Patent ID: 8568250

Claim:
A golf ball comprising: a core; and a cover layer substantially surrounding the core; the cover layer including a plurality of dimples thereon, and at least one land area separating the dimples; a total surface area; a first portion, the first portion of the cover layer having a first hardness; a second portion, the second portion of the cover layer having a second hardness, the second hardness being different from the first hardness; wherein the first portion consists of multiple non-contiguous zones each surrounded by the second portion; wherein the first portion encompasses at least 20% of the total surface area of the cover layer; and the first portion encompasses at most 60% of the total surface area of the cover layer; and the first portion has a cross-sectional shape that extends from a first surface to a second surface, the first surface forming a portion of an upper surface of the cover layer, the second surface forming a portion of a lower surface of the cover layer, the lower surface of the cover layer being adjacent to an inner layer of the golf ball; wherein the cross-sectional shape tapers to a point from the first surface to the second surface such that the first portion overlaps the second portion proximate the second surface; and wherein the first hardness is harder than the second hardness.