The green jacket is the ultimate symbol of success in golf. A golfer wearing the single-breasted, single-vent garment has achieved something special: a victory at the Masters Tournament. Augusta National Golf Club members began wearing jackets in 1937. The idea was to have them be easily identifiable so they could answer questions from patrons. Brooks Uniform Company in New York made the original jackets, which featured heavy wool material. Those soon gave way to a lightweight version that could be custom-ordered from the club’s pro shop. What might surprise you is that the jackets are kept on club grounds, and taking them off the premises is forbidden. The exception is for the winner, who can take it home and return it to the club the following year. Gary Player reportedly got into a heated exchange in 1962 with Cliff Roberts after he mistakenly took his jacket home to South Africa. The ultimate taking-it-with-you story, however, belongs to the 1970 Masters champion, Billy Casper. That’s because he was buried in his green jacket.
