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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface, comprising:
 a plurality of dimples on the spherical surface, wherein each of the plurality of dimples is surrounded by a fret area and each of the plurality of dimples comprises an outer edge defining a perimeter, wherein the perimeter lies on a phantom sphere having a radius,   wherein at least one fret area comprises a three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape having a base formed of a portion of the fret area, a first plurality of edges extending from the base and meeting at a first plurality of vertices, and a second plurality of edges extending from the first plurality of vertices and meeting at an apex point, wherein the first plurality of edges and the second plurality of edges form a plurality of faces on the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape, and   wherein the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape has a height defined as the radial distance between the apex point and the phantom sphere and the height ranges from about 0.002 inches to about 0.025 inches.   
     
     
         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 first plurality of edges comprises six edges. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball of  claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of edges comprises three edges. 
     
     
         6 . 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. 
     
     
         7 . A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface, comprising:
 a plurality of dimples on the spherical surface, wherein each of the plurality of dimples is surrounded by a fret area and each of the plurality of dimples comprises an outer edge defining a perimeter, wherein the perimeter lies on a phantom sphere having a radius,   wherein all of the fret areas comprise a three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape having a base formed of a portion of the fret area, a first plurality of edges extending from the base and meeting at a first vertex, a second plurality of edges extending from the base and meeting at a second vertex, a third plurality of edges extending from the base and meeting at a third vertex, and a fourth plurality of edges extending from the first, second, and third vertices and meeting at an apex point, wherein the edges form a plurality of faces on the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape, and   wherein the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape has a total surface area of about 0.001 square inches to about 0.008 square inches.   
     
     
         8 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape has a height defined as the radial distance between the apex point and the phantom sphere, and the height ranges from about 0.002 inches to about 0.025 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shaped fret area is surrounded by three dimples of the plurality of dimples. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the radius is greater than about 0.84 inches. 
     
     
         11 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape has a total surface area of about 0.002 square inches to about 0.006 square inches. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein each of the first plurality of edges, the second plurality of edges, and the third plurality of edges comprises two edges. 
     
     
         13 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the fourth plurality of edges comprises three edges. 
     
     
         14 . The golf ball of  claim 7 , wherein the apex point defines a centroid of the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape. 
     
     
         15 . A golf ball having a substantially spherical surface, comprising:
 a plurality of dimples on the spherical surface, wherein each of the plurality of dimples is surrounded by a fret area and each of the plurality of dimples comprises an outer edge defining a perimeter,   wherein all of the fret areas comprise a three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape having a base formed of a portion of the fret area, a first plurality of edges extending from the base and meeting at a first plurality of vertices, and a second plurality of edges extending from the first plurality of vertices and meeting at an apex point, wherein the first plurality of edges and the second plurality of edges form a plurality of faces on the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape, and   wherein the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape has a height defined as the radial distance between the apex point and a phantom sphere and the height ranges from about 0.010 inches to about 0.015 inches, and   wherein at least one of the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shapes has a different height than another three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape on the golf ball.   
     
     
         16 . The golf ball of  claim 15 , wherein the phantom sphere has a radius greater than about 0.84 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The golf ball of  claim 15 , wherein the first plurality of edges and the second plurality of edges are linear. 
     
     
         18 . The golf ball of  claim 15 , wherein the first plurality of edges comprises six edges. 
     
     
         19 . The golf ball of  claim 15 , wherein the second plurality of edges comprises three edges. 
     
     
         20 . The golf ball of  claim 15 , wherein the three-dimensional irregular pyramid shape has a total surface area of about 0.001 square inches to about 0.008 square inches.