Golf ball including natural rubber additive

Abstract

A golf ball core is disclosed herein that generally includes a natural rubber component or additive. The rubber composition can also be comprised of synthetic rubber. In one example, the natural rubber consists of dandelion root rubber. The rubber composition can comprise a concentration of 1-20 parts per hundred (phr) of the dandelion root rubber, and a concentration of 80-99 phr of the synthetic rubber. Various other materials or elements can be added to the golf ball core.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf ball comprising:
 a core comprising:
 at least one first layer comprised of a first rubber composition comprising:
 a synthetic rubber, and 
 a natural rubber comprised of dandelion root rubber; and 
 
   a cover disposed about the core.   
     
     
         2 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first layer is formed as an inner core portion, and the core further comprises at least one second layer formed as an outer core portion and having a second rubber composition. 
     
     
         3 . The golf ball according to  claim 2 , wherein the second rubber composition comprises:
 polybutadiene, and   at least one of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM).   
     
     
         4 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first layer is formed as an outer core portion, and the core further comprises at least one second layer formed as an inner core portion and having a second rubber composition. 
     
     
         5 . The golf ball according to  claim 4 , wherein the second rubber composition is comprised of polybutadiene. 
     
     
         6 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic rubber of the first rubber composition is comprised of polybutadiene, and further comprises at least one of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). 
     
     
         7 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first layer is formed as an outer core portion, and the core further comprises at least one second layer formed as an inner core portion and having a second rubber composition, wherein the second rubber composition is comprised of the synthetic rubber and the dandelion root rubber. 
     
     
         8 . The golf ball according to  claim 7 , wherein the first rubber composition and the second rubber composition have different concentrations of the synthetic rubber and the dandelion root rubber. 
     
     
         9 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic rubber is comprised of polybutadiene. 
     
     
         10 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the first rubber composition includes:
 a concentration of 1-20 parts per hundred (phr) of the dandelion root rubber, and   a concentration of 80-99 phr of the synthetic rubber.   
     
     
         11 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the first rubber composition includes a concentration of at least 5 parts per hundred (phr) of the dandelion root rubber. 
     
     
         12 . The golf ball according to  claim 1 , wherein the first rubber composition further includes a concentration of no greater than 10 parts per hundred (phr) of the dandelion root rubber. 
     
     
         13 . A golf ball comprising:
 a core comprising:
 at least one first layer comprised of a first rubber composition comprising:
 a synthetic rubber formed from butadiene rubber, and dandelion root rubber, 
 wherein the first rubber composition comprises a concentration of 1-20 parts per hundred (phr) of the dandelion root rubber, and a concentration of 80-99 phr of the synthetic rubber; and 
 
   a cover disposed about the core, wherein the cover is formed from at least one of ionomer or polyurethane.   
     
     
         14 . A method of forming a golf ball core, the method comprising:
 forming at least one first layer of the golf ball core from a first rubber composition comprising: synthetic rubber and dandelion root rubber.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the first rubber composition includes:
 a concentration of 1-20 parts per hundred (phr) of the dandelion root rubber, and   a concentration of 80-99 phr of the synthetic rubber.   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one first layer is formed as an inner core portion, and the method further comprises:
 forming at least one second layer as an outer core portion and having a second rubber composition,
 wherein the second rubber composition comprises: butadiene rubber and at least one of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). 
   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one first layer is formed as an outer core portion, and the method further comprises:
 forming at least one second layer of the golf ball core as an inner core portion and having a second rubber composition, wherein the second rubber composition is comprised of butadiene rubber.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the first rubber composition is further comprised of at least one of styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) or ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM). 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one first layer is formed as an outer core portion, and the method further comprises:
 forming at least one second layer of the golf ball core as an inner core portion and having a second rubber composition, wherein the second rubber composition is comprised of butadiene rubber and dandelion root rubber.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the synthetic rubber is comprised of polybutadiene.