Rory McIlroy completes Career Grand Slam: Why the Green Jacket is golf's most important honour

In the world of golf, no garment carries more mystique or prestige than the Masters’ green jacket. As Gary Player once said, “The Green Jacket is the most sought-after piece of clothing in the world for any golfer.” And he's not exaggerating. In fashion terms? Think the Chanel tweed jacket meets the exclusivity of a Met Gala invite, only rarer.
The idea of a members’ jacket was the brainchild of the great Bobby Jones, co-founder of Augusta National, Inspired by the red jackets worn by club captains at Royal Liverpool during his 1927 Open win. Wanting to instill that same dignified flair in American golf, he pitched the idea of a member’s jacket to business partner, Clifford Roberts. After some color debates—red, yellow, even Georgia peach—the founders landed on verdant green, inspired by the leaves of Augusta’s azaleas. Thus, "Masters Green" (officially Pantone 342) was born.
Four years later in 1937, Roberts decreed that every member attending the Masters should wear his “Green Jacket” with the idea of distinguishing the Augusta National club members to make them stand out from the event attendees.
It wasn't until 1949 that Sam Snead received the first green jacket as a tournament winner. Past champions were retroactively awarded theirs, and the tradition has stood ever since.
Each blazer is a simple, elegant design: single-breasted, three-button, lightweight tropical-wool with gleaming brass buttons embossed with Augusta National’s logo—made by the Waterbury Button Company in Connecticut and a Masters patch on the breast pocket from A&B Emblem Co. in Weaverville, North Carolina.The earliest jackets were manufactured by Brooks Uniform Company in New York. Then in 1967 (following complaints from club members that the jackets were too heavy and warm to wear under the Georgia sun) tailoring of the garments was taken over by Hamilton Tailoring Co. of Cincinnati. Each Jacket uses about 2.5 yards of rye-green wool from Georgia’s Forstmann mill. A month after winning, the custom-fitted iconic Green Jacket is handed out to the champion with an engraved gold nameplate on the inside of it.
With more rules than a Buckingham Palace Tea Party. Only first-time winners may take their jacket off Augusta grounds and only for a year. After that, it lives permanently in the Champions Locker Room, making brief appearances during Masters Week.
Strictly taking the cost of the materials, while it may cost a mere $250 to make, according to PGA.com , the Green Jacket carries the kind of prestige money simply can’t buy—and literally, you can’t. You could flash your AmEx at Augusta National and still walk away empty-handed (unless you win the whole damn tournament, of course). Since 2017, Augusta National slammed the door shut on sales and auctions for good. Now, it can’t be bought, sold, or privately owned beyond a winner’s first year making it practically priceless.
Rory McIlroy won the 2024 Masters in dramatic fashion, edging out Justin Rose in a playoff to earn his first Green Jacket and complete his career Grand Slam. While the Green Jacket is the most iconic symbol of victory, there’s much more to winning at Augusta, including lesser-known privileges and rewards that come with the title. In addition to the jacket, Masters champions enjoy a range of exclusive benefits that few outside the golfing world fully appreciate.
Masters champions receive a range of prestigious rewards alongside their iconic Green Jacket. These include:
In addition, champions enjoy access to Augusta whenever they like and can bring a guest to play the course before the Masters begins, in short, a pretty sweet deal.
Including Rory Mcilroy, The Masters has had 56 winners over its long history, with 18 golfers winning multiple times. All in all, there have been 88 winners of the Masters.