Non-circular vent pin for golf ball injection mold and golf ball formed therefrom

An injection mold for applying a cover layer to golf balls, comprising

• (a) upper and lower support plates each containing at least one hemispherical cavity, said upper and lower hemispherical cavities being adapted to mate to define at least one spherical cavity in which a core of a golf ball is supported when said plates are brought together;
• (b) means for supplying thermoplastic material to said cavities to form a cover on the golf ball core;
• and
• (c) means for venting air from said cavities as thermoplastic material is supplied thereto, each of said venting means comprising a pin arranged within a vent passage of said plates communicating with said spherical cavities, respectively, said pin having an axis extending along a radius of said cavity through a pole of the golf ball being formed therein, said pin being operable between a normal position wherein an end of said pin closes an end of said passage adjacent to said cavity and a retracted position wherein said pin end is arranged within said passage and spaced from said cavity to allow air to enter said passage from the cavity, said pin end having a noncircular cross-sectional configuration, whereby a dimple formed by said pin at the pole of the golf ball has a non-circular configuration.