[54] GOLF BALLS
[75] Inventors: Yutaka Masutani; Keisuke Ihara;
Hirotaka Shimosaka; Michio Inoue;
Atsuki Kasashima, all ol Saitama,
Japan
[73] Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan
[21] Appl. No.: 08/964,199
[22] Filed: Nov. 4, 1997
[30] Foreign Application Priority Data
Nov. 5, 1996 [JP] Japan 8-292483
[51] Int. C I. A63B 37/12
[52] U.S. CI 473/374; 473/377; 473/378
[58] Field of Search 473/383, 384,
473/385, 378, 374, 377
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
1,482,232 1/1924 Hazeltine 473/385
A goll ball is composed ol at least a pair ol adjacent concentric solid layers or three adjacent concentric solid layers. In the former case, the outer solid layer is composed ol a matrix and non-metallic high-hardness grains having hardness higher than that ol the matrix which has a Shore D range ol 36-40. In the later case, the intermediate solid layer is composed ol a matrix and high-hardness grains having hardness higher than that ol the matrix. The high-hardness grains have a Shore D hardness in the range ol 50-70 and penetrate the corresponding solid layer in normal directions. The goll ball can provide a player with different leels on impact depending on the direction ol an external force applied thereto when the goll ball is hit.
15 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
