A method of making a golf ball comprising the steps of:
- providing a first mold assembly and a second mold assembly, each housing a plurality of dimpled mold cups;
- positioning a first thermoformed sheet proximate to the first mold subassembly and positioning a second thermoformed sheet proximate to the second mold subassembly;
- each thermoformed sheet containing a plurality of thermoformed depressions comprised of polymeric material and having an inner surface and an outer surface that is different than the inner surface;
- and
- each thermoformed sheet being created by loading a flat polymeric sheet onto and into a mold assembly that is configured to pre-shape portions of both of an inner surface and an outer surface of the flat polymeric sheet when sufficient heat is applied to the flat polymeric sheet, followed by cooling to create the thermoformed sheet containing a plurality of the thermoformed depressions having the inner surface that is different than the outer surface;
- wherein the outer surface of each depression contains a dimple pattern that matches a dimple pattern disposed within an inner surface of a dimpled mold cup and is pre-formed to be received by and align within the inner surface of the dimpled mold cup;
- and
- wherein the inner surface of the depression matches an outer surface of a pre-selected subassembly that does not contain any dimples and is pre-formed to receive and conformally mate onto and about the outer surface of the preselected subassembly;
- aligning the thermoformed depressions of the first thermoformed sheet with the dimpled mold cups of the first mold subassembly;
- and aligning the thermoformed depressions of the second thermoformed sheet with the dimpled mold cups of the second mold subassembly;
- applying heat and suction to the thermoformed depressions without exposing any preselected subassembly to the heat and suction;
- the heat being applied sufficient to soften the polymeric material of each thermoformed depression;
- and the suction being provided through at least one suction port located along a circumference of each dimpled mold cup sufficient to draw air outward from a volume located between an inner surface of the dimpled mold cup and an outer surface of the thermoformed depression,
- such that each thermoformed depression is suctioned into an inner surface of an aligned dimpled mold cup and forms a thermoformed pre-form half-shell having an outer surface with the size, shape and contour of the inner surface of a dimpled mold cup and an inner surface with the size, shape and contour of the outer surface of a preselected subassembly;
- loading each preselected subassembly between a pair of thermoformed pre-form half-shells while each thermoformed pre-form half-shell is contained within a dimpled mold cup and after the step of applying heat and suction;
- and
- compression molding the pair of the thermoformed pre-form half-shells about the preselected subassembly and forming the golf ball;
- and
- cooling and demolding the golf ball.