Multi-piece Golf Ball Hardness Gradient Resolving Distance Spin Trade-off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mid- and high-level amateur golfers face challenges in achieving optimal distance and spin performance on both driver and iron shots with existing golf balls, which often fall short in providing a good feel and scuff resistance.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece solid golf ball design featuring a core, intermediate layer, and cover with specific hardness profiles and thicknesses, where the cover is hard on the inside and soft on the outside, and the intermediate layer is somewhat hard, optimizing the hardness gradient to enhance spin suppression and resilience, thereby improving distance and spin performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the core hardness is increased to improve distance on driver shots, then the distance on driver shots is improved, but the spin performance on approach shots deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball is divided into multiple layers (core, intermediate layer, cover) with different hardness profiles. The core has a specific hardness gradient (center hardness 50-70 JIS-C, surface hardness 75-95 JIS-C), the intermediate layer has Shore A 60-80 hardness, and the cover has Shore D 30-50 hardness. This segmentation allows each layer to contribute differently to flight and spin characteristics, resolving the contradiction between distance and spin control.
Solution Approach 2:
The core is designed with a non-uniform hardness distribution, having a gradual hardness gradient from center to surface. The center portion has lower hardness (50-70 JIS-C) while the surface is harder (75-95 JIS-C), creating local quality variations that optimize both initial velocity for distance and spin control for approach shots.
2Ease of operation
If the cover is made softer to improve feel at impact, then the feel at impact is improved, but the scuff resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The cover is designed with a hardness gradient, being softer on the outer surface (Shore D 30-50) for improved feel at impact, while the inner portion adjacent to the intermediate layer is harder. This local quality variation allows the cover to provide both soft feel and enhanced scuff resistance through the harder inner region.
Solution Approach 2:
The golf ball uses composite material construction with the cover made from materials having specific hardness characteristics (Shore D 30-50). The combination of cover material, intermediate layer material (Shore A 60-80), and core material creates a composite structure that balances feel and durability.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the intermediate layer is made harder to improve spin suppression, then the spin rate is reduced, but the distance on iron shots deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediate layer hardness is optimized within a specific range (Shore A 60-80) to balance spin suppression and distance. The thickness of the intermediate layer is also controlled (0.5-2.0 mm) to achieve the right balance between reducing excessive spin on iron shots while maintaining sufficient distance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The golf ball maintains good distance on driver shots and achieves superior distance on iron shots while providing high spin performance and a soft feel, along with excellent scuff resistance, enhancing the overall enjoyability of the game for mid- and high-level amateur golfers.
Implementation Method 1
to increase the resilience of the ball interior, the spin rate on full shots can be suppressed more than in conventional golf balls, thereby improving the distance
Data Source
AI summary
In a multi-piece solid golf ball having a core, a cover and an intermediate layer therebetween, the core, an intermediate layer-encased sphere and the ball have surface hardnesses which satisfy a specific relationship, and the intermediate layer and the cover have thicknesses which satisfy a specific relationship. Also, the core has a hardness profile in which the hardnesses at the core surface, core center, a position 5 mm from the core center, and a position midway between the surface and center of the core satisfy specific relationships. This golf ball, when used by mid- and high-level amateurs, enables the golfer to maintain an adequate distance on shots with a driver and achieve a good distance on iron shots, has a good spin performance on approach shots and has a good feel on impact. In addition, the ball has an excellent scuff resistance when struck with a grooved wedge.