AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — If the world of high fashion has Fashion Week in Milan, with sleek models dressed in avant-garde looks strutting down the runways, then the golf world has the Masters, where players bound down verdant green fairways in azalea-inspired polos, exotic bird prints, the yellows of jasmine and the pinks of the dogwoods.
Over the last few years, golf apparel companies have begun treating the first full week of April as their moment to
shine, unveiling lineups of Masters-inspired drops they hope can capture the attention of those focused on the season's first major.
The surf-style company Johnnie-O, for example, dips into the Deep South with its classic, understated Azalea Collection. Rhobak likewise offers an Azalea Collection, though with bold flower patterns designed to invoke the feel of being on the grounds of Augusta National. Malbon Golf, meanwhile, offers a “Birds of Georgia” set featuring images of those typically found about the course.
Yet none of them carry the iconic Masters logo. Or reference Amen Corner. Or use the words “Green Jacket.”
All of those are trademarked by the club — three of nearly 100 trademarks on file — and force outside apparel companies to creatively build their connections to both the tournament and Augusta National without infringing on their intellectual property.
“Makers of products for mass market dream of becoming a supplier to Walmart. Likewise, high-end brands salivate at the idea of winning a mandate from the Masters,” said John Sabino, author of “The Augusta Principles: Timeless Business Lessons from the World’s Premier Golf Club.” "Apparel companies want to tap into the Masters' high-quality association and leverage the club's exalted brand."
Yet tapping into that association is harder than it sounds
The Masters has its own retail operations that generate about $70 million in revenue this week alone, and nearly all of its products can only be purchased on site. It's not uncommon for patrons to drop thousands of dollars in a single visit to the main golf shop just off the first fairway, and then come back for more, eventually emerging with souvenir bags stuffed to the brim.
“I honestly think the Augusta pro shop is one of the best pro shops in golf,” Masters participant Tommy Fleetwood said.
But unlike the U.S. Open or PGA Championship, where familiar sporting brands like Nike, Adidas and Under Armour have their logoed apparel available, the gear from the Masters is primarily in-house products — no “Swooshes” here.
“Augusta National excels at using scarcity to create value,” Sabino said. “The only way to buy Masters-branded merchandise is at the Masters. Other sports and events allow people to buy online. Even Wimbledon. Augusta National is unique in this regard, so it creates a great demand for golf lovers who can’t attend the tournament.”
That's where companies like Johnnie-O saw an opportunity to fill a void with lines that are merely inspired by the Masters.
“Last year we had just a few pieces for the first major of the year,” said Dave Neville, the company's senior vice president of marketing, “and there was so much demand that we felt like we needed a full collection.”
Since launching its Azalea Collection, Johnnie-O's e-commerce sales are up 30%, and such “moment-driven merchandise” is one of the reasons the company is aggressively expanding from 14 retail locations to 30 over the next 18 months.
“With new golfers wearing Johnnie-O on (the PGA) Tour this year," Neville said, “we put additional emphasis on these moments.”
Malbon has turned heads at Augusta National the last few years with out-there looks for Masters participant Jason Day.
This year, the “Birds of Georgia” look includes both shirt and pants, each splashed with images of scarlet tanagers, eastern bluebirds and redheaded woodpeckers. But the combo turned out to be a bit too loud, Day explained after a practice round early in the week, so the club asked him to tone things down by wearing some khaki pants instead.
“I saw a couple people out there wearing the shirt and the full kit and kaboodle,” he said, “which is a little aggressive, but I like it.”
In other words, Malbon's marketing through the Masters has paid off.
TravisMathew is looking for the same kind of payoff with looks inspired by Masters participant Akshay Bhatia's “ favorite time of year. ” Callaway has a “Patrons Welcome” collection that includes one polo covered in a cascade of pimento cheese sandwiches. Ghost Golf offers a similarly coined “Patrons Only Collection" of classic, dark-green clothing and accessories. Puma Golf has its “30904 Collection,” named for the ZIP code of Augusta National, which leans heavily into peaches and greens.
“No ticket? No problem," Puma's site says. "The 30904 Collection was made to bring the Georgia state of mind to your watch party.”
By outfitting you just like you were on the grounds at Augusta National.
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