Golf can be an expensive game - especially when your balls turn out to be worth an estimated £2,000.

An antique collection scored a hole in one for its owner at a valuation of sporting memorabilia.

Slightly dusty and a little battered, the 100-year-old golf balls still caught the eye of Sotheby's expert Graham Budd.

He said they would make a welcome addition to any serious collection because of their age and rarity.

Mr Budd said: "They are quite early survivors for golf balls.

"Even if you have a good round and don't lose your ball, people tend to throw them away anyway.

"These are very collectable because there have been so many different types over the years."

The antique balls, of the gutta-percha type, were the jewel in the crown at a free valuation in Billingshurst.

Dozens of sporting enthusiasts from across Sussex had their memorabilia valued by experts, some hoping to get rich quick, others to satisfy idle curiosity.

The balls' owner was keeping a low profile while deciding whether or not to sell them.

Other items on show included a pair of boxing shorts and framed picture signed by five boxing champs, including Mike Tyson and Muhammad Ali.

Their owner, Antony Cook, 19, from Brighton, was slightly disappointed to learn they were only worth between £300 and £500 each.

He said: "I would have been tempted to put them in for auction if they had been worth a lot."

Ticket stubs and a programme from the 1953 Matthews FA Cup final between Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers also raised eyebrows.

Golfing enthusiast Paul Clark, who runs Foxbridge Golf Club near Billingshurst, brought 20 antique clubs for valuation.

He said: "They were building up and I wanted to know whether to keep them or get rid of them."

After learning from expert David Neech they were worth between £5 and £20 each, Mr Clark decided to keep them.

Mr Budd, who has written two books on sporting collectables, said: "There have been all sorts of material covering all types of sports: Football, cricket, golf, croquet and even greyhound racing."

If you want to get your sporting memorabilia valued, Sotheby's can be contacted on 01403 833500.