Multi-Layer Golf Ball Hardness Gradient for Driver Distance Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current golf balls do not effectively balance distance reduction for long hitters while maintaining playability for average hitters and professionals, particularly in reducing driver distances for average hitters while maintaining short game spin performance.
Innovation Solution
A multi-piece solid golf ball design with a core, intermediate layer, and cover, featuring a large number of dimples on the cover surface, where the cover material hardness is less than the midpoint hardness between the core surface and center, and specific Shore C and D hardness values are used to optimize deflection and aerodynamic properties, ensuring reduced driver distances for average hitters and increased spin in the short game.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the surface hardness and deflection are optimized to increase driver distance, then distance on shots with a driver is improved, but the ball does not achieve shorter distance for average hitters while maintaining long hitter distance under new test conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The golf ball is divided into multiple layers (core, intermediate layer, cover) with different hardness characteristics. The core has Shore C hardness of 70-80 and Shore D hardness of 40-50, the intermediate layer has Shore C hardness of 85-95, and the cover has Shore C hardness of 50-65. This segmentation allows each layer to contribute differently to ball performance, enabling the ball to meet new test conditions while maintaining adaptability for different hitter types.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the ball have different hardness properties. The core is softer (Shore C 70-80) to provide initial deformation and energy storage, the intermediate layer is harder (Shore C 85-95) to control compression and deflection, and the cover is moderately hard (Shore C 50-65) for spin control. This local quality differentiation enables the ball to achieve shorter driver distance for average hitters under new test conditions while maintaining playability.
2Speed
If the ball design focuses on increasing driver distance, then distance on shots with a driver is improved, but spin characteristics in the short game deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The cover layer is designed with specific hardness (Shore C 50-65, Shore D 30-45) that is softer than the intermediate layer but harder than the core. This local quality in the cover region optimizes spin generation in the short game while the overall multi-layer structure maintains driver distance performance, achieving both goals simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball uses composite material structure with three distinct layers having different hardness compositions. The core uses softer rubber compound, the intermediate layer uses harder ionomer or rubber compound, and the cover uses urethane or similar material. This composite structure enables the ball to provide both distance and short game spin characteristics.
3Reliability
If the cover material hardness is increased to improve spin control, then spin in the short game is improved, but the midpoint hardness relationship with the core is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cover hardness (Shore C 50-65) is specifically designed to be softer than the intermediate layer (Shore C 85-95) but harder than the core (Shore C 70-80). This creates a progressive hardness gradient from core to cover, where each layer has locally optimized hardness for its specific function. The cover provides spin control while the intermediate layer's higher hardness ensures the midpoint between core surface and center remains harder than the cover, maintaining compositional stability.
4Speed
If the ball is designed to reduce distance for average hitters, then distance on shots with a driver is reduced, but distance for long hitters is not adequately maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-layer structure segments the ball's compression and energy return characteristics. The softer core (Shore C 70-80) provides greater initial deformation for average hitters, reducing driver distance. The harder intermediate layer (Shore C 85-95) stores and returns energy efficiently for long hitters with higher impact forces, maintaining their distance. This segmentation enables differential performance for different hitter types.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball's hardness parameters are specifically optimized: core Shore C 70-80, intermediate layer Shore C 85-95, cover Shore C 50-65. These parameter changes create a hardness profile that responds differently to varying impact forces. Average hitters experience greater compression and energy absorption, reducing distance, while long hitters generate sufficient force to compress the ball less, maintaining their distance advantage.
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 design achieves reduced driver distances for average hitters while maintaining distance for long hitters, improving playability and spin in the short game without increasing runs with irons, thus addressing the need for a balanced performance under new test conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a large number of dimples are formed on an outside surface of the cover
Implementation Method 2
a relationship between a cover material hardness and a midpoint hardness (Cm) between a core surface and a core center satisfies the following condition: midpoint hardness (Cm) between core surface and core center>cover material hardness
Implementation Method 3
where a surface hardness of the ball is not more than 59 on the Shore D hardness scale, a deflection when the ball is compressed under a final load of 1,275 N (130 kgf) from an initial load of 98 N (10 kgf) is not more than 2.79 mm
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a multi-piece solid golf ball including a core, an intermediate layer, and a cover, in which a large number of dimples are formed on an outside surface of the cover, and a relationship between a cover material hardness and a midpoint hardness (Cm) between a core surface and a core center satisfies the following condition:midpoint hardness (Cm) between core surface and core center>cover material hardness where hardness means Shore C hardness.Further, a surface hardness of the ball is optimized, a deflection of the ball when compressed under a predetermined load is optimized, and a lift coefficient and a drag coefficient at a predetermined Reynolds number and spin rate of the dimples are set within a predetermined range.