"No one can blame Augusta National for wanting to discourage Masters muscle shirts"

Interesting stuff from John Paul Newport on the effort the Lords of Augusta make to trademark various names related to the Masters.

Trademark landmines send manufacturers scrambling for euphemisms to describe a week that leads to 38% of annual equipment sales over the next three weeks.

By my count, Augusta National holds or has applied for more than 50 trademarks, many for the same words and images but explicitly extending into multiple realms: refrigerator magnets, playing cards, desk sets, ladies handbags, pewter mugs, bowls "with and without lids," nut-based snacks, you name it. "eMasters" and "iMasters"? Taken.

Violators usually receive a polite phone call from someone representing Augusta National, requesting they reconsider words that are "confusingly similar" to those that the club has rights to. Cleveland Golf knows it is close to the border with an online page promoting wedges with customizable logos, using a trio of "Augusta 13" wedges, not themselves for sale, as examples. The page uses the words "Augusta National" and even has a background photo of the clubhouse.

All of this, of course, is routine turf protection in the business world. No one can blame Augusta National for wanting to discourage Masters muscle shirts, Amen Corner whiskey or other products not up to its standards. Nor can you blame companies for wanting a little Masters bounce. Golf, lest we forget, is big business.