Golf ball

A process for making at least one element of a golf ball comprising mixing:

• (i) from 50 weight percent to 95 weight percent of a thermoplastic composition comprising:
• (1) at least one ethylene acid copolymer consisting essentially of copolymerized comonomers of:
• (A) ethylene, and
• (B) from 5 weight percent to 25 weight percent of at least one α,β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid having from 3 carbon atoms to 8 carbon atoms, based on the total weight of monomers present in the ethylene acid copolymer;
• and
• (2) at least one aliphatic, monofunctional organic acid having 4 carbon atoms to 36 carbon atoms, or salt thereof;
• wherein the longest carbon chain of the at least one aliphatic, monofunctional organic acid or salt thereof, component (2), is substituted with from one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups having from 1 carbon atom to 8 carbon atoms;
• and wherein the concentration of the at least one aliphatic, monofunctional organic acid or salt thereof, component (2), is from 20 weight percent to 40 weight percent, based on the total weight of the thermoplastic composition;
• and
• wherein the combined acid moieties of components (1) and (2) are neutralized to a level of from 25 percent to 220 percent;
• and
• (ii) from 5 weight percent to 50 weight percent of a crosslinked material having a gel content of at least 80 weight percent, wherein the crosslinked material is a crosslinked elastomer, a crosslinked rubber, or a blend of a crosslinked elastomer and a crosslinked rubber.

A multilayer golf ball comprising:

• (a) at least one core;
• and
• (b) a cover;
• wherein the at least one core, component (a), is made from a formulation comprising:
• (i) from 50 weight percent to 95 weight percent of a thermoplastic composition comprising:
• (1) at least one ethylene acid copolymer consisting essentially of copolymerized comonomers of:
• (A) ethylene, and
• (B) from 5 weight percent to 25 weight percent of at least one α,β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid having from 3 carbon atoms to 8 carbon atoms, based on the total weight of monomers present in the ethylene acid copolymer;
• and
• (2) at least one aliphatic, monofunctional organic acid having 4 carbon atoms to 36 carbon atoms, or salt thereof;
• wherein the longest carbon chain of the at least one aliphatic, monofunctional organic acid or salt thereof, component (2), is substituted with from one to three substituents independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups having from 1 carbon atom to 8 carbon atoms;
• and wherein the concentration of the at least one aliphatic, monofunctional organic acid or salt thereof, component (2), is from 20 weight percent to 40 weight percent, based on the total weight of the thermoplastic composition;
• and
• wherein the combined acid moieties of components (1) and (2) are neutralized to a level of from 25 percent to 220 percent;
• and
• (ii) from 5 weight percent to 50 weight percent of a crosslinked material having a gel content of at least 80 weight percent, wherein the crosslinked material is a crosslinked elastomer, a crosslinked rubber, or a blend of a crosslinked elastomer and a crosslinked rubber.