A golf ball having a core, an envelope layer enclosing the core, an intermediate
layer enclosing the envelope layer and a cover enclosing the intermediate layer
is characterized in that the core is made from a specific rubber composition which
has been molded and vulcanized, the envelope layer is made from a thermoplastic
resin, the intermediate layer is made from a thermoplastic resin containing at
least 30 wt % of an ionomer resin, and the cover is made from a thermoplastic resin
containing at least 50 wt % of an ionomer resin. The golf ball is also characterized
in that the following have been optimized: the rebound resilience of the thermoplastic
resin from which the envelope layer is made, the thickness of the envelope layer,
the Shore D hardness of the envelope layer, the thickness of the intermediate layer,
the Shore D hardness of the intermediate layer, the thickness of the cover, the
Shore D hardness of the cover, the combined thickness of the envelope layer, intermediate
layer and cover, and the Shore D hardness distribution among the center of the
core, the surface of the core, the envelope layer, the intermediate layer and the cover.
