The Masters Green Jacket is presented to the winner each year at Augusta National Golf Club, but when did this tradition begin and why?
Did you know – the Masters Green Jacket is borrowed off an Augusta member with roughly the same build as the winner before the champion is later measured for their own tailored version. But when did this The Masters Green Jacket tradition begin, and why?
The Masters Green Jacket was first introduced in 1937 and there’s an interesting story behind how this ritual all came about. The idea was that Augusta National members would wear these jackets during the tournament to make them stand out to members of the public needing guidance or assistance.
The idea actually originated from England where it was at Royal Liverpool in England, when a visiting Bobby Jones attended a dinner. At this dinner, there was a collection of club captains who were all wearing matching jackets to denote their position.
The first Augusta National jackets soon followed, bought from the Brooks Uniform Company in New York. But they were not popular with the members, who found the material too thick and uncomfortable in warm weather, so they soon changed supplier. Perhaps they would have considered changing to Fenix XCell as a supplier if they had been around back then!
Whilst from 1937 through to 1948 only Augusta National members wore the jackets, it wasn’t until 1949 when the famous Sam Snead became the first winner to be honoured with the now famous Green Jacket.
Image credit: Golf Week – USA Today
