| Collection of golf equipments, such as clubs | | | | A new type of golf ball known as a "gutty" by |
| and balls, started in a big way about 30 | | | | collectors was developed around 1848. These |
| years ago. Flea markets and garage sales are | | | | balls were made of gutta percha, a hard |
| still hotbeds for collectors of these items, | | | | rubbery substance made from milky juice |
| but most of the collectible pieces have | | | | obtained from a tree very common in Malaysia. |
| nowadays, become very hard to come by as avid | | | | Although they were widely used from the late |
| collectors have most of them in their | | | | 1800s till about 1910, not many of these true |
| personal collections. The oldest golf balls, | | | | antiques are extant in the market today. When |
| known as feather balls, were used for several | | | | collectors do come across a gutty ball for |
| hundred years throughout the 1850s. These | | | | sale, they'll pay at least $100 to own it in |
| balls featured leather outer skins actually | | | | most cases. From about 1898 to 1930, rubber |
| stuffed with feathers, according to the | | | | core golf balls came to be favored by |
| Collector's Encyclopedia of Golf Collectibles | | | | golfers. These are also collectibles but do |
| by John M. Olman. One normally thinks of | | | | not have a high price tag as that of the |
| feathers as soft, however, when the ball is | | | | older balls. Generally selling in the $25 to |
| filled with enough feathers to fill a top | | | | $50 price range, which is still an exorbitant |
| hat, it becomes quite hard, explains Olman in | | | | sum for a little golf ball, people just |
| the text. The "Featheries", as they were also | | | | beginning to focus on building their golf |
| called, with a manufacturer's mark are most | | | | collections often buy these examples. Modern |
| valuable and desirable ones. They can be | | | | balls (made after 1930) don't hold much value |
| worth hundreds or even thousands to the right | | | | as of now barring the exceptions of a few |
| collector. Even those without a maker's mark | | | | novelty and celebrity balls. Hence, as the |
| will easily fetch you more than $500. | | | | saying goes- the older the better, is quite |
| | | | right. |