Patent ID: 7744490

Claim:
A golf ball comprising: a unitary inner core having a volume, an outer surface, a geometric center, and an outermost transition volume adjacent to the outer surface, the core being formed from a substantially homogenous composition; an outer core layer disposed about the unitary inner core and having a negative hardness gradient or a positive hardness gradient; an inner cover layer; and an outer cover layer comprising a polyurethane, a polyurea, or a hybrid thereof; wherein the outermost transition volume is disposed between the inner core outer surface and the geometric center, the transition volume has an outer portion congruent with the inner core outer surface, and comprises the outermost 45% of the inner core volume or less; and wherein both a hardness of the inner core outer surface and a hardness within the outermost transition volume are less than the hardness of the geometric center to define a negative hardness gradient.