Golf ball having reduced surface hardness

A golf ball comprising:

• a core and at least one cover layer disposed about the core;
• the core comprising a geometric center and an outer surface, the core further comprising an untreated region extending radially from the geometric center a distance DUTr and a treated region disposed about the untreated region and extending inward from the outer surface a depth DTr, said treated region having been exposed to and comprising a fatty acid and/or fatty acid salt composition and having a first hardness, the untreated region not comprising the fatty acid and/or fatty acid salt composition and having a second hardness,
• the core further comprising an intermediate untreated region disposed about the untreated region and adjacent the treated region, the intermediate untreated region not comprising the fatty acid and/or fatty acid salt composition and having a third hardness,
• wherein the first hardness is different than the second hardness and the third hardness,
• wherein the core comprises a first core layer extending radially from the geometric center, a second core layer disposed about the first core layer and a third core layer disposed about the second core layer, and
• wherein the first core layer comprises the untreated region, wherein the second core layer comprises the intermediate untreated region, and wherein the third core layer comprises the treated region.