Full Answer
Is collecting antique golf clubs worth it?
Collecting antique clubs can be a fun and educational hobby. Having a collection of classic or antique golf clubs is not an unusual hobby. Developing a valuable collection, on the other hand, is a very different commitment. Like wine or antiques, classic and vintage golf clubs can appreciate in value over time.
How can you tell how old a golf club is?
These designs sometimes varied several times and can be used to date a golf clubs age. One of the best sources for cleek mark data is Cleek Marks and Trademarks on Antique Golf Clubs by Peter Georgiady, a valuable resource for deciphering these unique markings.
How much is a set of golf clubs worth?
An average club in average condition might be worth $30 + -, whereas a rare club set like the Spalding Bobby Jones Hickory-Shafted Golf Clubs, ca. 1933 have an appraised value of $5,000 - $7,000. Wood headed putters. Irons or putters with unusual shaped heads.
What is the value of an antique wooden shaft golf club?
The basic rule on antique wooden shaft golf club value is in general, the older the rarer, the rarer the more value... Now that being said, obviously there are some variables to that rule.
Is there any value in old golf clubs?
According to GolfWeek, the most valuable antique golf clubs can sell for as much as $80,000 at auction. However, it's not at all common to see this type of value. Most individual clubs sell for between $15 and $100 at auction or in resale shops.
Are 60 year old golf clubs worth anything?
Many clubs produced as recently as the 1950s and '60s are considered "classics." Some are worth $1,000 a set, and the right kind of sand wedge can bring $500 or more all by itself.
How do I know if my golf clubs are worth money?
The major determining factor in the price of a wooden antique golf club is scarcity. Hickory shaft clubs are very rare, even though thousands of them were made at the time. The rarer the club, the more value it carries. The more the value, the higher the price.
What are the most valuable vintage golf clubs?
The Most Expensive Golf Clubs Ever Sold at AuctionAndrew Dickson Putter -$181,000.Simon-Cossar Fruitwood Metal Headed Blade Putter -$165,000. ... Square Toe Lined Iron Golf Club – $151,000. ... Golden Putter First Lady Special Edition – $150,000. ... Long Nosed Scarped Golf Club – $91,000. ...
How much should I sell my old golf clubs for?
Resale and Trade-in Prices for 2014/2015 Golf Clubs (retrieved 05/24/2022)Golf ClubGolf Club Trade-In Stores (PGA Value Guide)Online Marketplaces (eBay, after fees)TaylorMade Tour Preferred MC Iron Set (3-PW)$96$254Titleist 915D3 Driver$67$129Titleist MB 714 Steel Iron Set (4-PW)$138$291Ping i25 Driver$49$13010 more rows
What kind of golf clubs are worth money?
Here's a look at 11 classic golf clubs or sets of clubs from the past and what they're worth today.Cleveland VAS 792 Irons.TaylorMade Burner Bubble driver. ... Titleist 975D driver. ... Callaway Steelhead fairway woods. ... Callaway Big Bertha War Bird driver. ... Ben Hogan Apex PC Forged Blade irons. ... Tommy Armour Silver Scot 845 irons. ... More items...•
How can you tell how old a golf club is?
The Wooden Shaft Test – Whether or not the shaft is made of wood is a primary indicator of age. The Markings or Stamps – If there is a marking or shop stamp, an Antique Golf Club Reference Guide could be used to date the club fairly precisely.
What do you do with old golf clubs?
Sell old golf clubs to a golf-specific retailer like Golf Galaxy or 2nd Swing Golf. Sell them to a sports-specific retailer like Play it Again Sports. Donate old golf clubs to organizations, golf courses, or instructional facilities. Gift your golf clubs to a friend or co-worker.
What are old golf clubs called?
They were:Driving iron: 1 Iron.Mid-iron: 2 Iron.Mid-mashie: 3 Iron.Mashie iron: 4 Iron.Mashie: 5 Iron.Spade mashie: 6 Iron.Mashie-niblick: 7 Iron.Pitching niblick: 8 Iron.More items...
What Golf Club is a niblick?
Pitching Niblick – this is the old way to refer to a golf club which achieved the same function as the modern 8-iron, or short iron. 17. Niblick – the old name for a sort of golf club which corresponds to the 9-irons golfers around the world use nowadays.
Are used golf balls worth anything?
When recovered and cleaned up, these used balls sell for as little as six cents wholesale and up to $1 or more retail. It's a $200 million industry, and a golf ball diver can make $100,000 per year, according to Golf.com.
When did they stop making wooden golf clubs?
In the mid-20th century, both the USGA and the R&A ruled that golf clubs with steel shafts could be used in tournaments. While steel was used for club shafts, wooden heads were the norm for drivers and fairway woods until the 1970s.
When were golf clubs made?
Some clubs made in the 1700s still exist, but the pre-1850 wooden-head clubs – all shafts and club heads for all clubs were wooden until the 1920’s – are the true antiques of golf. The most valuable were made in Scotland before 1850 by Hugh Philp.
Why are Philp clubs called long nose?
The Philp clubs are called long nose because their heads are uniquely about 5” along the face of the club and have Philp stamped on the club head; but beware, when he died someone stole his stamp and produced fakes. As a collector, almost any pre-1850 club will have worthwhile market value.
What does a shallow face on a wood shaft mean?
Here are some clues: a shallow face on a wood usually means early manufacture, as does a shaft made of ash. Hickory shafts didn’t hit the market until about 1840. Old irons can be spotted by looking closely at the hosel – the metal section that attaches the iron head to the wooden shaft.
Where to look for shafts on golf clubs?
Shafts: Look at the top of the club hosels (the part where the club head and shaft come together). Check the "pin" that holds the shaft in place, doest it look rough like it was worked on, or is it not smoothly aligned with the hosel.
What are the factors that indicate your clubs are common and at the low end of the value chart?
Factors that indicate your clubs are common and at the low end of the value chart include: Stainless steel, chromed, or chromium heads. Clubs with dots, hyphens, lines or other face markings. Metal caps at the end of the grip. Yardage ranges stamped on the back (70-100) (100-125) (140-150) yards.
What to look for in the condition of hickory golf clubs?
What to look for in the condition of your hickory golf clubs for value and pricing purposes: Clubs that show lots of use, rust, pitting, have a warped or cracked shaft or hosel, bad or missing grips, are not of 'high quality" or that have been cleaned, restored or refinished are the "least desired" and bring lower prices.
What is a wood putter?
Wood headed putters. Irons or putters with unusual shaped heads. Irons with no face markings, or unusual face markings. Woods that have a thick curved oval neck, covered with 4 or 5 inches of string whipping.
What are numbered irons?
Numbered irons from sets, or "matched set" irons that have numbers instead of the old names. No manufacturer's name, or common names like: Hollywood, Thistle, Biltmore, Bonnie, Metropolitan, Columbia, Ace, Majestic and other commonly high produced, low quality clubs.
Is a hickory shaft golf club rare?
Hickory shaft clubs are not really that rare. Millions of hickory shaft clubs were made so there are still oodles of hickory shaft clubs still around. The basic rule on antique wooden shaft golf club value is in general, the older the rarer, the rarer the more value... Now that being said, obviously there are some variables to that rule.
What were golf clubs made of before the turn of the 20th century?
Before that time, shafts were made of hickory, all iron heads were forged steel and woods were hand-carved from a single piece of persimmon. Clubs from before the turn of the 20th century can be worth quite a bit, presuming they were made by a prominent club maker and are in good condition.
How long has golf been around?
Some historians say the game of golf has been around for more than 500 years. Clubs and other equipment can be dated back to different eras throughout that time. To find clubs with significant value, you need to look back, definitely before World War II and probably before 1930, the year steel shafts and matched sets became common in golf club manufacturing. Before that time, shafts were made of hickory, all iron heads were forged steel and woods were hand-carved from a single piece of persimmon.
How much is a 1860s driver worth?
A driver from the 1860s hand-carved by Old Tom Morris or Laurie Auchterlonie in St. Andrews, for instance, could be worth a few hundred dollars or up to $20,000 depending on the model, condition and authenticity.
How much did a rake iron sell for in 1989?
One such iron, a rake iron designed to hit balls out of mud and water, was estimated to go for less than $300 at auction. It sold in 1989 for almost $80,000. Prices like these, while unusual, do happen now and again. Values in the vintage club market fluctuate wildly based on many factors.
Is collecting golf clubs a hobby?
Collecting antique clubs can be a fun and educational hobby. Having a collection of classic or antique golf clubs is not an unusual hobby. Developing a valuable collection, on the other hand, is a very different commitment. Like wine or antiques, classic and vintage golf clubs can appreciate in value over time.
Is it a hobby to collect golf clubs?
Having a collection of classic or antique golf clubs is not an unusual hobby. Developing a valuable collection, on the other hand, is a very different commitment. Like wine or antiques, classic and vintage golf clubs can appreciate in value over time. Not every club appreciates or appreciates in the same way, however.
Vintage Golf Clubs Value: A Short Guide
It’s fun to have an old set of collectible golf clubs that you can take out and play with occasionally. It’s obvious that a lot of golfers in the golf community are always looking to buy new golf gear. Why not, newer golf clubs are often equipped with new technology, some of which can be game changing.
What Are The Most Valuable Vintage Golf Clubs?
The key to the value of vintage golf clubs is the supply and demand. Certain models are highly sought after, so they may be more expensive than others. They’re not only valuable but are also playable. And the right collector will drop a decent price for a club that’s in decent condition with all the right features.
How to Identify Valuable Antique Golf Putters
When looking at antique putters, you have to look at the history, rarity, and the person who made the putter.
Timeline on Vintage Golf Equipment
Vintage golf equipment are those clubs invented around the 15th century by primitive methods having handmade, custom/unique, and even unusual qualities. These often lack the sophistication of the modern clubs, coming from the Scottish Shepherds up to the 17th century. Most of these are mostly out of reach.
Frequently Asked Questions: Antiques
Why many older sets of clubs can be worth just a few dollars, others can be worth in the thousands. There are many features that can drum up the value of golf club memorabilia. Golf clubs closer to the 20th century, from a reputable club maker, and in good condition can easily be worth more than a few thousand dollars.
