Golf ball material and golf ball

Abstract

A mixture having good thermal stability, flow and moldability and suitable as a golf ball-forming material is obtained when a base resin comprising a (metal ion-neutralized) olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid-unsaturated carboxylate ternary random copolymer and optionally a (metal ion-neutralized) olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid binary random copolymer is blended with specific proportions of a fatty acid and/or fatty acid derivative and a basic inorganic metal compound capable of neutralizing acidic groups left unneutralized in the base resin and fatty acid. Using the same material, high-rebound golf balls can be effectively manufactured.

1 - 8 . (canceled)  
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing a golf ball comprising a solid core and a cover of at least one layer around the core, wherein at least one cover layer is formed of a material comprising a mixture which is composed of: 
 100 parts by weight of a base resin having (b) an olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid-unsaturated carboxylate ternary random copolymer or a metal ion-neutralized olefin-unsaturated carboxylic acid-unsaturated carboxylate ternary random copolymer,    (c) 5 to 80 parts by weight of a fatty acid or fatty acid derivative or both, having a molecular weight of 280 to 1,500; and    (d) 0.1 to 10 parts by weight of a basic inorganic metal compound including calcium ions,    said method comprising:    compounding the components (c) and (d) into the base resin to neutralize at least 60 mol % of the acid groups in the mixture of the base resin and the component (c) by the calcium ions of component (d).    
     
     
         10 . The method of manufacturing a golf ball of  claim 9 , wherein ingredients in said mixture are heated and mixed at a heating temperature of 150 to 250° C.  
     
     
         11 . The method of manufacturing a golf ball of  claim 9 , wherein said mixture has a melt flow rate (MFR) of at least 0.5 to 20 dg/min.  
     
     
         12 . The method of manufacturing a golf ball of  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 placing the solid core in a mold; and    injection-molding the cover material over the core to form the cover.