Patent ID: 6469105
Filing Date: 2002-10-22
Classification: A63B,C08L

Abstract:
A golf ball comprising a cover and a core, wherein the core comprises a saponified polymer prepared by a process comprising the following steps:(a) forming a polymer comprising: (1) a first monomeric component comprising a first olefinic monomer having from 2 to 8 carbon atoms; and (2) a second monomeric component comprising an unsaturated carboxylic acid based acrylate class ester having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms; (b) applying a sufficient amount of heat to the polymer to convert the polymer to a substantially molten state; (c) forming a mixture by adding at least one inorganic metal base to the molten polymer such that the viscosity of the mixture remains substantially unchanged from the viscosity of the molten polymer; followed by (d) applying a sufficient amount of heat to saponify the mixture to produce a polymer salt adapted for forming improved golf ball layers, wherein a sufficient amount of the inorganic metal base is added to the molten polymer in forming the mixture to obtain a degree of saponification of the polymer ranging between about 1 and 50 percent, and wherein the core has a flexural modulus of about 500 to about 300,000 psi, a hardness of about 40 Shore A to about 70 Shore D, and a specific gravity of about 0.7 or greater.