Thursday, October 25, 2012

Collecting Golf Pictures for Fun and Profit

Golf art is more collectible than most people realize. Unlike team sports, where superstar athletes regularly ink deals that include them signing memorabilia items, such as jerseys and game balls, golf art and golf pictures tend to be far less a big business and far more a matter of individual tastes. You won’t often see a green Master’s jacket go up for bid at a golf collectibles auction, for example, but it’s not unusual for Super Bowl championship rings to show up at pawn shops around the United States. For a lot of reasons – including the relative scarcity of golf autographs and golf collectibles, collecting golf pictures can be both more challenging and more profitable than collection other types of sports memorabilia.
Legends of Golf Collectibles
As with any other sport, the most collectible golf pictures are those that feature one or more of the many legends of golf. Autographed photos of Arnold Palmer, Robert “Bobby” Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods are surefire collectible items, and many of them can be expected to increase in value. Every once in a while, previously unknown golf pictures crop up and make an unexpectedly big splash in the sports collectibles world. Not many years ago, for example, a sports photographer released a previously unpublished photograph of Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer settling up after a bet on one of the holes they played. “The Lost Bet” has become one of the most popular golf pictures of all time, and hangs in some of the best known golf club dining rooms.
Golf Course Art
Of course, not all the legends of golf are human. Anyone who has ever faced Augusta #12, Golden Bell, on a windy day, can tell you in no uncertain detail exactly why that particular hole is one that golfers dread facing. Photographs of Augusta #12 don’t do it justice, but a few golf painters have managed to capture that hole in all its glory and treachery. It’s not the only hole to be captured by painters Linda Hartough and Marci Rule, who have painted some of the most beautiful golf course art available on the market. In most cases, Hartough’s and Rule’s pieces are available as prints in limited, signed editions. Some are numbered in a series, while others are more widely available to collectors of golf memorabilia.
Whether you’re drawn to a stunning golf landscape or prefer the focus and concentration on the face of one of golf’s greats, golf pictures are a great way to enhance your home décor while accumulating a golf arts collection that could become quite valuable in the future.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Five Reasons Golf Pictures Make Great Gifts

Why would you choose golf pictures as a gift for someone you love? Here are five great reasons to buy golf memorabilia, golfer autographs and golf pictures as holiday or birthday gifts for your favorite golf enthusiast.
No One Buys Them Golf-Related Gifts
Golf enthusiasts get short shrift on the gift market. Movie buffs get themed toys and posters. Fans of pro team sports have their pick of team posters, individual player posters and logo clothing to receive as gifts. You’ll be hard-pressed to find golf gifts for people who love following and playing golf, though. Oh, you can always find personalized golf tees and silly golf room décor, but if you want to give a golf-related gift that impresses, there’s just not that much available. There is one major exception to the dearth of golf memorabilia that’s easily available – golf pictures.
Golf Pictures Make Great Game Room Décor
A framed picture of a golf course or autographed golfer photos of one of the legends of golf are more than keepsakes. They make great home décor in the right setting. Beautifully framed and presented golf scenes fit into many different styles of décor, especially if you choose golf course art by such well-known names as Linda Hartough or Marci Rule. If landscapes aren’t your thing, you can choose from a wide variety of golfer photos, signed or unsigned, of a favorite golfer or tournament.
Golf Memorabilia Carries Bragging Rights
When you choose genuine golf memorabilia, you’re also giving the gift of bragging rights. These aren’t just any old golf pics – many of them are collectors’ items that have their own intrinsic value. Dealers who specialize in assembling golf displays may put together a framed Masters display, for example, that includes golf autographs, photos of one or more Masters Tournament winners and flag that served as a hole marker at one of the holes.
You Can Be Starting Them on a New Hobby
Collecting golf art can be a rewarding hobby. When you give a golf painting, such as a Marci Rule painting of Augusta #12, you could be sparking an interest that becomes a fun activity for the rest of your favorite golfer’s life.
Golf Pictures Can Increase in Value
Golf memorabilia can be an investment that gains value over the years. While there’s no guarantee that a particular golf photo or golf autograph will increase in value, the field of golf collectibles is a growing one and there’s a good chance that any golf pictures you buy today will be worth more in the future.
If you have a golf fan on your gift list, give a gift that stands out from the crowd and will be remembered for years. Pick out one of the many golf pictures available from a reputable collectibles dealer and wrap it up with pride.