By Amy Joyner
Chronicle Staff

On their inaugural trip to the Masters Tournament, Pat, Stuart and Chad Southward spent a good bit of time and money at the course golf shops, buying up golf shirts, hats, ball markers, towels and other souvenirs for themselves and friends back home in Richmond, Va.

``We went in there and spent about $600,'' Stuart Southward said.

Judging by the long lines at Augusta National Golf Club's souvenir shops, Masters memorabilia is a hot commodity. But you don't have to live in Augusta -- or even go to the course -- to score Masters merchandise.

A bevy of golf gear -- everything from player autographs to commemorative clubs -- are available on the Internet, from individuals hawking items at online auctions such as eBay and Amazon.com Auctions.

Online, buyers will find some of the same items available at Augusta National's souvenir shops, but bidding often pushes auction prices higher than retail prices.

For example, 1999 Masters Spectator Guides, free at the course, are selling for upward of $8 at eBay (www.ebay.com).

Free pairings sheets for the 1999 tournament and other years sell for around $2. And auction shoppers will pay $9 or more, plus shipping and handling, for a $6 lapel pin commemorating this year's tournament.

Autographs are other hot auction items. At eBay, you can purchase copies of Sports Illustrated magazines signed by Masters winners Arnold Palmer, Art Wall Jr., Craig Stadler, Raymond Floyd, Ian Woosnam, Billy Casper, Fuzzy Zoeller, Sam Snead and others.

One seller is also offering a 1975 Sports Illustrated, autographed by Lee Elder the year he broke the color barrier at Augusta National.

Bids start at $1. And for around $26, a golf fan bought a green Masters visor signed by past champions Mark O'Meara, Nick Faldo and Mr. Stadler.

Don't expect prices to stay low for long, though. Most golfers' autographs fetch big bucks, especially when their signature is sold in conjunction with something related to the Masters.

The asking price for a yellow pin flag signed by 1992 champion Fred Couples is about $105.

``This pin flag from the 1999 Masters (was) signed by Fred Couples on Monday, April 5, 1999. This item would look awesome framed,'' the eBay seller from North Carolina wrote.

Another eBay seller is offering a copy of the 1973 Dawson Taylor book, The Masters -- Profile of a Tournament, for about $300.

The leather-bound book with a cover that resembles an Augusta National green jacket also includes the signatures of six Masters champions: Gay Brewer, Bob Goalby, Tommy Aaron, Tom Watson, Craig Stadler and Larry Mize.

For about $800, a golf fan can purchase a framed Masters flag signed by 18 winners, including Byron Nelson, Mr. Snead, Guy Middlecoff, Mr. Goalby, Gary Player, Bernhard Langer, Sandy Lyle, Mr. Faldo, Jose Maria Olazabal and Mr. O'Meara. That piece also includes photographs of some of the winners.

Commemorative and one-of-a-kind items are also high-ticket items at online auctions.

At Amazon.com Auctions (www.amazon.com), one seller is offering a Tiger Woods Limited Edition Masters Commemorative Driver, made by Cobra, for $1,500.

Seller Jerry Samovitz is also trading on Mr. Woods' Masters win, offering a commemorative numbered putter identical to the one used by the 1997 champion.

At press time, bids were around $2,025 -- less than Mr. Samovitz is willing to sell it for.

``I am selling the putter for another party and I have no sentimental attachment for the putter,'' eBay auctioneer Mr. Samovitz wrote in an e-mail message.

Even companies that do business with Augusta National are joining the auction craze.

The company that manufactures money clips for the club sold a one-of-a-kind prototype on eBay for about $500.

According to the item description, Augusta National officials decided not to purchase the new design, which features the Masters logo.

``It is the only one every made, and the only one which will ever be made. No mold was ever created,'' the seller wrote.

Buyers should be cautious when purchasing from online auctions. At most auction sites, buyers can rate sellers and check out their delivery track record, but there are still some problems with the system.

``The vast majority of sellers are honest and faithful, but with millions of sellers, there are bound to be a few losers -- frauds who take your money and don't ship the promised items,'' said Jeff Bezos, founder and chief executive officer of Amazon.com

His company, best known for selling books online, guarantees buyers a safe-auction experience by promising to refund the purchase price of all items under $250 to buyers who get cheated.