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Golf fans seek treasures at auction


Web posted 04/05/01


Benson S. Fink didn't mind shifting his schedule around Tiger Woods.

``They said Tiger Woods just finished about 15 minutes ago, so everybody is running late,'' said the auctioneer, who organizes the annual Masters memorabilia auction.

That was 15 minutes after the auction was supposed to start Thursday night. But that was OK, even if the crowd was a little light, Fink said.

``We really should have more people here,'' he said, looking at the crowd of about 25 people. ``So far we don't even need half the tables. But it's not over yet.''

The auction featured more than 350 items, ranging from a 2000 commemorative Masters pin to a rare silver and gold Augusta National Golf Club belt buckle valued at $2,600. There was also a limited edition Wood Bros. Masters driver that's valued at $2,000, Fink said.

And there was a framed signature of golfer Walter Hagen, who played in six Masters in the 1930s and early 1940s.

``It's rare to see a Hagen autograph, especially one in this condition,'' said Byron Eder, who penned a chapter on Masters collectables for Gilchrist's Guide to Golf Collectibles.

He's been attending the auction - and putting some items up for sale - for a couple of years. He said the draw of the auction is the ``what-if'' items.

``It's worth coming to because you never know what is going to pop up,'' Eder said.

Like the Augusta National staff cap Earle Williams of Augusta bought for $17.50.

``It's different,'' he said. ``I haven't seen one of theses at an auction before.''

Another rare item was a Masters visor signed by Arnold Palmer and decorated with a green and white ``Arnie's Army'' pin. The pin was available only in 1960 and 1962, Fink said.

``You just don't find them in any of the collections hardly,'' he said.

Ted Trantham of Union, S.C., seemed more intrigued by the free buffet than the items for sale.

``Right now, I'm taking care of this,'' he said, patting his stomach.

Dustin Raymond of Cartersville, Ga., and Tim Thorn of Clearwater, Fla., were focused on the more than 150 Masters badges, even though Thorn did buy a couple of tournament key chains from 1997. A badge from that same year - the year Tiger Woods won in record fashion - sold for $125.

``We're really trying to get the older badges,'' Raymond said.

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