Gene sarazen is considered one of the 10 greatest golfers of all time. Born Eugenio Sarceni in Harrison, New York in 1902, Sarazen was an early self-taught golfer who mastered the game at a young age. He captured his first Major at the age of 20 when he out-pointed Bobby Jones to win the 1922 U.S. Open at the Skokie Country Club. Considered a giant in 20th century golf, Sarazen was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974.

Sarazen won an incredible 39 PGA tournaments and secured the 1935 Masters by making what was probably the most incredible shot in the history of professional golf. In the final round, Sarazen hit a rare double eagle off the par-5 15th hole. It has become known in golf lore as “the shot heard round the world.”

A highly desirable autograph, Sarazen signed in an aggressive and practical hand. His signature is bold and the letter construction is sound, resulting in an autograph that is very legible. Sarazen’s writing shows a slight choppiness and the flow is somewhat impaired, giving it marginal eye appeal, so his signature has a limited display value.

Sarazen’s hand remained fairly consistent throughout the years, showing little change in his signature over time. Vintage autographs, those signed during his playing days, tend to be a little less aggressive and are accomplished in a softer hand. As the years went by, his hand became somewhat bolder and the signature slightly more compact. Other than that, deviation is minimal. Sarazen’s handwriting and autograph are fairly easy to replicate, so many well executed forgeries exist. Careful examination is needed to avoid being taken.  

Sarazen was a willing and gracious signer throughout his long life, so the supply of genuine material is strong.  He is found mostly on index cards and photographs. Letters typed and handwritten are uncommon and highly desirable. A small supply of genuinely signed golf balls exist, but keep in mind that the majority of Sarazen-signed balls are forgeries. Several years ago, a small group of 8x10 photos featuring Sarazen, Sam Snead and Paul Runyan sitting on a hill were signed by all three. These multi-signed photos are rare and have sound investment potential. In recent years, canceled bank checks entered the market and are an excellent source of Sarazen signatures. Overall, Sarazen is an available signature, but premium items are uncommon and in great demand.  

Living well into his 90s, Sarazen’s hand remained strong his entire life. A genuine Sarazen signature will exhibit no shakiness of hand, and one that does should be considered suspect and avoided.

The value of Sarazen signed material has seen a marked increase in the past couple of years. While index cards and  the other usual items remain affordable, premium items have exploded in value. Signed 8x10 photos are valued at $100, while the Sarazen-Snead-Runyan signed photo sells for at least $500. Typed letters, signed bring between $100-$150, and a nice full-page autograph letter, signed sells for at least $300. Signed golf balls have nice display value—an authentic one will easily sell for $200. When Sarazen bank checks first hit the market, they were advertised as rare. But over time it has become apparent that there is a good supply of these checks in the market and they can be purchased for $100.