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The roots of golf date back to ball and stick games of the 13th Century, but the origins of golf trading cards are much younger. Golf cards began popping up in the 20th century.
Though golf fans have never embraced trading cards like baseball, football, and basketball fans have, the cream-of-the-crop golf cards command big money.
Names like Tiger and Jack are always bankable, and their memorabilia (cards included) are valuable to any collection.
Shop Our Top Golf Cards on eBay
Let’s take a peek at some of the most valuable seminal golf cards in history.
Reader note: we have chosen to include each golfer on this list only once.
It would be unheard of for Upper Deck to stop producing baseball cards for nearly seven years. However, the renowned trading card company produced no golf cards during this span.
The point is that golf cards are rare by nature of underproduction. This rarity makes the following cards potentially collection-defining pieces.
2001 Tiger Woods SP Authentic Stars Auto RC #45 (/900) (Shop eBay)
How could a card with a print run of 900 be one of the most valuable golf cards of all time, you might ask?
Don’t underestimate the power of Eldrick Tont Woods, the man they call Tiger, to command insane memorabilia prices from his ravenous fans.
The fact that this is a true Tiger RC and contains an on-card autograph makes it one of the most popular Tiger Woods cards.
Related: Rory McIlroy Rookie Card – Best Cards, Checklist, and Investment Outlook
The checklist of Tiger rookie cards is brief, and this one stands out. It features woods in a baggy Nike polo, intently eyeing a chip shot with his club suspended at waist level.
The card’s design features a white backdrop with a green sub-background directly behind Woods’ image. Tiger’s blue autograph overlays a cursive “Woods” nameplate.
This is the standout card not just from the 2001 SP Authentic set but from all other Tiger Woods cards.
If you’re looking for the most exclusive version of this card, purchase the gold parallel. It’s numbered out of 100, making it rarer (and more valuable) than the base card.
1932 Bobby Jones U.S. Caramel (Shop eBay)
The 1932 Bobby Jones U.S. Caramel card has a look that is not dissimilar to the iconic Honus Wagner T206. It features a single-color background and a striking color image.
The background is red in the case of the 1932 Bobby Jones U.S. Caramel. Jones, the first-ever winner of golf’s prestigious Grand Slam, wears a new white sweater and sports a middle part.
A white-lettered “Robert T. (Bobby) Jones” nameplate is the only notable feature aside from Jones’ image.
Many cards from this set have design flaws or were taken out of circulation, making well-graded copies rare and valuable assets.
1933 Walter Hagen Goudey Sport Kings #8 (Shop eBay)
The 1933 Walter Hagen Goudey Sport Kings card is one of the most visually memorable golf cards you will find. It’s stunningly advanced, considering the year it was released.
Hagen wears a crisp white sweater-tie combo with slicked hair to match. He holds his club over his left shoulder post-swing.
A red banner reads “Sport Kings Gum”. A white font, “Walter Hagen,” sits within a black nameplate on the card’s lower border. An orange background and a white border make for a tasteful overall appearance.
Walter Hagen is an iconic figure in golf, helping organize the Ryder Cup while winning 11 Majors and becoming the first million-dollar golfer.
This card’s age means that high-grade copies are rare. Combine the iconic look, legendary player, and rarity of the card, and you’ve got one heck of a golf card.
2014 Rory McIlroy Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Patch Auto RC #86 (/25) (Shop eBay)
Upper Deck’s Exquisite Collection is a premium golf card, and the 2014 Rory McIlroy Patch Auto #86 is the cream of this Upper Deck crop.
The base Patch Auto Swatch has a limited run of 99 cards. Both the Silver Spectrum (/25) and Gold Spectrum (/1) parallels are highly regarded.
The Gold Spectrum card is one of the crown jewels of this set. It has a tournament-used relic, an on-card autograph, one-of-one exclusivity, and rookie card status.
The card features McIlroy completing his swing in a white Nike hat and baby blue polo. A yellow tourney-used relic of Rory’s Nike Dri-Fit fabric is the center of attention.
Superimposed on McIlroy’s photo is an expertly crafted autograph in blue ink. This has proven to be a prized commodity from the modern era of golf cards.
2002 Phil Mickelson SP Authentic Extra Limited Auto RC #110 (Shop eBay)
The man they call “Lefty” has been one of the mainstays of the Woods generation of golfers, remaining remarkably consistent as father time ticks on.
He has marketed his brand expertly, and his popularity is why the 2002 SP Authentic Extra Limited Gold Auto RC #110 is so valuable.
It has the makings of a high-priced (relatively) modern golf card: a living legend in his rookie season on a well-regarded set with an on-card autograph and a limited print run (/25).
Mickelson completes his swing in casual khakis with a coordinated black belt, polo, and visor. The card’s understated green background is quintessentially golf-y.
The blue signature just above the bottom nameplate makes this card.
PSA indicates that very few of these cards are in the 9-10 grade range, making those cards a worthwhile investment.
1932 Gene Sarazen U.S. Caramel (Shop eBay)
The 1932 Gene Sarazen U.S. Caramel has the same base design as the Bobby Jones card from this set—red background, white border, white nameplate, and golfer headshot.
Sarazen was one of the giants of 1920s-era golf, and this card is a veritable classic. The images of Sarazen vary greatly in quality, and PSA reports only one with a grade of 9.
This card’s rarity and iconic status, which features a grinning Sarazen (born Eugenio Saraceni) as the centerpiece, make it a must-have for die-hard golf collectors.
2012 Dustin Johnson SP Authentic Rookies Auto RC #117 (Shop eBay)
Dustin Johnson, known as DJ, is a long driver and proven winner. His early career success makes his 2012 SP Authentic Auto RC #117 a hot commodity.
The card sports a black-white color scheme, with the black partial border matching DJ’s sweater, hat, and pants. This alone makes it feel like a thoughtful design.
With a limited run of 299, an on-card signature, and a limited pool of modern golf cards, this DJ Auto RC ranks among the pricier cards of the modern era.
1965 Arnold Palmer Bancroft Tiddlers Giants of Sport RC #26 (Shop eBay)
The 1965 Arnold Palmer Bancroft Tiddlers Giants of Sport RC #26 is an Arnold Palmer rookie card. We could stop there, but I’ll go on.
The card features side-by-side, portrait-style drawings of Arnie. One is a headshot of The King with his eyes downcast, while the other features Palmer’s resplendent swing.
The rear of the card is unique, as it features a blurb about none other than. English horse jockey Lester Piggott? Consider it an endearing quirk of this iconic card.
A local pool of 1965 Arnie Bancroft Tiddler cards graded a PSA 9 or higher. Expect it to retain strong value as a consequence.
2014 Michelle Wie Upper Deck Exquisite Gold Spectrum Auto #85 (/1) (Shop eBay)
Michelle Wie crashes the dude party with her 2014 Upper Deck Exquisite Gold Spectrum Auto #85.
Because this is a one of one copy, it is substantially more valuable than any other Michelle Wie card, including the other parallels in this set.
The card features an image of Wie in oversized Aviator shades and a pink Nike polo as she displays her pure technical form.
The Nike Dri-Fit patch and blue autograph define this card. The cursive font on the card’s left side reads “1 of 1” indicating this card’s exclusivity.
It’s a one-of-a-kind card that would be a valuable addition to any collector’s stash.
1971 Gary Player Barratt & Co. Ltd. Famous Sportsmen RC #11 (Shop eBay)
South African golfing legend Gary Player won nine Majors during his career, and his card’s position on this list indicates his legendary status.
The 1971 Barratt & Co. Ltd. Famous Sportsmen RC #11 shows the player post-contact, with his feet balanced delicately and his iron flexed behind his head.
The card’s dimensions are abnormal, with a skinnier width than traditional cards. The set was plagued by centering issues, making high-grade cards a rarity.
Gary Player’s card stands out within this set, as the number of high-grade Nicklaus cards is far greater than high-grade Players.
Best Golf Cards of All-Time
Golf cards do not offer the breadth of options or depth of high-priced investments that other sports cards do. This only means that top-tier cards are fewer and further between.
With Upper Deck signaling a re-commitment to golf cards, the upper echelon of golf cards—including the selections we’ve highlighted—could be due for a value surge.
Several Tiger Woods cards, including the 1996 Tiger Woods SI for Kids RC #536, could have easily made this list.
As you seek substantial golf card investments, consider older cards of golfing legends, newer cards that contain autographs from modern stars, and rare parallels.