Golf 101 "fore" the non-Golfer
Even if you are not into this rich man’s game,
golf offers some great collectibles and they’re free!

by Mary Dessoie

Here’s a thought for you! How about starting a new collection that won’t cost a penny and might help you to lose a few pounds? Interested? Read on.

My personal collections range from Victorian butter pats to turn-of-the-century flash ruby souvenir pieces to British Royal family memorabilia. Despite having more than enough of everything, I still had the unshakeable urge to respond to the primordial call to continue collecting. Two major drawbacks: lack of space and money to start another collection.

Recently I found myself transplanted from my long-time home, which was located fifteen miles beyond Times Square, to a tiny village that happens to have a golf course. I am a non-golfer and have no interest in the game. However, I soon acquired a penchant for the diminutive treasures I started to find on my walks around the perimeter of the course or on my gigs as a caddy or golf cart chauffeur.

Small white balls with colorful emblems beckoned to me from swamps, ravines, rock crevasses, and yes, even trees! Now here was something I could get into. I began to gather a variety of advertising golf balls with the thought that surely these items will be valuable one day.

My collecting jaunts offer a great opportunity for exercise and sweet hugs when I return home. The non-advertising balls go to my companion who does play golf.

On my walks I have garnered branded balls from banks and investment companies, Disney and Warner Brothers, breweries, insurance, real estate offices, pharmaceutical companies, foundations, airlines, resorts and private country clubs. The list is endless. However, a word on protocol: Do make sure that you are not taking a ball "in play" from someone who has just teed off out of your eyesight.

When the big shots come to town for charity events or celebrity tournaments, many of them bring their own kit. This gives me an opportunity to expand my collection to include faraway places such as St. Andrews, Royal Troon, Munakata and usually a few balls from tony golf courses around the United States: Augusta, Pebble Beach and Kapalua. Then there are those snooty monogrammed balls that add cachet to my collection that is housed in a plastic bucket in my garage.

For those with loftier display aspirations, the Charles Keath catalog presents a golf ball display cabinet handcrafted of solid walnut with a rich rosewood-stained finish. The case features "a durable plexiglass door that keeps balls dust-free and provides ample viewing of up to 63 balls–all resting on wooden tees." This handsome piece will set you back $219.00, plus shipping.

I now have a colorful and varied new collection that didn’t cost me a dime. Alas and alack, I’m still waiting to see a few extra pounds disappear.

Although many folks have the desire to start collecting they often become discouraged because of space limitations or the cost of establishing a quality collection. Enter logo golf balls: they are small, inexpensive and easy to store or display.

For the collector who wants to get serious about establishing an advertising ball collection and doesn’t mind spending a few dollars, pro shops and the major retail chains sell recycled golf balls. The balls are generally displayed in plastic cases, so it is easy to see the different logos in a container. If you ask a store manager, you might be allowed to switch balls in the containers in order to get the logos you need for your collection. The online auction sites offer a full complement of brand balls, from Alitalia Airlines to cartoon characters.

What Makes A Good Golf Ball Display?

With over 14,000 logo golf balls, Roger Kleinschmidt of Boca Raton, Florida had a problem. He told us, "The main issue a serious golf ball collector faces is limited display space. Next, comes needing to move balls around or put new balls in - and balls come in different sizes. Now, add that balls tend to rotate around due to surface vibrations. And, maybe most important, you want your spouse to like the display well enough so you can proudly show off your collection inside your home.

"These problems are solved by a revolutionary new ball storage system concept that is the heart of our displays. I'd been trying different ways to display my extensive collection of logo golf balls. Finally, after over ten years and many attempts, we came up with a better way to mount golf balls to a vertical surface. The concept is simple yet more functional than any ball rack on the market now. Our display line can have a modern look (using shiny polished black or clear acrylic as the back panel), or a traditional look (using oak), or a nice, yet inexpensive, look (using dull black expanded PVC) for full wall collections.

"The displays are either wall mounted or sit on a flat surface. Each model is identified by a name and the number of balls that it holds. The displays are made of a grooved backpanel and transparent ball shelves which snuggly fit into the grooves. Backpanels can be made of any material that can be drilled into. They also can be cut to any shape so customizing is relatively easy.

"The sheer beauty and contemporary presentations of the backpanels make the displays very eye-appealing. They take less wall space (because the ball shelves are so thin) and yet, the design allows one to easily add or remove balls. Mixing various sized balls within the display is also easy because of the flexibility of the ball shelf. Another important feature is that the unique design of the ball cradle minimizes the ball turning problem (due to surface vibrations) of present racks. Finally, because the shelves are transparent, they virtually disappear after the display is filled with balls as they should. After all, your collection of balls should be the center of attraction."

Roger’s enthusiasm for logo golf balls is infectious. He says, "If you haven't started collecting, well, start now! Collect old balls or, easier yet, logo balls. Save balls from courses that you have played, or specialize on professional sports teams, colleges, golf courses or country clubs, top 100 clubs, major golf tournaments or any kind of tournament, airlines, banks, beverages, business, Disney characters, military, novelties, vehicles, etc. Collecting and displaying balls is fun! And you will make many new friends as you go along the way."

Additional Information and Services

Golf Ball Art & Custom Displays Roger Kleinschmidt 5303 Park Place Circle Boca Raton, FL 33486 888-296-4133 561-417-5010 561-417-5010 (Fax)

Golf Collectors Society, Inc. Karen Kuhl, Administrator, P.O. Box 20546, Dayton, OH 45420

Golf Collectors Society, P.O. Box 241042, Cleveland, OH 44124

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