Why Masters winners and members get green jackets, per tradition?

[ASFN Admin]

It can be argued that the green jacket is one of the best non-trophy trophies in all of sports.

The way I see it? It's wearable bragging rights, one that you can put on for any event. And golfers have taken advantage -- Sergio Garcia wore it to Wimbledon and Patrick Reed famously did the same at Chick-fil-a. It's also proof that you won one of the toughest events in all of sports, a test for rookies, vets, past champions and everyone in between.

But what's up with the whole green jackets thing? Let's help you out and dive in with some history and explanations:

Why do Augusta National members wear green jackets in the first place?​

There's an origin story here, via PGA.com:

The first story is Augusta National co-founder and one of golf’s greatest champions, Bobby Jones, attended a dinner at 12-time Open Championship venue Royal Liverpool in England where club captains were wearing matching jackets to denote their position. Jones liked that.

The other story is that Augusta National co-founder Clifford Roberts figured it was a way to identify club members as “reliable sources of information” to visiting non-members — and to let waiters know who got the check at dinner.

The year 1937 when the green jackets started rolling in.

Why are jackets green at Augusta for the Masters?​

If you're wondering, the color is actually Pantone 342, per Golfweek. The story I found behind this came from Today’s Golfer:

So when Augusta National opened in January 1933, [Bobby] Jones floated the idea to business partner Clifford Roberts. The only issue was the colour. Red, yellow and even ‘Georgia peach’ were all considered but quickly dismissed. Then, while out walking Roberts’ eye was taken by the leaves underpinning the many azalea bushes found on the former Fruitland Nursery site. Known as verdant green, the choice was made and a legend was born.

When did Masters winners start getting green jackets?​

In 1949, Sam Snead got one when he won his first Masters at Augusta.

How do the golfers get jackets in their exact sizes?​

They get a temporary one that’s approximately their size before they’re given a customized fitting after their win.

Do you get more than one green jacket if you win multiple Masters?​

Back in 2019, we got the answer to this one when Tiger Woods won. You can bring the green jacket home for a year after your win, but then it has to be brought back and worn only at Augusta.

And if you win again, you get your same jacket to put on after your victory.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why Masters green jackets get given to the winner, per tradition?

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