Tiger Woods Autograph comparisons.

akuracy503 · May 2, 2009 5:26PM

Preparing to PSA/DNA submit a couple golf balls my friend has been holding onto for many years, would like to see comparisons of other's Tiger auto collections.
Opinions are welcome.

VitoCo1972 · May 2, 2009 5:50PM

Here are my first glance comments...

I would never tell someone their item isn't genuine without seeing it in person, but I do see a few issues. If the ball is, in fact, real, it would have had to be signed in th 98/99 range. Tiger's autograph has changed drastically from his younger days. When he was winning US Amateurs and such from 94-96 and actually signed balls, his signature looked like this...

(credit eBay auction - not necessarily real, but an excellent fake if not)

But he stopped signing balls almost altogether in late 1996. He stated in an article that since then he has signed a grand total of approximately 50 balls, period. Presumably, those were for people like Phil Knight (Nike CEO) or Hootie Johnson (Fmr Chairman of Augusta) and people like that. Other players that I've spoken to in person about this insist that he will sign stuff for them, but not golf balls. Incidentally, Mickelson stopped signing balls around 2000 as well. Look hesitantly on any of those you see as well.

Tiger's autograph has morphed from that younger version into this (all that I've received in person)

Here's the other thing you have to remember. Tiger's equipment deal was with Titelist until 1998 when Nike rolled out their line of balls and clubs. Until then, he was playing Titleists. So the reason I'm skeptical is that you look like you have a ball and signature that don't necessarily match era's of his signature unless it was signed in a very small window of time (when it was extremely difficult to get balls signed by him in the first place). Would need first person proof from a reputable autograph seeker to change my mind.

Not sure if you wanted all that information or not, but I imagine I'm the largest collector of golf autographs on this board and probably one of the real authorities on golf signatures (yes, I have no life).

jackstraw · May 2, 2009 9:11PM

Vito
I enjoyed that read.
Thanks

thenavarro · May 3, 2009 2:27AM

Here's a Tiger Woods signed golfball that was PSA/DNA authenticated. It used to be mine but I sold it back in 2004/2005. One of very few pieces that I now regret selling. I always thought as the years went by that he would do a UDA version on golfballs and then the value of mine would fall, so I went ahead and let it go. I don't make a whole lot of bad decisions on the memoribilia market, but that was one.

VitoCo1972 · May 3, 2009 2:54AM

Mike, I would love to know the origin of that ball. It was certainly signed circa 02-04 but when/where and for whom? That's the first modern signature ball that I've seen. If you're telling me it's 100% legit (I'm not sure how PSA/DNA can possibly authenticate Tiger balls without first hand knowledge that it's good - I wouldn't), then the origin of it's signing is very important/interesting. It must have been signed for a close personal friend of his or a sponsor that pays him a lot of money.

thenavarro · May 3, 2009 3:15AM

VitoCo,

It's 100% legit. I used to have the details and pictures stored on my old PC but I don't have them on this one. I had photos of Tiger signing the actual ball, as well as photos of Tiger with his arm around the recipient holding the actual ball. I don't remember the guys' name anymore that had it signed.

Mike

Tiger Woods Autograph comparisons.

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