Old, Busted Cars Still Priced as Brand New!

Jay Leno may be notorious for his collection of land heap. But long before his reign as top automobile collection, there was a man by the name of Roger Baillon who would have kicked the living daylight out of Leno’s collection.

Apparently, the French transport business tycoon had collected more than a hundred units of vintage and rare cars during his astounding prime in the 50s and 60s. Ranging from Jaguar Type S 3.4L, Facel Vega to a Hispano Suiza H6B Cabriolet Million-Guillet, these automobiles were the ultimate chariots during the 30s until the 50s, as some of which were used and/or owned by celebrities, important personalities and royalties.

Photo courtesy: Artcurial.com

If only the luxury cars were still in top shape, these cars were ditched and left for dead in a private farm owned by the Baillon family, unrealized. Quite ironic to see none of these priceless automobiles have (or any evidence of “had”) car covers on them.

Where did all these cars come from?

It was told in some reports that Roger Baillon was an avid car collector back in the day. And quite obviously, he was, as the cars are not just your average “expensive” wagons. Some of these have a historical piece imprints, just like the said, Talbot-Lago T26 Cabriolet – a car previously owned by Farouk, King of Egypt – and the Ferrari 250 – as used by Shirley McLaine and Jane Fonda in the movie, Les Felins.

Furthermore, rarities are also included on the list such as the Ferrari 250 GT California SWB – which is according to Ferrari historians, only 37 units were manufactured. As for the endangered Maserati A6G 200 Berlinetta, it was reported that only 3 of these particular model were built during the time, making it one of the rarest cars in the world.

Luck turned its back on Baillon in the 70s when his company suffered major business fallout, and was forced to sell 50 of his 120 priced cars just to get by with the unfortunate event. 60 of which nearly went to oblivion until the recent discovery of these trove of vintage cars by the Baillon grandchildren.

Does it still have any worth?

Upon the recent re-discovery of these precious rides by Baillon’s grandchildren, it has been reported that the cars still have a hefty price tag despite the saddening condition. The cars are set to be auctioned in Paris on February, 2015, and will be facilitated by French auction house, Art Curial. As for the price? The collection could go up to a staggering price of £12,000,000 ($18,000,000) or even more.

This redefines the old saying, “One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure.”

Ice Golf: Putting Never Looked this Cool

Yes, you heard it right! There’s such a thing as ice golf. And since most of the winter-affected areas are forced to take a sabbatical from swinging and place a golf cart cover on their grass heap until the ice melts, why not try this rather unusual way of playing the good ol’ gentleman’s game instead of booking a flight down south for a needed tee off?

As far as the middle ages, ice golf – presumably along with hockey – has always been a favorite past time of the Dutch, as evidenced in the paintings of Auet van der Neer and Hendrick Avercamp. Since then, the rather unusual game of golf became very popular among Scottish as well as the game started to develop. In fact, even the renowned English writer Rudyard Kipling was a known snow golf fanatic, pushing the further advancement of the sport with the help of fellow writer and Sherlock Holmes creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

What’s the Difference?

Think of it as regular golf… Only in ice and with an edge! Winter Golf is usually played obviously on the snow and frozen lakes. More so, the course is relatively shorter than the usual golf we play in the fairways. Using colored ball instead of the traditional whites, this particular element keeps the players in the know as to where their balls land in the vast horizons of winter white.

Fashion and gear-wise, collared shirts and flowy trousers are replaced with a more resilient thermal wear and snow boots. And of course, winter golf is way more intense and exhilarating than regular golf, considering the terrain the condition most players endure during the game – making it more challenging and engaging.

Things to Consider when Playing Winter Golf

Photo courtesy: TimoHonkelaEnglish via Wikipedia

When deciding to play winter golf, first thing you need to have is a reliable set of wardrobe that can endure harsh condition. The cold weather is basically the number 1 challenge every player needs to take into attention, so you must ensure to wear proper attire and ditch the traditional tee shirts and sun visors for a while.

When it comes to gameplay, remember that snow golf basically has shorter courses, larger holes and softer playing surface. Hence, you must assess your gameplay, strokes and handicap, as the game experience is way too different from playing in the greens. Furthermore, the entire game is a bit faster and more “on-the-go”, that’s why it is highly recommended to stay hydrated during the game.

Overall, snow golfing isn’t as different as some, if not most golfers think. You can have the experience that plays at par with that of regular golf game. As of now, the popularity of this game is slowly making its way in the mainstream sports, and in fact has its own tournament.

To tell you straightforward, it’s worth the try!