South Carolina man has collection of 15,000 golf balls

BLUFFTON, S.C. — Millions of people love golf, but how many people love golf balls? How many of those people collect them?

Doug Coupe says yes to both questions. He loves golf balls so much, he now has 15,000 of them all organized, categorized and alphabetized. They're displayed in rows upon rows of shelves in his attic.

There are the ones from the golf courses he's played, about 486. There are also golf balls given to him by friends who've played all over the world. "You run a borderline issue where sometimes something could morph into what might be deemed a job, if you will ... And I didn't, you know, this is certainly recreation," Coupe told WSAV.

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His favorite? It's from the fictional Bushwood Country Club featured in the film "Caddyshack." "I mean, if you're gonna have a favorite ball, it might as well be from 'Caddyshack,'" said Coupe.

He admits he's either a "very sick man or a guy with too much time on his hands."

The hobby started about 20 years ago, and 85 percent of the collection was found by Coupe and his wife. "A lot of balls would end up in the rivers, so I'd go in the river to take the balls ... And if I found a logo ball I'd just throw it in a bucket," said Coupe.

NBC/WSAV