AUGUSTA, Ga. — Part of the allure of attending the Masters Tournament is the chance to leaving with unique keepsakes.
Simply put, Augusta National Golf Club is the only place that sells these items and the Masters is the only time one can obtain them. There’s a level of exclusivity to that intrigues people. Somebody will probably never ask, “Where did you get that,” because most know exactly where it came from.
Whether you’re a first-time patron or a regular that wants to update their collection, there’s something interesting for everyone at the golf shops at the Masters.
“I’ve been to the Masters several times, but just wanted to get some updated shirts and hats; shirts and hats and anything unique, maybe,” Mike Bechtol of Chico, California, said Sunday. “They have a few annual, unique things that are kind of interesting.”
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The Main Golf Shop only goes so far, however. When asked if there was anything he was still searching for, Carl Turner of Aiken, South Carolina, didn’t skip a beat.
“Tickets for Sunday,” he said, jokingly.
Turner and Samuel Ford, also from Aiken, were looking to add to their commemorative coin and pin collections, along with one of the commemorative watches.
With that in mind, here are the six hottest items – some traditional, some new – that patrons are headed for first during the 2023 Masters.
Gnomes
The gnomes of Augusta National have gained a cult following over the years. The design changes annually; this year’s gnome being dressed as a patron donning a Masters visor and carrying folding chair over his shoulder and a stack of empty concessions cups in his hand.
Originally dressed as a caddie, miniature versions of that design can still be had in the merchandise shop relatively easily. The full-sized versions, however, are the hottest ticket in town. They sell out very quickly and that was the case for Turner this year.
“I’ve got a few at home now that I’ve bought,” he said. “This year when I got here they were all sold out, but they said in the morning they’ll re-stock and should have some.”
How fast, exactly? Not too long after the merchandise shops open up for the day.
“For some crazy reason, they’ve actually sold out of that every day in 10 minutes. It’s kind of nuts,” Bechtol said. “I do have a friend that collects them and he’ll be here Thursday, so he’ll probably be here when the whole thing opens and run in there and get a gnome.”
The shops re-stock the shelves every day during tournament week, but the gnomes continue to fly off the shelves.
Hole-themed headwear
Hats are forever one of the staples of a trip to Augusta National. This year, among the more than 70 options for headgear, there exists a series commemorating a few of the holes on the course.
The first comes in a pastel pink with the word “Azalea” in green on the front, with a green rope across the base of the bill. It’s named after No. 13, the iconic par 5 which was stretched to 545 yards this year.
Patrons line up to enter the Golf Shop during the final round of the 2023 Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club. (Photo: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)
The second comes in that classic Masters green with “Amen Corner” on the front in white. That, of course, refers to the stretch of holes 11-13. Golf writer Herbert Warren Wind coined the term in 1958 as Arnold Palmer was in the midst of his first Masters win. The shade of green and the text together are immediately recognizable, making it an instant classic.
The third is dark blue with the phrase “Skip It” in green, in reference to players skipping their tee shots across the water on the par-3 No. 16 during the practice rounds.
Other styles of hats
While the traditional ballcap or visor is the go-to for many patrons, bucket hats have picked up steam at the merchandise shops over the years.
The traditional green and white offering is still available, but there are more color options on the shelves this year, including white and a salmon color.
In addition to the bucket-style hats, woven straw hats with a Masters band around the crown seem to be one of the more popular designs this year.
And there’s a Masters stocking cap in the lineup, too, to keep you warm in the winter.
Drinkware
Glasses and tumblers are always a popular category when it comes to Masters merchandise.
Stainless steel tumblers with differing designs are available, from simple white and green colorways with the Masters logo, to fancier designs featuring past Masters badges and different hallmarks from the course. One popular pattern this year – which is also featured on several shirts – uses simple drawings of familiar items like scoreboards and directional signs. Those particular cups come in pink and mint green.
The shop also has an assortment of glassware, from wine glasses to rocks glasses and highball glasses, featuring etched Masters logos.
Of course, the concessions cups always make for a popular souvenir.
Drink sleeves
As you reach the checkout line in the Main Golf Shop, among the popular items you can grab are the Masters-themed drink sleeves.
They come in a number of colors, including green, pink and blue and some even have magnets so they can be kept conveniently on the refrigerator. There are a number of sizes, as well, to accommodate cups, cans and bottles. On the bottle jackets, in particular, some are designed to replicate Augusta National caddie uniforms.
Christmas ornaments
There are a number of Christmas ornaments available this year as well. The most popular seem to be the traditional enamel globe-style, featuring the Masters logo.
In addition to those, the shop features woven-fabric ornaments with the tournament logos. For anyone familiar with the needlepoint-style belts, wallets and keychains, these designs are very similar.
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