Sometimes, the best prizes don’t sit on shelves, they’re worn. In Formula 1, the real victory lap starts on the podium — slipping on the iconic Pirelli cap, unzipping those fireproof race suits still sizzling from the track, and diving into a champagne-soaked frenzy. With sponsor patches and country flags stitched like war medals, those suits are like battle armor worn by legends. Similarly, in golf, “If you win a green jacket, you have reached the highest level achievable in the game,” said Jim Nantz, and honestly, anyone who follows the Masters would agree.
To many, it might just look like a green cardigan. But for those who’ve played their hearts out at Augusta National Golf Club, it’s far more than that. It’s history. It’s pride. Pure emotion stitched into fabric — connecting today’s champions with legends like Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer, and Sam Snead.
This week, as the world’s 95 best golfers gather at the iconic Augusta National, they’re not just chasing a $3.5-million winner’s prize. They’re vying for the chance to wear the most legendary piece of clothing in sports: the Masters green jacket. So, what’s the story behind it? Why a green jacket? The tale of this nearly a century-old tradition began in England in 1930, not much before the Masters happened.
Bobby Jones — who would later co-found Augusta National and the Masters in 1934— was visiting the Royal Liverpool Golf Club when he noticed that club captains wore red blazers at formal dinners. Curious, he asked about it and was told, “If you win the tournament this week, I’ll give you my coat.” Jones went on to win, and yes, he took that coat home with him. Fast forward a few years, and Jones helped launch Augusta National with a similar idea for golfers. It’s funny how it was initially intended (1937) for members so patrons could easily identify them, but doesn’t the color blend naturally with the lush greens of Augusta National? Magical!
But the real magic began in 1949, when Sam Snead became the first Masters champion to receive the jacket. That same year, all the past winners were also given one retroactively. “The jacket is emblematic of excellence in golf,” Nantz said during a CBS video call. “There is never a discussion about purse money and how much you win. It’s about a coat… It’s forever.” It is kept safe in the Champions Locker Room at Augusta — unless you’re the reigning champ taking it home.
So, what exactly goes into making this legendary jacket?
Turns out, quite a bit. The Green Jacket is stitched by a tailoring company in Ohio using a fabric blend of polyester and wool, sourced from a mill in Georgia. It’s lined with rayon, adorned with three custom brass buttons, and bears the Augusta National patch on its left breast pocket. The process takes about a month and costs roughly $250 to make. The official color? “Brilliant Rye Green Pantone 342.” But most fans just call it Masters Green.
For 75 years, the Green Jacket has been slipped over the champions’ shoulders. Competitors and champions share what golf’s sartorial trophy means to them. #themasters pic.twitter.com/aSMR7h9ICL
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 14, 2024
Augusta keeps multiple sizes ready on-site for the final ceremony, ensuring the champion has something to slip into right after the win. It’s only later that the jacket is tailored to fit perfectly. Of course, there have been a few hiccups, like when a young and slightly heavier Jack Nicklaus won in 1963 and was given a 46-inch size. “It looked like an overcoat,” he quipped.
But the jacket isn’t just a symbol of success, it’s also part of some pretty unforgettable stories.
The Green Jacket is woven with great stories
Remember 2003? Mike Weir became the first Canadian to win the Masters, and Tiger Woods was the one to help him slip into the jacket. The very next day, Weir wore it to a Toronto Maple Leafs playoff game while dropping the puck. Or Phil Mickelson in 2010? He went through a Krispy Kreme drive-thru in Augusta the morning after his win, still wearing the jacket, and picked up three dozen doughnuts. Of course, he posed for a photo with the store manager, too. Then there’s Charl Schwartzel, who left his green jacket in a volunteer’s car by mistake. Luckily, the driver returned it. “It could have been worse,” Schwartzel said. “If I left it in a taxi, I would have never seen it again.”
Then, in a heartfelt tribute, Billy Casper, the 1970 Masters winner, was buried in his green jacket — after his wife received special permission from the club. Of course, for all its glamour, the green jacket comes with rules — strict ones. 2023 champion Jon Rahm revealed that jeans are a no-go below this coveted possession, and there’s prior approval is required to rock them in public. “They don’t like to be surprised,” he explained. “I can’t be photographed with the jacket while having alcohol.”
That said, a few champions couldn’t help but bend the rules. Seve Ballesteros pulled a similar stunt in 1980, taking his to Spain and ignoring the requests for its return. But maybe that’s part of the charm. The green jacket isn’t just a prize, it’s a piece of Augusta’s mystique. “When I go to Augusta National and open my locker and see my green jacket,” Mike Weir said, “I look myself in the mirror and I’m blown away that I am part of the history there.”
In a world defined by paychecks and sponsorship deals, Augusta keeps the tradition alive, beautifully and unapologetically. “There is never a discussion about purse money,” Nantz reiterated. “Yes, there is money involved, but it is never discussed… It’s about a coat.” More than a fabric, no coin can match the tale it softly weaves.
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