GOLF
Masters Patrons Are Going Crazy For Garden Gnomes
Apr 5, 2023, 3:07 PM | Updated: 3:18 pm
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 04: A detail view of a Masters gnome outside the golf shop during a practice round prior to the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 04, 2023 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – One of the great aspects of the Masters is the merchandise. There’s no online shop; all of it comes from the hallowed grounds of August National Golf Club.
So the exclusive nature of Masters merchandise makes it coveted. The coveted element has ramped up with the 2023 event.
Masters Merchandise: 2023 Garden Gnome
This week at Augusta, patrons have been pursuing a garden gnome. That’s right, a garden gnome wearing a Masters polo and shorts and is carrying a sleeve of Masters cups is the popular item.
The consummate patron. #BringYourBest pic.twitter.com/NRui75slSY
— The Masters (@TheMasters) March 25, 2023
The Masters garden gnomes have become an annual tradition at Augusta. And the 2023 edition is one of the hot items.
“They have these gnomes that are about 16 to 18 inches high, and they only release 700 a day,” said Utah Golf Radio host Bob Casper, who is at the 2023 Masters, to the KSL Sports Zone. “First thing in the morning, so if you get in there early in the morning, you have a chance to get one.”
Even if you’re in Augusta, good luck getting one.
“Oh, they sell out every day. They sell out in the first hour every day,” said Casper.
According to Casper, the retail on these gnomes is around 70 dollars. However, some of the patrons that are the lucky few who come away with the gnomes are flipping them into profits online. If you take a look at online retailer eBay, the 2023 Masters gnomes have bids that are nearing $200.
Many influencers on social media sites such as TikTok have shown their “Masters hauls,” and a prominent item in their bag is the gnome.
Transactions are flying through Augusta National
Other hot items are the pro shop at Augusta includes a Masters script hat in pink that says “Azalea” on the front. 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia was seen wearing the Azalea hat during Wednesday’s Par 3 tournament.
But in all reality, you could say any merchandise from the Masters is a “hot item.” Especially when you realize how often they are ringing people up for transactions.
“We had dinner with a guy the other night, and he said, as far as the merchandise is concerned, Augusta National swipes a credit card 450 times a minute during the week of the Masters,” said Casper.
The first round of the 2023 Masters begins on Thursday, April 6, at 6 a.m. (MT).
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU moving to the Big 12 Conference on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
