US 6,056,842 · Granted 2000-05-02
How Acushnet Locked Down the Multi-Layer Golf Ball Core
Acushnet patented a way to build golf balls with a super-engineered center made of three or more layers of different rubber compounds stacked together. The idea is that by tuning each layer differently, you can control how the ball flies, spins, and feels when you hit it.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers the specific process of manufacturing a golf ball core by first forming a central core center, then wrapping it in a laminate made of at least three distinct layers of polybutadiene rubber with different properties, and finally covering the whole assembly with an outer shell. What's protected here is not just the layered structure itself, but the particular manufacturing method that builds it step by step in this sequence.
Why it matters
Golf ball design is a high-stakes competition because pros and amateurs alike will pay premium prices for balls that fly farther, curve less, or provide better control. By patenting the multi-layer core process, Acushnet (which makes Titleist balls) locked down a manufacturing approach that competitors couldn't copy. The ability to engineer different rubber layers lets manufacturers fine-tune performance in ways single-layer cores can't match, making this a valuable defensive patent in a category where performance margins matter to players.
Real-world use
Every premium golf ball you buy at a course pro shop likely has a multi-layer core built using a method similar to this one — the layers underneath the dimpled cover are doing the engineering work that makes the ball behave the way the manufacturer claims.
Original USPTO abstract
A method of forming a golf ball by forming a core center, forming a laminate of core material, forming the laminate around the core center to form a core and forming a cover around the core. The laminate preferably consists of at least three layers of different polybutadiene rubbers.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 6,056,842
- Filing date
- 1997-10-03
- Grant date
- 2000-05-02
- Assignee
- Acushnet Company
- Inventor(s)
- DALTON; JEFFREY L., BOEHM; HERBERT C., CAVALLARO; CHRISTOPHER
- CPC class
- B29C43/18
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