The green jacket is a coveted prize in the world of professional golf. It is awarded to the winner of the Masters Tournament, one of the four major championships in men's golf. The jacket has been a tradition at the Masters since 1949, when co-founder Bobby Jones first donned it. Since then, it has become synonymous with excellence in the sport.
While the jacket may be steeped in history and tradition, there are actually only a few rules governing its wearing. First and foremost, only past champions of the Masters are allowed to don the green jacket. This means that if you're not a past champion, you're out of luck - no matter how much you may want to wear it.
Secondly, champions are only allowed to wear the jacket at Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament. So even if you're a past champion and happen to be playing at another course, you can't just throw on your green jacket. You must wait until you get back to Augusta before putting it on again.
Lastly, there is a dress code for wearing the green jacket that must be followed by all champions. The code stipulates that jackets must be worn with either gray or black slacks; blue blazers are also acceptable attire. Collared shirts are required, and ties are optional but discouraged. In short, while wearing the green jacket is an honor reserved for few, those who do get to wear it must do so with respect for its tradition and status within the game of golf.