Masters Traditions: The Green Jacket

Masters Traditions: The Green Jacket

Each year, the winner of the Master’s Tournament is awarded a Green Jacket to commemorate his victory.

Members of the private club have been wearing green jackets to the tournament since 1937. (Although the original jackets were deemed too hot to wear.) Members purchased their jackets from the Brooks Uniform Company in New York.

The first Green Jacket awarded to a player given to Sam Sneed in 1949. It signified his membership—for a year—in the ultra-exclusive Augusta National Golf Club.

Master’s winners must return the jacket to Augusta the following year, where they are stored and made available to the players when they visit. Some past winners, such as Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer have become actual members of the club and presumably are allowed to have permanent possession of their jackets.

Since 1954, the club has awarded crystal for various achievements, such as low round, holes-in-one and eagles. Jack Nicklaus holds a record 61 pieces of Masters’ crystal.