You catch the Albatross Ball - What would you do?

[pidge rgj]

i would give it back to Louis. I would love to play at Augusta but would need 2 days to hack my way around

[deronsizemore]

As others have said, the only way Augusta Nation would get that ball from me is for a couple (or as many as I could get out of them) rounds of golf or a lot of cash.

There's a chance I might consider it for for tournament tickets for the whole week for the rest of my life if playing the course just absolutely was not an option.

I'd give it back to Louis for nothing if he wanted it anyone else, they had better have something to give in return.

[RonTheSavage]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

Possession is 9/10ths of the law. It's mine. Louis threw it, I caught it.

You want it, make me an offer ANGC, bearing in mind that you have lots of money.

This answer is awesome, and I feel the same way!

[jhwmusic]

I would thrown it right back to him....probably not, but that would be cool. If Augusta wanted it for some bullish$t Jim nance moment, they better make me a member!:-D

[iPutt]

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

I would have donated it to the club for annual passes and one day of golf a year with the supers who volunteer. It is history, but would have been 10 times more valuable if he had won.

This. 100 times this. For one, it's not asking for any money, two, I think that asking to play on "volunteer day" is extremely reasonable, and three, obviously they know how much the ball is worth, I'm a piece of their history now, I can have a few passes

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by clubchamp

If I caught it I would have tried to give it back to Louis if anything because I think some of you might be over estimating the value of it. I would think trying to bribe something from ANGC would get you no where other than maybe a good laugh. While the shot was awesome and it's only the 4th in Masters history Louis didn't win and it's not likely he will go down as one of the greatest golfers of all time. Now had Tiger, Phil or any great player hit it you might have something of value but the most you would get out of Louis ball would come through ebay.

Really?  One of only 4 double eagles in the 75+ year history of the tournament?

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by turtleback

Really?  One of only 4 double eagles in the 75+ year history of the tournament?

Doesn't make it worth anything.

Had he ended up winning, maybe.

If he had won it would have been the shot that characterised the 2012 Masters.

But, for the rest of your life, you'll be seeing replays of Watson's second shot on the second playoff hole.

How much do you think Adam Sott's hole in one ball is worth? Not much.

[zeg]

Originally Posted by Shorty

Doesn't make it worth anything.

Had he ended up winning, maybe.

If he had won it would have been the shot that characterised the 2012 Masters.

But, for the rest of your life, you'll be seeing replays of Watson's second shot on the second playoff hole.

How much do you think Adam Sott's hole in one ball is worth? Not much.

It'd certainly be worth a lot to ANGC. On the open market who knows, but they have a strong interest in keeping trinkets to preserve their history. The value of something depends on the buyer.

[DocWu1948]

The cited article tells what happened. Augusta officials noted who caught the ball and asked for a moment of his time as he prepared to leave. The guy was on his 5th visit to a Masters and only golfs once a month. I'm sure he got a reasonable trade. No one is saying what it was.

[lumpuckeroo]

Originally Posted by RichWW2

Let me play 2 rounds of golf at Augusta National and you have yourself a ball.  The first round for sight seeing, taking pictures, learning the course, having fun, and getting out all the jitters. The second round would be for posting a score.  I would keep that scorecard, all the balls I used and didn't lose and probably steal a divot or two and make a nice little display case of my experience when I got home.

+1 to this

[mvmac]

PING usually makes a golf plated putter for a staff player that wins a tournament, for Louis they did his 4 iron

Quote:

Before being plated in gold, this PING S56 4-iron was built with the exact same specifications as the S56 4-iron that resides in the bag of PING Pro Louis Oosthuizen.  This particular golden 4-iron will reside in our Gold Putter Vault and another golden S56 4-iron will be given to Louis Oosthuizen for him to keep in remembrance of his phenomenal shot.

[GaijinGolfer]

Id tell Augusta that if they want they ball they can make me an offer and I mean a SERIOUS offer.  Im not going to just give it to them out of good will.  At the very least it had better be a six figure offer or at least 1 free round of golf per year.

Or Id need to have Augusta change their bylaws to require them to admit 1 female member per year.

Any less than that and it goes on Ebay to the highest bidder.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

At the very least it had better be a six figure offer or at least 1 free round of golf per year.

I think you've vastly over-estimated how much that ball is worth. He didn't even win.

[The_Pharaoh]

The guy in possession of the ball decides how much it is worth. If they don't agree to his demands, however OTT, there is no exchange. Also, the longer he holds on to it the more it goes up in value.

I would squeeze ANGC for as much as I could. Memberships would be mentioned. I would even 'threaten'  them by offering it up to the highest bidder. There is always some millionaire somewhere willing to part with loads of cash for something that is important to them.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by The_Pharaoh

Also, the longer he holds on to it the more it goes up in value.

That's not necessarily true either. Again, he didn't win the toonamint. People would pay more for the ball Bubba hit on #10 in the playoff than Oosthuizen's ball. Heck, because it's Phil, I bet some people might pay more for the ball Phil used to make a triple bogey on the par three.

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by iacas

That's not necessarily true either. Again, he didn't win the toonamint. People would pay more for the ball Bubba hit on #10 in the playoff than Oosthuizen's ball. Heck, because it's Phil, I bet some people might pay more for the ball Phil used to make a triple bogey on the par three.

What would be the price of Sarazen's 1935 double eagle ball had he tossed it into the crowd back then and it only surfacing now? It doesn't matter whether the double eagle helped someone win The Masters or not, it is one of only 4 double eagles in Masters history. That is why it has value.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by The_Pharaoh

What would be the price of Sarazen's 1935 double eagle ball had he tossed it into the crowd back then and it only surfacing now? It doesn't matter whether the double eagle helped someone win The Masters or not, it is one of only 4 double eagles in Masters history. That is why it has value.

I don't agree. Sarazen won. People don't remember the guy who finishes second (unless you're Roberto de Vicenzo).

I never said it didn't "have value" but I think you and others are overstating the value.

[chilipepper205]

You have to be careful about what you take in return from ANGC because there may be tax implications to "gifts given in return for the golf ball."

I remember a fan at Yankee stadium caught some significant home run ball and he gave it back to the Yankees in return for a suite tickets and other misc merchandise and the gov't wanted to tax him like $7,000.