4pc golf ball The golfball usually has a softer cover made of urethane. Under the cover is a "mantle layer" of Surlyn, then the rubber core (and in the case of a 4-piece ball, a smaller core within the core). At high swing speeds (driver, long irons) the ball compresses enough that the hard Surlyn mantle layer compresses and snaps back for more distance. At slower speeds, the soft urethane cover stays on the club a millisecond longer and spins more. And the cover gives the ball a much softer feel than a 2-piece ball on short shots and putts.