Augusta National is technically the only place where you can buy Masters merchandise, meaning only those attending the golf tournament are eligible to purchase gear. The select few who are awarded Masters tickets are prohibited from selling these passes as well as listing Augusta merchandise for sale. The Masters does not offer an online store for apparel such as hats and polos. There are secondary sites that have ignored these warnings with listings of Masters merchandise for sale.

My lone trip to the Masters began (and ended) at the iconic gift shop on the hallowed grounds of Augusta National. I know what you are thinking. How can I buy Masters merchandise if I am not going to Augusta? The short answer is the best way is to know a friend who is attending the Masters.

The lack of a Masters online store has enhanced the value of attending the event even more. The longer explanation is that everything has a price, and you can find Masters merch (as the kids call it) on the secondary market for more than patrons pay at Augusta.

As an example, I bought an assortment of Masters hats (pictured above) in the $25 to $30 range and similar lids are being sold on eBay for $50, on average. There are plenty of alternate sites on the internet offering Masters gear but be advised that none of these are the official store. If you are looking to find the best deals and widest assortment, eBay is a good starting point.

This reality had me spending a good deal of time both getting into the Masters store then being a bit overwhelmed by the offerings. Minutes after walking out of the building, I heard the dreadful siren announcing inclement weather was ending that’s day’s festivities. My only trip to Augusta was over before it started, but at least I had a new Masters hat for each day of the week.

Here is what you need to know about buying Masters merchandise.

What Can You Buy at the Masters Store?

So, you are one of the select few that is attending this year’s Masters. What can you buy at the store? It is a bit like standing in line at Disney, and you may want to start your day there to avoid the long lines. It is also helpful to start at the store if you want to purchase one of the folding green chairs to use for the day.

There is an unwritten rule that you can sit in a vacant chair, but be prepared to move once the person comes back. You can also leave your chairs at your preferred hole while you walk around the course, but there may be another person sitting in your seat when you return.

The only downside to beginning your day at the Masters store is you will have to carry around your items the entire day unless you pay extra to ship merchandise back home. You may feel like you are waiting to ride Disney’s splash mountain, but the folks at Augusta National do a great job of moving people through the line quickly.

Keep in mind, there are no cell phones allowed during the Masters, so you will have to make conversation with your neighbor or be alone with your thoughts (terrifying) just like the old days before the internet. Once you make it inside, be prepared to be a little overwhelmed. Chances are whatever you are looking for with the iconic yellow Masters logo, there will be five different varieties to choose from at the store.

Picking a polo is quite the experience with several different sections split up by brands with your available options on the wall with a number, After surveilling the options, go to the counter and ask one of the friendly associates for the number and size you want. It is a bit like ordering an Italian sub, but in this case it is a navy striped Peter Millar polo.

There are also plenty of racks where you can browse through some of the available polos, t-shirts, quarter zips and sweaters as well. Like the polo walls, there is a whole hat section with close to 100 different options for purchase. There are a few fitted options, but the vast majority are adjustable with a velcro strap or plastic snaps.

Judging by the secondary market, the garden gnomes are extremely popular but then you have to carry around the little fellow the entire day. Someone just got excited reading that, so you do you.

There are coffee mugs, tumblers, koozies, chairs, photos, glasses, pens, stationary and a ton of golf related items as well. The yellow Augusta National flag is a smart purchase as you can frame it for your office, sports cave or gift to another golf fan in your life.

How Does the Masters Gear Fit?

As we mentioned above, the majority of hats are adjustable meaning it is one size fits all with a handful of fitted options as well. As for the polos, it will depend on the brand, but I found the shirts to fit slightly larger than normal. Not big enough to recommend sizing down, but my polos were a little longer than most brands.

The Masters brand as well as Peter Millar are two of the most popular polo offerings at Augusta. With brands like TravisMathew offering a more fitted look, the majority of the Masters polos fit slightly larger than other companies’ offerings.

Now you know what to purchase at the Masters store, did we mention you will have a lot of concession options as well? The Masters food (along with its notoriously affordable prices) deserve an article of its own.