Golf collecting:
Soaring with the Eagles

Tiger Woods has the same handwriting impairment as many young superstars in other sports. Oh, his golf game is plenty healthy, but his signature is illegible. As a result, he is not only a prime target for collectors but a prime target for forgers. Woods' popularity during a sudden boom in sports memorabilia collecting has thrust generations of pro golfers into the autograph collecting marketplace. The surge actually began well before Tiger Woods busted out of college.

Let's face it, golf has had no shortage of superstars, Bobby Jones, Gene Sarazen and Ben Hogan - boy, we hate to stop there - Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus.. . . Golf collectors are not nearly as abundant as those in other sports, but they are generally less known because the collectors are acquiring, not selling items. They're not visible in the way dealers in other sports are visible. Yet, there is a hunger for collecting a Ben Hogan or Bobby Jones item just as there is for Ruth- or Gehrig-signed item.

The balance of this story features interviews with Jonathan Bass of ProTour Memorabilia, dealer Rich Altman, collector Jeff Yablun, and authenticator Steve Grad.

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