The rise of a lawn gnome as the most sought-after item at the Masters

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Ryan Carey is recognized as the leading expert in golf memorabilia worldwide. The Golfer’s Journal has referred to him as “golf’s treasure hunter.” His company, Golden Age Auctions, facilitates the buying and selling of the most coveted artifacts from the sport’s past. However, there is one priceless golf item that he chose not to pursue.

“I was skeptical about the gnome,” Carey admits.

The once-simple garden gnome has served as a quirky decorative piece for centuries, originating in nineteenth-century Germany. In 2016, the gnome appeared in the garden section of Augusta National’s golf shop, where the 13.5-inch bearded figure, adorned in golf-themed Masters attire, was priced at around $50. A decade later, it has emerged as the most coveted collectible among the numerous items available at the Masters. It is the only product on-site restricted to one purchase per customer.

“The level of interest in these gnomes, the affection for them, and the desire to collect them is something I can’t recall witnessing before,” Carey stated. “We sold Tiger Woods’ irons from the Tiger Slam a few years back for over $5 million. I receive more inquiries about these gnomes than I do about those clubs. It’s astonishing.”

Augusta National could not have anticipated this trend either. It did not even release a gnome in 2017. However, in 2018, the gnomes returned and have remained ever since. Each year features new outfits — always the bearded gnome, sometimes holding a coffee cup or a sandwich. In 2016, it donned an argyle sweater. It has also sported a caddy’s outfit (2018), a Christmas sweater (2020, when the tournament was held in mid-November due to COVID-19), a shirt decorated with Masters badges (2021), and last year, it held one of the tournament’s Georgia peach ice cream sandwiches.

Patrons now line up for hours to acquire one, many eager to complete their collection. They dress like the gnomes. They embody the gnomes. In some instances, the gnomes become part of their family. Yet, rumors circulate that this could be the final year for the gnomes.

Augusta National typically refrains from commenting on such topics and declined to provide a statement for this article. However, the Masters does not require additional interest or revenue for its merchandise. A Forbes report in 2022 estimated its annual merchandise revenue at $69 million, or approximately $10 million per day. Patrons frequently leave the golf shop with lengthy receipts exceeding $1,000, despite reasonable pricing for most items. Masters haul videos have become a popular showcase on TikTok.

This gnome craze might be precisely what leads to its potential discontinuation. Carey mentioned that Golden Age is finally auctioning the gnomes for the first time this week during its Masters Week auction. The original edition is anticipated to fetch over $10,000.

The overt consumerism, along with the lines of individuals waiting to grab a gnome, raises concerns about its future, with a source indicating that the club was not pleased to see them appearing on eBay shortly after their release for over $500 each.

Nothing at Augusta National should overshadow Augusta National itself — certainly not a whimsical miniature figure.

KENNETH LOCKE HAS spent his entire life in Augusta. He grew up on Azalea Drive in National Hills, the neighborhood adjacent to Augusta National, and shares anecdotes of walking up the street to the gates, purchasing a pass on the spot, and entering. As a teenager, he worked there, sweeping leaves to keep Magnolia Lane, the iconic driveway leading to the clubhouse, immaculate.

Locke is passionate about the Masters, and unlike many locals, he does not rent out his home during the tournament. He prefers to stay, as he cherishes the week when the world visits his town. He aims to be part of the welcoming committee. In 2019, Locke, a cheerful retiree with a beard, recognized how much he resembled the gnome. Thus, he decided to enhance the Masters experience by dressing as the collectible item from the gift shop. He just needed the right attire. That year, a bucket hat, a plain polo, and khakis were all it took.

In 2024, when the Masters released a video promoting the tournament featuring the gnome’s arrival a week prior, Locke set to work.

He had a cardigan that matched. He purchased a coordinating hat at an antique store. He borrowed an Augusta National tie from a neighbor. His wife, Tammy, whom he refers to as “the backbone of the operation,” found matching plaid pants from golfer John Daly’s website and then painted shoes to match. He debuted his outfit at the Masters. “We went out there and it went crazy,” he said. The official Masters account even shared a photo of him with the caption, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.”

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. #themasters pic.twitter.com/t2p1eO3yBX

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 6, 2024

Locke has successfully captured the spirit in subsequent years, including last year, when the look was revealed just two days before he intended to attend the tournament. The gnome’s 2025 shirt featured illustrations of peaches and ice cream. So Tammy hand-painted a replica.

Locke is regarded as everyone’s gnomie in Augusta during the Masters. He and his son, Mitch, were driving through a neighborhood nearby when a police officer signaled for them to pull over. The officer asked, “Hey man, can I get a selfie with you?” Kenneth was invited to a book signing at a downtown bookstore, where he stood in the window, dressed as the gnome, and even signed autographs.

On Monday, during lunch at Oliviana, an Italian restaurant in Augusta, while discussing his alter ego, a customer exited, paused, and exclaimed, “Oh my god, he looks like the gnome.” Another person took photos of him standing with his umbrella open, just like this year’s gnome with a functional umbrella. He resembles a walking Where’s Waldo.

Regardless of whether the gnome returns next year, Locke will still be present. A little girl inquired if he is the real Masters gnome.

“Yes, I am,” he replied.

HANNA AND CHRIS Wallace of Augusta each acquired a gnome on Saturday, meaning they now possess every edition except the original. Years ago, they were offered the 2016 version for $500, but Hanna deemed that price excessive. Now, an original gnome is expected to sell for 20 times that amount.

John Reading, who operates Crazy Johnny’s Golf Haberdashery inside the Five Fathoms Antiques and Curiosities market just down the road from Augusta National, had several gnomes available for purchase, including one from 2019 — “a Tiger year” when Woods won another Masters, which enhances its value — priced at $3,000. He noted that the original gnome is challenging to find because it was used as intended. People bought them, placed them in their yards, and subjected them to ten years of weathering.

“People put them in their yard or garden, because why would you think it would be worth $10,000?” Carey remarked. “Consider whoever was ordering for Augusta National for the 2016 Masters. You would not have made a large order. You would never have anticipated that this would become a massive bestseller. There’s no way. They probably thought, ‘Cool, the garden section doesn’t sell much, but let’s order some of these because they’re quirky and cute.’

Carey likened the rise of the gnomes as collectibles to Mickey Mantle rookie cards. They were items our grandparents purchased, but they were inexpensive, and few saved them or kept them in good condition because they were not expected to be valuable.

However, now that their future is uncertain, it adds to their intrigue. Reading mentioned that he had several customers this week come in after failing to secure one. It requires some effort.

Jackson Logan participated in the Drive, Chip and Putt national finals last year at Augusta National, and his father Rick brought him to support his friend and rival, Texas Terry, who ultimately won this year’s 12-13 age division.

Jackson, 12, was free from the pressures of the course this year, but gnome duty demanded its own discipline. Jackson and his sister Madison, 15, arrived from Florida late on Sunday and got less than five hours of sleep to be there before the gates opened to get in line.

No one seemed to grasp the dynamics at play better than Madison, who compared the gnome frenzy to other viral trends. It’s a luxury Labubu. “It’s like levels of overconsumption,” she stated.

Still, she secured her second gnome, expressing her intention to place this one next to “Mr. Peaches,” her name for last year’s gnome. “These are just better,” Madison remarked.

Robert Young III can understand why the Masters might be wary of the hype surrounding the little figures. He arrived at Augusta National on Sunday shortly after 7 a.m. and observed people leaving with their gnomes, just minutes after the course and the golf shop opened.

Still, he humorously noted that he got swept up in the excitement himself. He inquired why everyone had gnomes and was informed they were the item to acquire.

“So I need one of those now,” he said.

However, he mentioned he was there for the golf and had no intention of flipping his gnome for a quick profit.

“I’m going to put it in my house,” he stated. “In a safe.”

IF THIS IS indeed the end for the gnome, Hanna Wallace expressed that she would be surprised and perhaps a bit saddened. She collected several of this year’s new offerings, including a gnome sweatshirt, and mentioned there is also a gnome watch. She noted that she has heard for the past couple of years that the gnomes were on the verge of extinction. Yet here she was again, carrying one around in its box. Thus, she is uncertain if it’s all just rumors, part of the enigma and allure of Augusta National.

For the Wallaces, the gnomes are family. They are prominently displayed in their home and are part of the morning routine for their 3-year-old daughter, A.J.

Every morning, Hanna shared, A.J. asks the gnomes if she can have coffee with them. She sits and pretends they have theirs in their tiny cups. “She has grown up with the gnomes,” her mother noted. Chris remarked that he never imagined his family would want a garden gnome in their home, but the niche appeal drew them in, and now the figurines are integrated into their home decor. They are not alone in this sentiment.

“If you could go in there and buy a hundred, someone would go in there and try to buy two hundred,” he stated. “The rules they implemented just to purchase one reflect how crazy people are about them.”

Carey mentioned he is no longer a skeptic, acknowledging that these are significant items in the collecting world, and he hopes this trend continues. He desires for families to be able to collect them for years to come.

Locke envisions a future where the gnome wears the iconic Masters green jacket, compelling him to elevate his game to maintain his newfound tradition. “I think I could get one,” he remarked.

Carey’s Golden Age Masters auction is currently active. There are several putters crafted by the renowned club designer Scotty Cameron, including one made for President Donald Trump. There are personal items belonging to Tiger Woods, including his autographed driver and some of his earliest golf trophies from the 1980s, as well as several items signed by 2025 Masters champion Rory McIlroy. Among the items receiving the most bids is the 2016 Masters gnome.

“I know there will be many of our customers, particularly those who are older, thinking ‘Wait, what the hell’s going on?'” Carey stated.

But Madison Logan understands the appeal. “Feel the power of the gnome,” she said. “It’s magnificent.”

Robert Young played along with Augusta National’s mystery surrounding the gnomes, telling everyone that his score was significant.

“I got the last one,” he claimed. “Whether it’s true or not, everyone believes it is right now.”