Compositions incorporating ethylene acid (E/X) ionomers and non-ionomeric softening polymers for golf ball constructions and methods relating thereto

1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed about the core;

wherein at least one of the core and the cover comprises a tri-blend composition of a non-E/X/Y type (TBC), formed from a blend of an ethylene acid (E/X) ionomer, a non-ionomeric softening copolymer (NISC) and a low viscosity component (LVC);

wherein a portion of the TBC comprising the ethylene acid (E/X) ionomer and the NISC has a Melt Flow Index MF 1 and a CoR 1 and the TBC has a Melt Flow Index MF 2 and a CoR 2 such that MF 2 >MF 1 and CoR 1 and CoR 2 differ by less than about 0.1; and

wherein an E/X ionomer and NISC portion of the blend comprises the E/X ionomer in an amount of from about 30% to about 85% of the portion.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the E/X ionomer is formed from ethylene and an α,β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid.

3. The golf ball of claim 2 , wherein the α,β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid comprises at least one of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid.

4. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the E/X ionomer and NISC portion of the blend comprises the E/X ionomer in an amount of from about 30% to about 75% of the portion.

5. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the E/X ionomer and NISC portion of the blend comprises the E/X ionomer in an amount of from about 30% to about 60% of the portion.

6. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the portion has a Melt Flow Index of less than about 3 g/10 mins.

7. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the portion has a Melt Flow Index of less than about 2 g/10 mins.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the portion has a Melt Flow Index of less than about 1 g/10 mins.

9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the NISC comprises at least one of ethylene butyne, ethylene hexane and ethylene alkyl acrylate.

10. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the LVC comprises at least one of a polyethylene homopolymer, a high-density oxidized polyethylene homopolymer, a polypropylene homopolymer, an ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, oxidized ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyethylene copolymers, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymers, and propylene maleic anhydride copolymers.

11. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the blend has a Melt Flow Index that is greater than the Melt Flow Index of the portion.

12. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the blend has a Melt Flow Index that is greater than the Melt Flow Index of the portion by up to about 0.03 g/10 mins or greater.

13. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the blend has a Melt Flow Index that is greater than the Melt Flow Index of the portion by at least about 0.11 g/10 mins.

14. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the blend has a Melt Flow Index that is greater than the Melt Flow Index of the portion by about 0.66 g/10 mins or greater.

15. The golf ball of claim 11 , wherein the blend has a Melt Flow Index that is greater than the Melt Flow Index of the portion by at least about 1.68 g/10 mins.

16. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the blend has an Atti compression of from about −75 to about 200.

17. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the TBC has a composition property relationship ΔCoR/ΔMFI≦˜10, wherein ΔCoR is the amount by which CoR 1 and CoR 2 differ, and ΔMFI=(MFI 2 −MFI 1 ).

18. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed about the core;

wherein at least one of the core and the cover comprises a tri-blend composition of a non-E/X/Y type (TBC), formed from a blend of an ethylene acid (E/X) ionomer, a non-ionomeric softening copolymer (NISC) and a low viscosity component (LVC);

wherein a portion of the TBC comprising the ethylene acid (E/X) ionomer and the NISC has a Melt Flow Index MF 1 and a CoR 1 and the TBC has a Melt Flow Index MF 2 and a CoR 2 such that MF 2 >MF 1 and CoR 1 and CoR 2 differ by less than about 0.1; and

wherein the NISC is grafted.

19. The golf ball of claim 18 , wherein the portion has a Melt Flow Index of less than about 3 g/10 mins.

20. The golf ball of claim 18 , wherein the NISC comprises at least one of ethylene butyne, ethylene hexane and ethylene alkyl acrylate.

21. The golf ball of claim 18 , wherein the LVC comprises at least one of a polyethylene homopolymer, a high-density oxidized polyethylene homopolymer, a polypropylene homopolymer, an ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, oxidized ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyethylene copolymers, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymers, and propylene maleic anhydride copolymers.

22. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed about the core;

wherein at least one of the core and the cover comprises a tri-blend composition of a non-E/X/Y type (TBC), formed from a blend of an ethylene acid (E/X) ionomer, a non-ionomeric softening copolymer (NISC) and a low viscosity component (LVC);

wherein a portion of the TBC comprising the ethylene acid (E/X) ionomer and the NISC has a Melt Flow Index MF 1 and a CoR 1 and the TBC has a Melt Flow Index MF 2 and a CoR 2 such that MF 2 >MF 1 and CoR 1 and CoR 2 differ by less than about 0.1; and

wherein the blend comprises the LVC in an amount of from about 2% to about 40%.

23. The golf ball of claim 22 , wherein the blend comprises the LVC in an amount of from about 5% to about 40%.

24. The golf ball of claim 22 , wherein the blend comprises the LVC in an amount of from about 10% to about 40%.

25. The golf ball of claim 22 , wherein the portion has a Melt Flow Index of less than about 3 g/10 mins.

26. The golf ball of claim 22 , wherein the NISC comprises at least one of ethylene butyne, ethylene hexane and ethylene alkyl acrylate.

27. The golf ball of claim 22 , wherein the LVC comprises at least one of a polyethylene homopolymer, a high-density oxidized polyethylene homopolymer, a polypropylene homopolymer, an ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, oxidized ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyethylene copolymers, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymers, and propylene maleic anhydride copolymers.

28. A method of making a golf ball comprising:

providing a core and forming a cover about the core;

wherein at least one of the core and the cover comprises a tri-blend composition of the non-E/X/Y type (TBC) that is formed by blending an ethylene acid ionomer (E/X), a non-ionomeric softening copolymer (NISC) and a low viscosity component (LVC);

wherein a portion of the TBC comprising the ethylene acid (E/X) ionomer and the NISC has a Melt Flow Index MF 1 and a CoR 1 and the TBC has a Melt Flow Index MF 2 and a CoR 2 such that MF 2 >MF 1 and CoR 1 and CoR 2 differ by less than about 0.1; and

wherein the blend comprises the LVC in an amount of from about 2% to about 40%.

29. The method of making a golf ball of claim 28 , wherein the blend comprises the NISC in an amount of from about 15% to about 70%.

30. A method of making a golf ball comprising:

providing a core and forming a cover about the core;

wherein at least one of the core and the cover comprises a tri-blend composition of the non-E/X/Y type (TBC) that is formed by blending an ethylene acid ionomer (E/X), a non-ionomeric softening copolymer (NISC) and a low viscosity component (LVC);

wherein a portion of the TBC comprising the ethylene acid (E/X) ionomer and the NISC has a Melt Flow Index MF 1 and a CoR 1 and the TBC has a Melt Flow Index MF 2 and a CoR 2 such that MF 2 >MF 1 and CoR 1 and CoR 2 differ by less than about 0.1; and

wherein a portion of the blend comprising the E/X ionomer and NISC comprises the E/X ionomer in an amount of from about 30% to about 85% of the portion.

31. The method of making a golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the portion has a Melt Flow Index of less than about 3 g/10 mins.

32. The method of making a golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the blend has a Melt Flow Index that is greater than the Melt Flow Index of the portion.

33. The method of making a golf ball of claim 30 , wherein the blend comprises the NISC in an amount of from about 15% to about 70%.

34. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover disposed about the core;

wherein at least one of the core and the cover comprises a tri-blend composition of the non-E/X/Y type (TBC) formed from a blend of an ethylene acid ionomer (E/X), a non-ionomeric softening copolymer (NISC) and a low viscosity component (LVC); and

wherein the TBC comprises a phase-separated blend; and

wherein the phase-separated blend comprises a continuous phase and a discontinuous phase wherein the average size of the discontinuous phase is less than about 10 microns.

35. The golf ball of claim 34 , wherein the TBC has a composition property relationship CPR=(Atti compression)×(Melt Index) of from about −10,000 to about 10,000.

36. The golf ball of claim 34 , wherein the ethylene acid (E/X) ionomer and NISC portions of the blend, combined, have a CoR 1 and the TBC has a CoR 2 such that CoR 1 -CoR 2 is less than about 0.1.

37. The golf ball of claim 34 , wherein the average size of the discontinuous phase is less than about 5 microns.

38. The golf ball of claim 34 , wherein the E/X ionomer is formed from ethylene and an α,β-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid.

39. The golf ball of claim 34 , wherein the LVC comprises at least one of wherein the LVC comprises at least one of a polyethylene homopolymer, a high-density oxidized polyethylene homopolymer, a polypropylene homopolymer, an ethylene-acrylic acid copolymer, oxidized ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyethylene copolymers, ethylene maleic anhydride copolymers, and propylene maleic anhydride copolymers.

40. The golf ball of claim 34 , wherein the NISC comprises at least one of ethylene butyne, ethylene hexane and ethylene alkyl acrylate.