings all show a plan view of the ball, but in each example, the rear view is the same as the plan view, and will be omitted.

  Various characteristics of the golf ball obtained above were examined by the following methods, and the results are shown in Tables 6 and 7.

Deflection amount of solid core and product The solid core and product were placed on a hard plate, and the amount of deflection deformation from when the initial load was 98 N (10 kgf) to when the final load was 1275 N (130 kgf) was measured.

Cover material hardness (Shore D hardness)
The cover material was press-molded to a thickness of about 2 mm, and the obtained sheet was stored at 23 ° C. for 2 weeks, and then Shore D hardness was measured according to ASTM D2240.

The initial velocity of the ball was measured using an initial velocity measuring device of the same type as the USGA drum rotation-type initial velocity meter approved by the initial velocity R & A. The ball was temperature-controlled at 23 ± 1 ° C. for 3 hours or more and then tested in a room at room temperature 23 ± 2 ° C. 5. Using a 250 pound (113.4 kg) head (striking mass), hit the ball at a hitting speed of 143.8 ft / s (43.83 m / s) and hit a dozen balls 4 times each. The initial speed (m / s) was calculated by measuring the time required to pass between 28 ft (1.91 m). This cycle was performed in about 15 minutes.

A driver “TOURSTAGE X-DRIVE 701 (2009 model)” (loft angle 9.5 °) made by Bridgestone Sports was attached to the flying performance hitting robot, and hit at a head speed (HS) of 54 m / s or 35 m / s. The flight distance was measured. Here, the initial conditions are set using the Bridgestone Golf “Bridgestone Golf e5” ball sold in the US since November 2009. When this ball is hit at HS 54 m / s, the initial speed is set. When hitting with HS 35 m / s in the range of 78.0 ± 0.5 m / s, launch angle 9.7 ± 0.5 degrees, initial backspin rate 2700 ± 100 rpm, initial velocity 53.0 ± 0.5 m / S, launch angle 14.0 ± 0.5 degrees, and initial backspin amount 2700 ± 100 rpm.

Crack Durability Durability of a golf ball was evaluated by ADC Ball COR Durability Tester manufactured by Automated Design Corporation. This test machine has a function of causing a golf ball to be blown with air pressure and then continuously colliding with two metal plates installed in parallel. The incident speed on the metal plate was 43 m / s. For each ball, the number of times when the speed ratio (reflection speed / incidence speed) was 97% or less compared to the average value of the initial 10 times was judged as a decrease in durability, and evaluated according to the following criteria.
○: 50 times or more ×: less than 50 times

From the results of Tables 6 and 7, the golf balls of Examples 1 to 4 have a low HS compared to Comparative Examples 1 to 4 for a significant reduction in the flight distance when hit with a high HS. It was confirmed that the flight distance reduction when hit was suppressed. That is, in the embodiment, the difference between the flight distance at the high HS and the flight distance at the low HS is smaller, and an advantageous flight distance can be obtained in the low HS region while suppressing the flight distance in the high HS region. It was confirmed that it was a golf ball. The golf balls of Comparative Examples 1 to 4 had the following results.
Since Comparative Example 1 has a small VR and a large total flight distance difference between the HS54 m / s hit and the HS35 m / s hit, the HS54 / HS35 total flight distance ratio is large. (The total flight distance at the time of HS35 m / s hit does not increase instead of the total flight distance at the time of HS54 m / s hit.)
Since the comparative example 2 has a small VR and a large total flight distance difference between the HS54 m / s hit and the HS35 m / s hit, the HS54 / HS35 total flight distance ratio is large. (The total flight distance at the time of HS35 m / s hit does not increase instead of the total flight distance at the time of HS54 m / s hit.)
Since the comparative example 3 has a small VR and a large total flight distance difference between the HS54 m / s hit and the HS35 m / s hit, the HS54 / HS35 total flight distance ratio is large. (The total flight distance at the time of HS35 m / s hit does not increase instead of the total flight distance at the time of HS54 m / s hit.)
In Comparative Example 4, although the flying distance at the time of HS54 m / s hit is reduced by the initial velocity and the low ballistic dimple, the flying distance at the time of HS35 m / s hit is also greatly reduced, and at the time of HS54 m / s hit, HS35 m / s hit The flight distance does not increase with time.

1 Core 2 Inner layer cover 3 Outer layer cover D Dimple G Golf ball

Claims (1)

  In a golf ball having a solid core and a cover of one or more layers and having a large number of dimples on the outermost cover surface, the volume occupancy (VR) of the dimples is 1.0 to 1.4%, The initial velocity of the ball measured using an initial velocity measuring device of the same type as the USGA drum rotation-type initial velocity meter is 75.5 to 77.7 m / s, and the head speed is 54 m / s. A golf ball having a total flight distance ratio (HS54 / HS35) of 1.30 to 1.50 when hit at 35 m / s.

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