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