As the eyes of the golfing world turn to Portrush on the North Antrim coast, the aisles of the tournament’s expansive retail store are already seeing record footfall..
With an expected 278,000 spectators descending on the tournament, making this the second-highest attended Open in history, after St Andrew’s in 2022, merchandising is proving to be a central pillar of the event’s commercial strategy.
From technical polo shorts to commemorative pin flags and limited-edition putter covers, The Open Shop at Royal Portrush will be selling a wider range of merch than ever before, to a ravenous audience.
The Open is more than a championship. It has become a valuable global brand.
Early indications suggest merchandise sales at Royal Portrush could set a new record, driven by a combination of on-site footfall, high-spending visitors, and global demand online through The R&A’s digital platforms.
Pop-up installations, signage integrations, and special edition drops will be peppered throughout the venue, building anticipation and encouraging impulse spend.
Pricing is tiered to offer accessibility alongside exclusivity. Basic caps start around €29, while high-end jackets, mid layers and bespoke prints will reach well north of ten times that.
Then there are the official scorecard holders, logo-stamped balls, markers and tournament-specific pin flags that sell out every year.
The Open’s merchandising success also contributes to a broader economic impact forecast to reach £63 million in direct spending, with an additional £150 million in destination marketing value.
A sizable portion of this is expected to come from merchandise spend, adding to the event’s importance as a driver of local and national economic benefit.
Hospitality and ticketing packages have further boosted per-capita spend.
Behind the scenes, The R&A is making greater use of data to inform its retail strategy—from real-time sales tracking to demand forecasting and digital conversion insights.
Branded partnerships are also becoming more bespoke, with design-led capsule collections and event-exclusive gear adding scarcity and value.
What’s happening at Royal Portrush this week is more than retail; it’s brand building, experience curation, and economic strategy rolled into one. The queues to get into the retail store will at times be as big as the crowds gathered around the 18th green.
And the merchandise making it’s way out of the golf course each evening will be seen on golf course up and down ireland, Britain and around the world for years to come.
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