What is a green jacket in golf?
The green jacket is the prize given to the winner of the Masters Tournament. It is also worn by members of Augusta National Golf Club, where the tournament is played.
Augusta National members began wearing green jackets in 1937 so that visitors could easily identify them. In 1949, Sam Snead became the first Masters winner to receive a green jacket. Since then, it has become one of the most famous prizes in sports.
The previous year's champion helps the new winner put on the jacket in a ceremony at the end of the tournament. If someone wins two years in a row, the club chairman presents it instead. Winners may take their jacket home for one year, but after that, it must be kept at the club, where it can be worn on visits.
A famous exception
A few jackets have left the club. Gary Player, the first international winner in 1961, took his home to South Africa and did not return it at first. A jacket belonging to Horton Smith, the first Masters winner, sold at auction for more than 680,000 dollars.
Did You Know?
The jackets are made in the specific shade known as Masters green, with the Augusta National logo on the left chest pocket.