Even probably the most apathetic sports fan knows in regards to the green hat. Sold exclusively on the Masters—the distinguished golf tournament held annually at Augusta National in Augusta, Georgia in the course of the first full week of April—it’s not a lot an adjunct as a sartorial signal to the world that you simply were amongst those lucky “patrons” who attended the elite event: an idyllic golfer’s mecca of civility, top-tier vehicles, and classic Southern food—you won’t leave this magical, Disney-like place hungry. Considering the social currency it provides, a Masters hat is value every penny of its $32 price tag.
For the uninitiated, the primary major golf championship of the season is well known on a world scale for its wealthy history and traditions, including but not limited to the coveted merchandise, only available to buy on-site (or via the secondary market at an enormous markup). In 2022, the Masters was estimated to gather $69 million in merch sales, in response to Forbes, which sports and business expert Joe Pompliano broke down in a recent tweet to around “$10 million a day, $1 million an hour, $16,000 a minute, and $277 every second.” The club has two golf foremost golf shops that sell all the pieces from polos to half-zip pullovers, needlepoint belts, the hard-to-find gnome, and, after all, green hats. (You won’t find the green jacket, reserved just for members and winners.)
A 2023 Masters patron shows off her merch.
Patrick Smith//Getty Images
Increasingly brands are getting in on the motion. Tory Burch, Peter Millar, and Maui Jim have all created limited-edition collections for the Masters. As a part of her Tory Sport line of performance-driven activewear, Burch’s cashmere sweaters, icon cardigans, argyle merino crewneck, and gingham pants were particularly big hits this 12 months, together with a special colorblock camera bag emblazoned with an illustration of the Augusta National clubhouse, despite no photos being allowed on the premises. Perhaps what makes the merch so popular is the indisputable fact that only your haul can show you were there, or at the very least know someone who was.
J.Lindeberg even opened its first-ever pop-up in the course of the Masters, where top customers could immerse themselves within the Swedish label’s universe and shop House of J.Lindeberg, a capsule collection designed for wearing on and off the course (like hoodies, hats made in collaboration with Recent Era, and custom-made golf bags designed with MacKenzie). All the pieces exist in limited quantities, so there’s a “get it or regret it” feel, head of design Neil Lewty tells ELLE.com. “Merchandise obviously serves as memorabilia, but since the tournament is so exclusive, it’s inconceivable to purchase elsewhere,” he says. “It is sort of like a badge of honor—you’ve attended and also you were a component of something very special on this moment in time.”
The azaleas surrounding Augusta National’s thirteenth hole served as inspiration for a lot of J.Lindeberg designs.
Stephen Munday//Getty Images
There are two ways of stepping into the Masters: either you’re grandfathered in and have season passes, otherwise you enter the lottery. “I really like how old-school it’s,” Lewty adds. “Cell phones aren’t permitted and the food and beverage prices are such as you’re back within the ’90s. [Editor’s note: Concession prices at the Masters are remarkably low—a pimento cheese sandwich will cost you $1.50.] The organizers have really kept the tournament unique and special. They haven’t just capitalized on this moment. It’s the players and golf. All of it goes back to the game.”
Other luxury partners, like Mercedes-Benz, make their pride as a sponsor known by providing VIP guests and players with an electrical automotive to get to and from the club, entering on the famous Magnolia Lane—quiet luxury at its finest. Each EQE-class model offers heated and massaging seats, scents to pick from (“Mimosa” is an excellent alternative for Masters Sunday), in addition to a passenger display that may stream content while the automotive is moving—but sadly not the tournament itself, seeing as that might potentially be hazardous depending on whether the player makes par on a hole. Beyond the transportation experience, the German carmaker hosts a select group at Firethorn Cabin, a hospitality area by the tenth fairway replete with free-flowing drinks, Masters food staples like egg salad and the aforementioned pimento cheese sandwiches, and folding chairs to secure your viewing spot on the green.
In a world where an individual’s value is set by their variety of Instagram followers, in case you’re not actually going to the Masters yourself, perhaps the merch is the following neatest thing. You’ll just have to seek out a extremely good friend who will buy it for you.
Deputy Editor
Claire Stern is the Deputy Editor of ELLE.com. Previously, she served as Editor at Bergdorf Goodman. Her interests include fashion, food, travel, music, Peloton, and The Hills—not necessarily in that order. She used to have a Harriet the Spy notebook and isn’t ashamed to confess it.
