100 year-old ball found beside links
Couple discover gutta percha ball hidden in rushes beside St Andrews' jubilee course.
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A 100 year old gutta percha golf ball found in a bed of reeds above a beach at St Andrews, will feature in Bonhams' next golf auction in Chester on January 27. The antique ball is expected to attract bids between £200-£400.
It was discovered when John McKay, a keen golfer, as he and his wife Margo strolled along the beach at West Sands, close to the 10th tee on St Andrews Links' Jubilee course. They took the ball to the St. Andrews Golf Museum for identification and authentication and an assistant curator confirmed it was a gutta percha `Mecca’ ball and was at least 100 years old.
Said Mr McKay (78) from Leven: "We were keeping our eyes peeled for stray balls as we strolled along the beach and when my wife picked it up I was pretty sure we had stumbled across a rare find. We also took it to Bonhams in Edinburgh to have it valued and got a very pleasant surprise when they told us what it might make at auction."
The McKays are regular marshals at golf tournaments including the Open and will be at this week's European Tour event, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The ball is believed to date back to the 19th Century and was made by D. Anderson of St Andrews. Bonhams golf expert, Kevin McGimpsey says: ”This intriguing find should attract bids of around £200 to £400. It was only discovered because an exceptionally high tide moved the sand at the top of the beach at St Andrews and uncovered this old treasure of times past.”
Gutta percha balls, made from solid moulded rubber were first used on golf courses around 1850 replacing feather balls that had been used during the two previous centuries.
