8 Shocking Facts About the Masters Green Jacket

No trophy, medal, or prize money is more prestigious than the Masters Green Jacket in golf. Over the years, greatest golfers such as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer to name a few have worn the iconic blazer. With a history going back to 1934, the Green Jacket has several tales that the golf world still isn’t familiar with. Let’s unfold some of the unheard facts about the legendary Masters prize.

The Green Jacket is given to the winner of the Masters. Each winner gets one for himself and gets to take it home after winning the Major. Nonetheless, a year after the victory, the winner must return the Green Jacket back to Augusta National and can only wear it while being in the club. Though this is commonly known in the golf world, there are eight more shocking facts surrounding the Green Jacket. Let’s find them out.

1. Two origin stories for the green jacket

Since the Masters was founded in 1934, the history of the Major has immense depth. But an enormous load of past can divide the storylines, which has also affected the Green Jacket’s founding story. One tale indicates that the idea of the iconic jacket was created by legendary golfer and co-founder of Masters, Bobby Jones.

While attending a dinner at Royal Liverpool, Jones was impressed with Red Jackets worn by the captains. He then proposed the idea of a colored jacket to his co-founder Clifford Roberts. The proposition was accepted by the duo and the Green Jacket for the members of the Augusta National for given a green light.

However, the other origin story defers from the first one. According to another theory, the Green Jackets were introduced by Clifford Roberts for members to wear so they can be identified as club members when there are visitors around. It was mainly to differentiate the members from the outsiders in the club.

While it may be confusing about which origin story is true, both of them do make a lot of sense. Regardless, the iconic jacket is now wished for by every golfer in the world.

2. Name of the winner is stitched inside the iconic Green Jacket

A year after winning the Masters, the golfer must return his Green Jacket to Augusta National. With the club may also have 88 jackets of past winners, it may be hard to differentiate from each other.

Nonetheless, in order to distinguish the blazers, the winner’s name is stitched inside the Green Jacket. Perhaps it may also help the golfers in spotting their jackets much easier in the Augusta National Golf Club.

3. Original Jackets were too uncomfortable to wear

Initially, the Green Jacket was made by Brooks Brothers in New York. However, several members of the club complained about the fitting of the blazer. Some of the recipients of the iconic Jacket felt the material was too thick and uncomfortable in the warm weather.

Following the complaints, the Green Jacket are made by Hamilton Tailoring Company since 1967. However, during his three wins in 1989, 1990, and 1996, Sir Nick Faldo got his jackets produced by Nordstrom company. Regardless, none of either tailor will sell a regular customer the Masters’ Green Jacket. But if you are as lucky as this person, you might find it in a thrift shop.

4. One of the original Jackets was sold for $5 in a random shop

While the iconic Jacket may be hard for even the Masters winners to get hold of outside the club, one lucky person managed to buy the Green Jacket for $5 in a Toronto thrift Shop. The name tag of the winner was ripped off from the blazer.

However, the jacket was later identified as being from the early 1950s. Moreover, the resale value of the Gren Jackets from that timeline was around $20,000. But the fortunate lucky thrift shop customer bought it for spare change. Nonetheless, the jacket was sold in 2013 for $139,000.

5. Gary Player took the jacket home, and it was a huge blunder

Deeming to his latest comment, in which he placed the Masters as the least enticing Major, Gary Player isn’t very fond of the first Major of the season. Despite his three Master titles, Player always had bad memories at Augusta National. In 1961, the South African golfer won his maiden Green Jacket becoming the first International player to achieve it.

While he did have the authority to take it home, Player wasn’t aware of returning the jacket back to Augusta National a year later. When he returned to the club in 1962, he forgot to bring with him to Georgia from South Africa. Since he was supposed to return the coat, the Masters co-founder Clifford Roberts wasn’t too pleased with him.

Read More: Top 10 Bizarre Rules of the Augusta National Club

The golfer was suggested to not wear the blazer in public by Roberts. Since blunders as such can occur with even the best in the sport, Augusta National never gives the real Green Jacket to the winners.

6. The real jacket given to the champions is not real

By now, the golf world must be well-rehearsed about how cautious Augusta National is when it comes to the safety of the Green Jacket. Keeping this in mind, when the winner of the Masters is allowed to take his jacket outside of the iconic Golf club, he isn’t given the original piece.

The golfers are given a replica of the original Green Jacket which they are seen sporting outside the club. The original jacket is kept in safe boundaries inside the Augusta National Golf Club.

7. It takes almost a month to make the iconic green jacket

A jacket with so many details isn’t made within a few days. Nor is it manufactured in a week. The Masters’ Green Jacket reportedly takes at least a month for fabrication. The brass buttons, which represent the Augusta National Golf course logo, are made by Warberry Company in Massachusetts.

The coat is made with roughly two or three tons of Tropical Weight by a Dublin-based company Fortsman Co Mill. The chest pocket patch is made by AMB Emblem company in North Carolina. With each piece of equipment acquired from different places across the United States, it takes a month for making the Green Jacket.

8. Only 3 players had the honor to wear the green jacket twice simultaneously 

Many golfers dream to win the Masters once in their lifetime. However, many legends had the opportunity to wear the Green Jacket more than once in their careers. But when it comes to winning the Major in Augusta National back-to-back, only three golfers have achieved this feat.

Jack Nicklaus, the man with the most Green Jackets(6), won the Masters in 1965 and returned to Augusta National a year later to successfully defend his title. 24 years after Nicklaus’ historic feat, Sir Nick Faldo also joined the Golden Bear by winning the Masters back-to-back in 1989 and 1990.

Apart from the duo, Tiger Woods also entered the history books after his Green Jacket wins in 2001 and 2002. Since the winner of the Masters is presented with the jacket by the previous year’s winner, these three men were presented the Green Jacket by Augusta National President.

With its rich history in the sporting world, there are plenty more facts to be added about the Green Jacket in the future. Which fact surprised you the most? Let us know in the comment section below.

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