Attending the Masters is, for many, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But beyond taking in the iconic sights and hallowed grounds of Augusta National, there is one place where everyone pays a visit.
The Golf Shop.
With Masters merchandise not sold online, attending the event is the only way to source exclusive clothes, branded memorabilia or Masters-themed golf gear for yourself and others. Because of that, the queues are always lengthy and many patrons are willing to spend an awful lot of money.
How much exactly? Well, a Forbes report from 2022 suggested that Augusta National expects to make in excess of $69million - around $10m per day of the tournament - from merchandise alone.
When broken down further, that figure equates:
- -$1m per hour
- -$16,000 per minute
- -$277 every second
Other reports have suggested that some patrons have spent as much as $30,000 on Masters merchandise in one single purchase. That boom in sales has, in large part, been aided by the redevelopment of the shop in 2018 which saw it double in size in an aid to cut down on queue times and offer a more extensive range of items.
I asked a volunteer what’s the most amount they’ve seen *one* person spend in the Masters Shop. The answer: $30,000 Thirty thousand dollars spent on Masters merch… pic.twitter.com/kraAIrkqwFApril 9, 2024
While some of the most expensive items in the shop, such as a pack of commemorative silver and gold coins celebrating Arnold Palmer's four Masters victories, can cost around $750, the most popular purchases are often a lot cheaper.
In recent years, that item has been the Masters gnome. Retailing at $49.95 (£40), the item was first released in 2016 and has gone on to become a sell-out hit with patrons.
This year's rendition has seen the gnome kitted out with a bucket hat, blue sweater and bag of club, with queues already appearing outside the merchandise shop as early as 5am in the morning in order to secure the must-have item.
So, if you're one of the lucky patrons on site this week to take in the golf action, make time to pop into the golf shop and pick yourself up some memorabilia. Just be prepared to queue first.
