Golf balls having improved short game performance

Abstract

Golf balls having three-dimensional shaped fret areas and methods of making the same are disclosed. The three-dimensional shaped fret areas have at least three edges that meet at an apex point or an apex surface. The three-dimensional shaped fret areas may have a three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape or a three-dimensional truncated irregular pyramid shape. The three-dimensional shaped fret areas create golf balls having increased traction upon impact with the playing surface.

1 . A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface, comprising:
 a plurality of dimples on the spherical surface and a plurality of fret areas defined therebetween,   wherein at least one fret area on the spherical surface comprises a three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape having a base formed of curved edges, the curved edges corresponding to edges of the dimples surrounding the fret area, and at least three edges extending continuously upwardly from the base formed of the curved edges and meeting at an apex point, and   wherein the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape has a height defined as the radial distance between the apex point and a phantom sphere having a radius.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shaped fret area is surrounded by three dimples of the plurality of dimples. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the radius is greater than about 0.84 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the radius is less than about 0.84 inches and the sum of the radius and the height is greater than about 0.84 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape has a total surface area of about 0.001 square inches to about 0.008 square inches. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the height ranges from about 0.002 inches to about 0.025 inches. 
     
     
         7 . A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface, comprising:
 a plurality of dimples on the spherical surface and a plurality of fret areas defined therebetween,   wherein at least one fret area on the spherical surface comprises a three-dimensional truncated irregular pyramid shape having at least three edges meeting at an apex surface, wherein the apex surface is a planar surface having a center of mass coincident with an apex point of the three-dimensional truncated irregular pyramid shape, and   wherein the three-dimensional truncated irregular pyramid shape has a height defined as the radial distance between the apex surface and a phantom sphere having a radius.   
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the apex surface has a polygonal shape formed of at least three edges. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 8 , wherein the apex surface has a triangular shape. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the apex surface comprises a non-polygonal shape formed of a combination of line segments and curvatures. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the apex surface has a surface area ranging from about 0.0002 square inches to about 0.001 square inches. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the three-dimensional truncated irregular pyramid shaped fret area is surrounded by three dimples of the plurality of dimples. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the height ranges from about 0.005 inches to about 0.020 inches. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 11 , wherein the surface area of the apex surface accounts for about 5 percent to about 15 percent of the total surface area of the three-dimensional truncated irregular pyramid shape. 
     
     
         15 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the radius of the phantom sphere is (i) greater than about 0.84 inches or (ii) less than about 0.84 inches but the sum of the radius and the height is greater than about 0.84 inches. 
     
     
         16 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface, comprising:
 a plurality of dimples on the spherical surface and a plurality of fret areas defined therebetween,   wherein at least one fret area on the spherical surface comprises a three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape having a base formed of curved edges, the curved edges corresponding to edges of the dimples surrounding the fret area, and at least three edges extending continuously upwardly from the base formed of the curved edges and meeting at an apex point.   
     
     
         22 .- 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The golf ball of  claim 21 , wherein the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape has a height defined as the radial distance between the apex point and a phantom sphere having a radius, and the height ranges from about 0.002 inches to about 0.025 inches. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The golf ball of  claim 21 , wherein the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shaped fret area is surrounded by three dimples of the plurality of dimples.