Fla. A utographs once were nothing more than an attempt to keep a piece of the game. It didn't matter whether the signature was on a scrap of paper, a baseball or a game program. Autographs were cherished pieces of your heroes, those rare meetings with legends. These days, that has changed drastically. Oh, kids still stand wide-eyed before their heroes and ask for autographs, but now you see all ages, too.
Adults collect signatures for their own reasons and memories.
But thanks to professional collectors out for a profit, the face of autograph collecting is taking a very ugly turn, one that is threatening to limit the practice severely in golf. The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf March 17-19 showed just how ugly it can be. One man was stopped by security carrying a bag with 26 metalwood heads. He had planned to have players sign the faces. At a handsome profit, no doubt.