My golf obsession: An extra special Augusta National money clip

Ed. note: Too many ball markers? Closet overflowing with training aids? Never met a par-3 course you could say no to? There are hundreds of golf obsessions out there, each more fascinating (and incurable?) than the next. For a new GOLF.com series — we’ve dubbed it My Golf Obsession — we’ve asked our staffers to opine on their golfy habit they just can’t seem to kick… for better or for worse.

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I played Augusta National the day after Tiger Woods’ historic 2019 Masters victory. I’ve lost count on the number of times I’ve let this sentence drop in casual conversations with friends, colleagues and even complete strangers.

If you’ve been lucky enough — or unlucky, depending on how you want to look at it — to hear the story, it always starts with my anxiety-ridden trip back to Augusta (yes, I left the grounds midway through the tournament), followed by a recount of the drive up Magnolia Lane, the champions’ locker room and a blow-by-blow of the highlights from my round.

Did you know I went even-par through Amen Corner? I won’t forget to tell you about it.

It’s at this point where my story always turns to an important part of the journey: Augusta National’s member-only pro shop. It’s inside the cozy confines of this shop that you’ll find apparel from The National that you didn’t know existed: hand-stitched coasters and belts, dinnerware, coffee cups and cufflinks bearing the course’s iconic logo and the words “Augusta National Golf Club.”

The “Augusta National Golf Club” emblazoned on each item lets you know it’s something from the members pro shop and not the massive structure next to the first fairway that sells Masters apparel during the tournament week. There’s a difference. Just type in the words “Augusta National hat” on eBay and open your wallet — wide.

Because few ever get the chance to frequent the shop, you feel all kinds of pressure to get it “right” when you step inside. There’s no telling when, if ever, you’ll get a chance to go back.

As one of the last groups to play on the Monday after the 2019 edition, I was already cutting it close for my flight home when I exited the 18th green for the pro shop. Knowing I needed to be efficient with my time, I strolled in and grabbed the necessary items — hats, pullovers, shirts, coffee cups. The essentials.

Assuming I’d checked everything off my list, I made one last pass and hurried to the counter to spend a small fortune. That’s when I came face-to-face with my current obsession: an Augusta National money clip. As someone who has always opted for a traditional wallet over a money clip, I never considered the idea of switching until this blessing came into my life. Now I’m certain I’ll never go back.

It’s since become my go-to options for carrying cards and cash, forcing me to cut back on the clutter and simplify things. It also has the course’s logo and the words “Augusta National Golf Club” on the front, which makes it extra special. I’ve become so enamored with the money clip, I resorted to searching for identical backups on eBay last year. Given the dearth of Augusta National money clips floating around, I haven’t hit pay dirt.

What I love most about the clip is how it allows me to tote around a memento from Augusta National wherever I go — a reminder of a round (and week) that will remain an all-timer. I already intend to pass down the money clip to my kids, with the hope they’ll do the same as they grow older. You can’t do that with a hat or shirt that’ll eventually wear over time.

Is it practical to buy a money clip from every top 100 course on your bucket list? It depends on your budget. That being said, I’d highly recommend it as a contrarian option if you don’t want another hat.

I didn’t need anyone to tell me the money clip was a good purchase as I exited the pro shop, but in the process of walking to my rental car parked in front of the clubhouse, I stopped to speak with an assistant pro at the course about the day. Curious what I had purchased in the shop, I told him about my last-minute money clip find at the counter.

“That’s a good one right there,” he said. “It’s something that’ll stay with you forever. It’s one of the best in the shop, in my opinion.”

It never hurts to get the seal of approval from the guys at Augusta.

To hear more gear insights from Jonathan Wall and True Spec’s Tim Briand, subscribe and listen each week to GOLF’s Fully Equipped podcast: iTunes | SoundCloud | Spotify | Stitcher