TAMPA, Fla. – While Danny Willett was celebrating his first Masters® win after holding off fellow countryman Lee Westwood and 2015 Masters Champion Jordan Spieth, thousands of bidders were dueling it out online for a chance at their own piece of Masters history on TheGolfAuction.com.
The Golf Auction is an eight-year-old Tampa based company that specializes exclusively in golf memorabilia and collectibles. This year’s Masters auction held March 30-April 10 yielded record sales again this year. One of the highlights, a Masters flag signed by 34 of the past Masters Champions (prior to 2008) sold for a world-record $11,640.
“Seldom do you find a Masters flag with 34 signatures and the opportunity to add more names,” said Kip Ingle, co-founder of The Golf Auction. “With Bubba Watson, Mickelson, Spieth, Scott and now Willett, it could easily hold more than 40 Masters Champions’ signatures making it even more valuable.”
A scarcely seen 1933 postal envelope commemorating the course opening of Augusta National Golf Club fetched a whopping $4,372. Typically items of this nature bring in only $100 to $200. But this commemorative cover was signed by Bobby Jones with his full Robert T. Jones, Jr. signature and was postmarked from Augusta. Another notable Masters item, Arnold Palmer’s tournament ball, from his first Masters championship and first major victory when he defeated Ken Venturi in 1958, sold for $12,022.
According to Ingle, several of Mr. Palmer’s items did very well in the auction.
“Masters tickets and badges always bring in a premium price in The Golf Auction,” he said. “Arnold Palmer’s 1960 Masters’ ticket, his third win at Augusta, sold for $2,657 and his signed 1962 Masters badge from his fourth victory at Augusta sold for $5,829.”
Some of The Golf Auctions’ other featured items in this auction also had solid showings. Ben Hogan’s golf ball from 1951 U.S. Open sold for $5,096, Ed Furgol’s 1954 U.S. Open ball sold for $4,158 and Cary Middlecoff’s 1955 Masters’ ball sold for $3,980.
In previous years, The Golf Auction auctioned off one of the few remaining Sunday tickets from the inaugural Masters Tournament in 1934, known then as the “Augusta National Invitational” Tournament, which sold for $31,987.25. Also, Lloyd Mangrum’s 1946 U.S. Open Champions Medal sold for $40,678.
The Golf Auction’s next auction will be leading up to and during this year’s U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club and will end June 19, 2016. There is still a limited amount of time left to submit high-end golf consignments to be a part of this auction. A preview of the items for this auction begins June 1. Registered bidders will receive email updates on special golf memorabilia that has been consigned to The Golf Auction.
ABOUT THE GOLF AUCTION, LLC
The Golf Auction, founded by Kip Ingle, Aaron Behar and Kenley Matheny, specializes exclusively in golf memorabilia and collectibles, including but not limited to: Masters® badges, flags, and autographs; vintage golf equipment; golf books; Scotty Cameron putters and putter covers; Tiger Woods golf memorabilia; autographed golf memorabilia as well as player direct memorabilia from current and former PGA stars.
Contact:
CORPORATE ADDRESS:
The Golf Auction, LLC
209 State Street Oldsmar, FL 34677
THE GOLF AUCTION:
Kip Ingle
770-883-1131
kip@thegolfauction.com
MEDIA CONTACT:
Golf Marketing Services
Irlianna Samsara
352-455-7509
irlianna@golfmarketinginc.com
Holly Geoghegan
321-303-9684
holly@golfmarketinginc.com
