At the Masters Tournament, where tradition clings to every blade of grass and the phrase “patrons only” is spoken with reverence, it is easy to assume the biggest prize involves a green jacket or a pristine view of Amen Corner. But during tournament week, another item inspires lines nearly as long as those for pimento cheese sandwiches: a foot-tall, ceramic gnome.
Yes, a gnome.
Each year, Augusta National Golf Club quietly unveils a new limited-edition garden gnome as part of its exclusive on-site merchandise collection. This year’s iteration features the bearded figure in a fresh pose, decked out in a patterned light green polo and holding a snack. While the gnome’s expression is as serene as the fairways behind Butler Cabin, the response from fans is anything but.
Shoppers arrive early, and the first order of business for many is not to walk the historic course or glimpse the world’s best players at the range. It is to secure the gnome. Once the gates open, patrons make a beeline for the merchandise pavilion, where gnome inventories vanish in hours.
By afternoon, most are long gone.
The gnomes are not “officially” sold online. They are not restocked. And, true to Augusta National’s famously strict merchandising policy, they are not made available anywhere else. This scarcity fuels a thriving secondary market. Within minutes of purchase, gnomes begin appearing on eBay, where resale prices routinely climb into the hundreds of dollars.
This year’s gnome, originally priced under $50, was already fetching more than six times that amount and it’s not even the end of the event.
As absurd as it sounds, the Masters gnome is a legitimate cultural artifact, blending Southern garden charm with golf’s most exclusive brand. In a setting that typically leans heavily on understatement, the gnome is a wink to fans who want to take home a piece of the experience, preferably something that cannot be found anywhere else.
“It’s the one souvenir that’s kind of silly and kind of brilliant,” said a longtime patron who has attended ten Masters. “It reminds you that even here, there’s room for a little fun.”
Augusta National has long been known for its tightly controlled image. That includes a merchandise operation that is among the most efficient in all of sports. The main merchandise pavilion feels more like an upscale department store than a souvenir tent, with clean lines, crisp branding, and staff who make checkout feel seamless even amid crowds.
The gnome stands out. It is the rare item that blends novelty with scarcity, something Augusta National appears to have embraced with surprising enthusiasm. Each year brings a new design, giving returning fans a reason to collect and new fans a reason to join the hunt. Gnome collectors now swap photos of their shelves online, posting their ceramic lineups like prized baseball cards.
And in a tournament that prizes decorum, the gnome has become an acceptable outlet for enthusiasm. It is not as dignified as a Masters tie, nor as wearable as a branded vest, but like the Butler’s Cabin, it is unmistakably part of the experience now.
What began as a novelty has turned into an unofficial rite of passage. If you are going to stand under the Georgia pines, soak in the stillness of Hogan Bridge, and marvel at the engineering of the 12th green, then yes, you might also find yourself cradling a gnome.
At the Masters, tradition is sacred. But once a year, for a few fleeting hours each morning, the gnome takes center stage. And for reasons that are both charming and completely mystifying, that feels just right.
And the gnomes, among other merch, is a moneymaker for Augusta National. PGA Pro Brendon Elliott estimates the merch shops generate about a million dollars in sales per hour during the Masters. That’s $16,000 per minute.
Where Did The Masters Gnome Tradition Start?
The history of the Masters Tournament gnome is steeped in both tradition and a touch of whimsy. Records show that this iconic collectible made its first appearance in 2016. In that inaugural year we don’t know the exact size of the production run, but who could have guessed at its success?
The design, though modest, captured the understated elegance and exclusivity that have come to define the Masters Tournament. It was an instant hit among devotees of the sport and casual collectors alike, establishing the gnome as a cherished memento of one of golf’s most revered events.
Over the years the Masters Tournament gnome has emerged as more than just a piece of merchandise; it has come to symbolize the seamless blending of tradition and creativity at Augusta National. Each successive year has seen the release of a new edition that preserves the essential character of the original while introducing subtle design variations that pay homage to the evolving spirit of the tournament.
How Much is a Masters Gnome Worth?
As with any collectable, one of the best ways to determine the value is by looking at what actually sold on the market. Sure, we see Masters golf gnomes with prices in the hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars. But what are they actually selling for?
We checked the “sold” items on eBay, and it turns out the asking prices are pretty close to what they sell for. We see previous years’ gnomes selling with prices from $100 to $390. That isn’t list prices. Those are the prices that actually led to sales.
And those prices are just for individual gnomes. Full sets of gnomes go for much, much more. We found one sold listing that included all the gnomes from 2018 to 2025 that sold for $13,000!
This modest figure encapsulates the charm of the Masters Tournament. It represents an ongoing dialogue between history and innovation in golf culture. Fans continue to eagerly anticipate the unveiling of each new edition as a small yet enduring emblem of the tournament. In many ways the Masters Tournament gnome stands as a living piece of history, its evolution reflecting both the steadfast heritage and the dynamic future of one of the world’s most celebrated sporting events.
Expect it to stick around as a collector’s item for years to come.
