When the gates to Augusta National Golf Club open at 8 a.m., half of the fans run to the course - the rest bolt to the gift shop.

With Masters Tournament memorabilia available only one week a year, it's a hot commodity that fans are itching to get their hands on.

And that means they're spending like crazy.

Tourism officials say that on average, visitors to Augusta spend $209 a night for their food, shopping, lodging and entertainment.

Masters Week is hardly average.

The crowds and spending can be so chaotic, tourism officials have a hard time tallying the receipts, especially when the high demand forces up the prices of parking, rounds of golf and hotel rooms.

The Augusta Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau stopped calculating an economic impact for the Masters in 1998, when it estimated the event pumped $109 million into the local economy.

U.S. Rep. Max Burns, R-Ga., said at an economic development reception early in the week that his office estimates the tournament generates $100 million to $150 million in spending in just one week.

At the Gordon Lakes Golf Course at Fort Gordon, a round of golf with a cart on the Robert Trent Jones-designed course costs civilians $39 on a normal weekend. During Masters Week, that same round costs $85.

And an unidentified attendant at The River Golf Club in North Augusta said the club didn't want to make public the increased greens fees this week.

Hotels are capitalizing on the increased demand, too.

Some rooms that normally would cost about $60 a night can be had for close to $200 this week.

"If you go to the Indy 500 and expect to pay normal rates, you're crazy," said Tek Chand, the owner of the Days Inn on Washington Road. "It's a high-demand week. Whenever there is high demand, I raise prices. It's a supply and demand thing."

Mr. Chand, who didn't disclose how much rates increased, said that during Masters Week, he generates the same amount of revenue as he would during a normal month.

The tournament even increases business at his three hotels in Statesboro.

He raises rates there, too, but not as much.

Still, much of the spending this week will be done at the gift shops on the course, where anything with a Masters logo, even the plush golf balls, is flying off the shelves.

"We plan to buy lots of souvenirs because we don't know when we'll be back," said Nancy Kelly, a visitor from Houston.

Ms. Kelly bought an assortment of hats, bags and shirts at Augusta National's gift shops.

Teri Cline, from Klamath Falls, Ore., said she was doing her Christmas shopping and dropped close to $400 on Monday.

Even locals and perennial attendees are enamored with the logo.

Bob Grzybowski, a Thomson resident, said he comes to the tournament every year and inevitably buys more souvenirs every time.

"Yeah, I'll spend another $150 to $200 getting more shirts and hats," he said.

Reach James Gallagher at (706) 823-3227 or james.gallagher@augustachronicle.com.