Is Wearing Masters Merchandise Stolen Valor if You Have Not Been to the Tournament? I Say No.

The Masters has become one of the “it” events of the spring. When the azaleas bloom at Augusta National, the world knows that springtime is here. But it wasn’t always the case. Golf’s boom in the wake of COVID has raised the Masters’ profile across the non-golf world with influencers getting a chance to go to the coveted event. I could do an hour on how real golf fans (like myself) should get to go long before influencers, who, 1. Know absolutely nothing about golf and 2. Are being paid to be there, but I digress.

Because the event’s profile has gone more mainstream, it begs a new question: is wearing Masters merchandise when you have not been stolen valor? There was a time when I would have said yes, but now I am a firm no – wearing Masters merchandise is fair game for all – I say that having been gifted merchandise and more on the way from this year’s tournament.

Most of the year, the Masters logo is more of a ‘if you know, you know’ logo and is a marker of who is a true golfer/golf fan, versus someone who is a casual. And as someone who is a massive golfer and bigger golf fan, I am in the know, so I wear it, even though I haven’t been to the event.

I am a Masters guy through and through, so I won’t hate on anyone who wears merchandise if they have not been to the tournament, although I reserve the right to change my opinion once I get my chance to raid the merchandise building at Augusta National.