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Ryder Cup 2018: The five Frenchiest things you can buy at the Merchandise Shop
SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France—It’s the second-most talked about big building on the grounds at Le Golf National. But while the first-tee grandstand seats only 6,000-plus spectators, the 12,500-square-foot Official Merchandise Shop will be visited by far more of the 60,000 or so fans expected to come to the Ryder Cup each day of the actual competition. Inside, you’ll find the standard issue items for any big golf event: hats, polos, pants, more hats, shorts, raingear, more hats, kids apparel, golf balls, ball markers still more hats, etc.
Yet as with any big time golf event, the folks running the Merchandise Shop also have a handful of items that are unique to the area for attendees to buy that make it scream “I WAS AT THE RYDER CUP IN PARIS.” With further ado, here are the five “Frenchiest” items we saw that you can buy at the French Ryder Cup.
Vous êtes le bienvenu!
5. Ryder Cup-logoed Snood, €35
OK, so it’s more a European thing than something uniquely French, but it’s something we swear we didn’t see at Hazeltine National last time around. And frankly why was that, anyway? You don’t have to be Martin Kaymer to appreciate the snood’s versatility. It’s a bandana meets a headband, a hybrid piece of outerwear that can warm your ears, neck or anything north of your shoulders. Seriously, why weren’t they selling these bad boys in Minnesota? We hear it gets plenty cold there in the winter.
4. Gold-plated golf divot tools, €30 for three bottles
You’ll never knew you needed a gold-plated divot tool until you finally used one. OK, maybe not, but it is a pretty interesting souvenir. We struggled getting a clear answer as to just how much gold there really is here. The box’s 1 kilo designation has to be strictly for show (Google search how much a kilo of gold costs). One attendant in the shop told me it was really just an ounce. If it’s actually any more than that, my guess is there’s going to be a real run on these by week’s end.
3. Ryder Cup bear with beret, €23
Of course, there couldn’t just be a standard stuffed bear for a Ryder Cup in France (although they do have them if you like). There had to be one wearing a beret. It is super cuddly, but isn’t everything with a beret on it look super cuddly?
2. Ryder Cup branded wine, €50
You can’t have a Ryder Cup in France without the opportunity to purchase Ryder Cup-logoed wine. Mouton Cadet is the official label here, with red, white and rosé. I get hammered in the office for not drinking wine, so I’m the least best person in the world to tell you whether this is any good (or how the heck you bring it home if you’re an American) but it looks fancy. Bottoms up!
1. Ryder Cup logoed beret, €46
Why just buy a stuffed bear with a beret when you can buy an actual beret with the Ryder Cup logo on it? They’re offered in red, blue and black. I tried one on. Sadly I found out that not everything with a beret on it looks super cuddly (the photos have been confiscated by the French Board of Tourism to protect the country’s reputation). However, if you’ve already got a closet full of hats, why not spice things up. Wear it with the snood and there will be no mistaking that you were at the Ryder Cup in France.