Scoring authentic Masters merch is a bit like hitting a hole in one: rare and hard to do.

The Masters, of course, is one of professional golf’s four major tournaments and the first of the calendar year. It teed off on Thursday, April 6, at Augusta National Golf Club, the beautiful, rolling private greens in Augusta, GA, that hosts the tournament every year.

Welcome to the Masters. #themasters pic.twitter.com/vxLnWqVRFK

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 6, 2023

And there was merch. Lots of it. Exclusive merch.

Official Masters branded merchandise for each year’s event is only sold on-site at Augusta during the tournament, imbuing the swag with a rarity factor that makes it much sought-after. Sure, you can purchase pieces on eBay and the like from resellers for exorbitant sums, but there’s something special about buying a hat or a polo – or a garden gnome – from the shop at Augusta.

Alas, we were once again among the multitudes unable to do so, but we were able to find word about what may be surprising, or at least unexpected, Masters merch trends from journalists in Augusta. In that, there’s inspiration for promo pros. Here’s a look:

The Masters Patron Gnome

What's the only thing harder to get at Augusta National than a front row seat to watch Tiger on 12? That would be a Masters gnome.https://t.co/xXIJAY6COA

— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) April 1, 2023

It seems the most popular merch item is the 13.5” Masters Patron Gnome. So much in-demand is this pleasantly pudgy little guy that folks are prohibited from buying more than one. In 2022, the gnomes reportedly sold out in 10 minutes. They retail for about $50 at the shop but can fetch hundreds of dollars on the secondary market.

Each annual tournament now gets a new interpretation of the gnome; in 2020 there was a Christmas-inspired gnome that reminded many of Santa, for instance. This year’s white-bearded bloke is not only a promotional product himself, he’s also a walking advertisement for Masters swag, with his Masters polo, Masters badge, Masters green and white golf shoes, and stack of Masters-logoed beverage cups.

COVID-19 forced the 2020 Masters to be moved from its customary second weekend of April to November. Given the holiday-season timing, that year’s tournament had a Christmas-themed gnome. (This one was for sale on eBay for $350.)

Promo Takeaway: Suggest creating a similar custom keepsake for key clients’ big golf events. Perhaps it’s a large corporation hosting a golf outing for its important customers’ executives; a golf-themed gnome branded to the event/client could be a unique part of a gift package. Depending on budget, nonprofits hosting golf fundraisers could also potentially thank select attendees/sponsors with such a gnome. Heck, it doesn’t even have to be a gnome: Take inspiration from the general “cute factor” and offer something equally adorable, such as a branded golf-themed plush toy. 

Check out golf polo and accessories options available from industry suppliers in this showcase compiled by ASI Media Product Editor Joe Haley. 

Bucket Hats

A range of ball caps and visors continue to be popular at the Masters, including the seemingly always-desired unstructured dad hat with a subtle embroidered logo. Still, bucket hats have “picked up steam” in recent years and are again featuring prominently in the 2023 collection, The Augusta Chronicle reports. “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,” writes the Chronicle’s Will Cheney.

This Masters bucket hat, which a reseller was offering on eBay, went beyond the traditional green and white with a summery salmon color.

Promo Takeaway: Pitch branded bucket hats as a headwear option for golf events. Consider sourcing a bucket hat in the client’s brand colors or that coordinates with a particular event theme. Perhaps there’s a golf outing helping to raise funds to fight prostate cancer; the hat – or at least the graphics/logo on it – can be the light blue of that cancer’s awareness color.

All-over patterns have become more popular on bucket hats, too, even in the golf world. As such, you could get creative and work closely with decorators to create an all-over pattern for the hat that features something distinctive about the client, the event, the cause the tournament is supporting, or even the course or the game of golf itself. If your client is a golf course/club, a bucket hat with graphics of distinguishing traits of that course or entity’s history may be appropriate, along with the client’s logo.

Trucker Style

Speaking to WTOC reporter Hayley Boland, Masters patron Keri Welis said she spent $1,700 on Masters merch in about 20 minutes. Her favorite item? “I love all the new trucker hats. I love the new material,” Welis said.

Y'all, the Golf Shop here at Augusta National is NO JOKE. You can only buy Masters gear right here during the tournament, so people go in with lists of items for themselves and their loved ones! Take a look: https://t.co/tRsjkYR1vD

— Hayley Boland (@Hayley_BolandTV) April 5, 2023

Promo Takeaway: Hats that take their origins from America’s hard-working truckers may not be what some would immediately expect to find at a private club like Augusta, but clearly the style has transcended any fussy preconceived notions about who might like them; they’ve become widely popular, including with golfers. Given that, be sure to show trucker-hat styles as potential headwear options for any clients’ golf-related initiatives/events. Trucker hats that feature a rope band running along where the brim/visor meets the front panel may prove especially on-trend.

Trucker-style rope cap (i5011) from Cap America (asi/43792).

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