Sale of the (New) Century

If you come across a fellow golfer frantically searching the bushes for hours on end in the next few weeks, it may not be just because they're a bit short of a bob or two after the January sales.

Anyone determined enough to carry on with a search well into the night could well have been using an Alex Patrick hand-hammered ball, which is expected to fetch between £3,000-£4,000 at the Phillips International Auctioneers' bi-annual Golfing Sale.

Early to mid-19th century feather balls ranging from £1,000-£2,000 apiece will also be available as collectors of golfing antiquity vie to become the envy of the clubhouse.

Possession for gutta-percha and early rubber core balls, dating from 1850-1930, that have never before been seen on the market will also be hotly contested at the January 22 auction in Chester.