If you are a diehard golf fan, one way to always keep the game close to your heart is by owning a slice of the sport’s history. One of the best way to do this is by purchasing a valuable piece of golf memorabilia at an auction, such as a club, green jacket, or ball your favorite player used to win a tournament. It’s amazing to see how far golf fans can go to show love to their favorite sport, even splashing millions of dollars to acquire what would be otherwise ordinary golf equipment or gear just for its sentimental value. Below, we look at ten golf memorabilia sold for extraordinary prices at auctions.
Top 10 Most Valuable Golf Memorabilia
Tiger Woods Titleist 681-T Irons – $5,156,162
You must remember the famous ‘Tiger Slam,’ where the legendary golfer won the PGA Championship, British Open, and U.S. Open in 2000, and the 2001 Masters. Woods used Titleist 681-T forged irons from 2-iron down to pitching wedge and two Titleist Vokey wedges in 56 and 60-degree loft to achieve this historic fete. The set was acquired by Texas businessman Todd Brock for $57,000 in 2010, who surprisingly auctioned the clubs for a staggering $5,156,162 in 2022.
Horton Smith’s Green Jacket – $682,229
It’s a glorious achievement to be the first Masters winner. Horton Smith claimed this title in 1934 and went on to bag his second green jacket in 1936. Although he passed away in 1963, his memory lives on forever through his green jacket, which commands hefty figures in golf auctions. In the summer of 2013, the jacket sold for a whopping $682.229.45.
Gary Player’s 1974 Masters Trophy – $523,483.20
Retired South African golfer Gary Player is one of the most iconic names in the sport. He is one of the only five players to complete the much-coveted career grand slam. In 1974, Player won his second Masters trophy, which has become a valuable piece of golf memorabilia. The trophy sold for $523,483.20 in the Summer 2021 Auction by Golden Age.
1904 Olympic Games Golf Trophy – $493,777.20
Golf fans had to wait 112 years, from 1904 to 2016, for the sport to return to the Olympics. That fact must have catapulted the value of the 1904 Olympic Games Golf Trophy presented in St. Louis. Golden Age Auctions listed it in their Summer 2021 collection, where the trophy sold for $493,777.20.
Arnold Palmer’s Masters Tournament Trophy – $444,012
Arnold Palmer enjoyed one of the most decorated golfing careers ever, winning seven major tournaments, including four Masters titles. One of the four Masters trophies was put up for auction by Green Jacket Auctions in 2016 after plans to have it in a museum folded, and as a testament to Palmer’s greatness, the item fetched $444,012.