Patrons rave about new Masters shop, course beauty

The wait was not long for some patrons at the Augusta National merchandise shop on Monday.

Mark Brown, 62, of Ohio, was appreciative of the quick walk through. This is Brown's third year attending the tournament and he said he saw a greater variety of items this year. 

"I always wanted a chair for three years now and I finally got one," he said slinging the strap from his new chair over his shoulders.

He said he would like to see a wider array of attire in the merchandise shops, though.

"There are certain apparel that only the workers have like the zip-up jackets with the logo on the side. It would be nice to get that as well," he said.

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Cheryl Newman, 62, and her daughter, Lauren Patrick, 31, were eager to collect large summer bags.  Several of Newman's purchases reflected this. 

"I'm picking them up for a friend who had purchased a couple yesterday and loved them so much she wanted more," said Newman, who is from Augusta. "We just can't get enough."

Shopping for souvenirs is always a favorite for the two, who also attended last year's tournament.

"I like to see the changes they make each year," said Patrick, who is also from Augusta. "Shopping is just a bonus."

The Masters experience was a new one for Jake Sprague, 28, who flew in from Arizona to attend for the first time. He held a coffee mug that he purchased at the new gift shop to commemorate the moment. 

"It's the Masters," he said. "And I'm a huge golf fan."

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Phil and Jan Dodd, both traveled from England for the 2018 tournament. They had been waiting to attend the Masters for 20 years.

"There's nothing like it," Phil said. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime thing and I am finally glad we were able to get here."