CNN
—
Golfers go to sleep dreaming of securing theirs, Bubba Watson was moved to tears merely reminiscing over his, and one fan was keen to shell out over $680,000 simply to personal one.
Augusta Nationwide’s inexperienced jacket – an unique prize for Masters champions – is golf’s most coveted trend assertion, and one in every of sport’s most iconic items of clothes.
Certain, the status of profitable one of many 4 majors in males’s golf and the trophy, to not point out the prize cash, are welcome rewards, however the storied historical past of the Georgia membership’s inexperienced member’s jacket earned it a novel status amongst people who pursue it.
The story of Augusta’s inexperienced jacket started some 3,900 miles throughout the Atlantic, within the city of Hoylake in northwest England.
Forward of internet hosting its sixth British Open Championship in 1930, Royal Liverpool Golf Membership held a gamers’ reception. In attendance was probably the most celebrated novice golfer of the period, American Bobby Jones.
Over dinner, Jones proceeded to pepper former membership captain Kenneth Stoker with questions on his crimson coat, the formal equipment of Royal Liverpool captains.
“Mr. Jones, in case you’re so fascinated by this, I provides you with my coat in case you win our Championship this week,” challenged Stoker – in line with a CNN interview with membership historian Joe Pinnington in 2014.
Naturally, Jones made quick work of the wager, clinching the eleventh of his 13 profession main victories and returning to the US with a trophy – and a crimson blazer.
After changing into the primary and solely golfer to finish the unique grand slam (Beginner Championship, Open Championship, US Open, US Beginner) months later, Jones shocked the sporting world by saying his retirement from aggressive golf at simply 28 years previous.
Harboring a ardour for course design, Jones had different plans in thoughts. In 1934, his newly based Augusta Nationwide hosted the primary incarnation of The Masters.
Three years later, Augusta members began sporting inexperienced jackets to make themselves identifiable to patrons. In 1949 it was determined that 12 months’s victor, Sam Snead, and all of the earlier champions, could be issued with their very own model too.
How Royal Liverpool Golf Membership impressed the Masters inexperienced jacket
The inexperienced jacket wasn’t a smash hit from the beginning, although. Initially produced by New York’s Brooks Uniform Firm, Augusta members complained that the jackets had been overly thick and uncomfortable in sizzling situations, resulting in a swift change of producer, in line with the PGA Tour.
Since 1967, Hamilton Tailoring Firm of Cincinnati has held duty for making the jacket, the colour of which is formally labeled as “Pantone 342.”
Manufacturing is a month-long course of that sees the house owners title stitched inside and Augusta Nationwide logos emblazoned on each the chest pocket and brass buttons.
Consequently, the jacket slipped onto the shoulders of winners on Sunday is solely for presentation, with the actual one handed over later.
But newly topped champions can’t merely stroll away and discover a lifetime spot for his or her new prize of their wardrobe – phrases and situations apply.
For starters, the jackets can’t be faraway from – and may solely be worn on – the grounds of Augusta Nationwide, although winners are permitted to take theirs dwelling for a 12 months on the situation they convey it again on the subsequent version of the event to hold within the Champions Locker Room.
When the defending champion returns a 12 months later, they – together with a number of former victors – will don their jacket for the Masters Champions Dinner. The reigning winner decides the menu, with Scottie Scheffler serving up cheeseburger sliders, ribeye steak, and chocolate chip cookies for this 12 months’s meal. Their last duty is to assist the brand new winner slip into his new jacket throughout a ceremonial “passing of the torch” presentation exterior Butler Cabin.
However what if a champion efficiently defends his title? That was a query Masters co-founders Jones and Clifford Roberts hurriedly answered in 1966 when Jack Nicklaus grew to become the primary back-to-back champion at Augusta.
The pair determined that “The Golden Bear” ought to put the jacket on himself, and within the two repeat events since – Nick Faldo in 1990 and Tiger Woods in 2002 – the Masters chairman assumed duty for serving to the golfers into their jackets.
There’s one notorious exception to the rule of returning your jacket.
When Gary Participant grew to become the primary worldwide golfer to win The Masters in 1961, he jetted dwelling to South Africa along with his inexperienced jacket tucked away in his baggage. The next 12 months, when he was defeated by Arnold Palmer in a playoff, he didn’t return it.
“I didn’t know you had been supposed to depart it there,” mentioned Participant. “Subsequent factor you recognize, there was a name from Mr. Roberts. And I mentioned, ‘Effectively, Mr. Roberts, if you would like it, why don’t you come and fetch it?’”
Roberts noticed the humorous aspect, Participant added, and allowed the South African to maintain it on the situation that he didn’t put on it in public. “The Black Knight” would go on to win two additional Masters in 1974 and 1978.
Given how laborious it’s for the sport’s best to get their fingers on a inexperienced jacket, it’s borderline not possible for non-golfers to do the identical – however that hasn’t stopped a choose few from attempting.
In 2013, the jacket owned by Horton Smith, winner of the inaugural Masters in 1934, offered for $682,229 to an unnamed purchaser at an public sale hosted by Inexperienced Jacket Auctions.
In 2017, Augusta Nationwide filed a lawsuit to cease the memorabilia firm from auctioning one other winner’s inexperienced jacket, in addition to two members’ inexperienced jackets, in line with the Related Press.
The champion’s jacket was presupposed to have belonged to 1966 winner Byron Nelson. His blazer was marked in a listing verify at Augusta in 2009 earlier than going lacking, the lawsuit mentioned.
In January 2019, Augusta Nationwide and Inexperienced Jacket Auctions agreed to drop their authorized dispute, in line with the Augusta Chronicle.
One jacket auctioned by Inexperienced Jacket Auctions was reported to have been first found in a Toronto thrift store. Bought for a measly $5, the jacket, whose unique proprietor was undisclosed, was offered at public sale for $139,349 in April 2017.
From letting pals – and even new child youngsters – strive it on for dimension, to donning it for barbeques, Masters champions have discovered varied makes use of for his or her inexperienced jackets throughout their limited-time dwelling possession.
“I didn’t take it with no consideration in anyway,” 2015 champion Jordan Spieth instructed reporters upon his return to Augusta the next 12 months.
“I believe that I might have taken benefit of getting it in my possession greater than I did, however you study and subsequent time I’ll perform a little bit higher.
“A few of my favourite reminiscences had been definitely again dwelling, having a bunch of my pals over and simply having the jacket on whilst you’re grilling out … it was definitely a whole lot of enjoyable and I don’t need to have to provide it again.”
For others, the satisfaction of turning rivals resentful is sufficient.
“It’s a good way to provide the opposite guys grief, give them just a little jab right here or there,” mentioned Phil Mickelson, champion in 2004, 2006, and 2010.
Charl Schwartzel, who mounted a shocking last day cost to seal victory in 2011, mentioned: “To have it with you and to see the individuals’s faces if you stroll in … they all the time take a second appear like, ‘that’s the jacket!’”
Zach Johnson described dressing his four-month-old son in his 2007 winner’s jacket for an image session, following within the footsteps of Bubba Watson, who did the identical along with his adopted son after triumph in 2012.
“I wrapped Caleb up in it, that was the one factor I did with it,” a tearful Watson instructed reporters in 2013.
“Out of respect and honor for Augusta Nationwide and one of many best golf equipment now we have, one of many best tournaments … I didn’t do any of my humorous antics that I usually would do.”
