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The 2026 Masters returns to Augusta National this week (9-12 April) with the usual mix of history, ritual and anticipation that makes it one of golf’s most distinctive events.
From the Green Jacket and Champions Dinner to Amen Corner and the tournament’s most enduring records, the Masters is built on traditions that are as recognisable as the course itself.
Here’s what to know about those customs — and plenty more — before play begins.
When did the Masters begin?
The Masters was first played in 1934 after Augusta National founders Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts decided to establish an annual tournament at the club in Georgia. The event was not originally called the Masters, though. For its first five editions, it was known as the Augusta National Invitation Tournament, before the current name was adopted in 1939.
Why do Masters winners get a Green Jacket?
The Green Jacket is the Masters’ most recognisable symbol, but it was not originally created for the champion. Augusta National members first wore green jackets so they could be easily identified by patrons during tournament week. It was only in 1949 that the tradition was extended to the winner, with Sam Snead becoming the first Masters champion to receive one.
Since then, the jacket has come to represent more than victory in a single tournament. It signals entry into one of golf’s most exclusive groups, with Masters champions returning each year for ceremonies and traditions such as the Champions Dinner. The previous year’s winner also helps present the jacket to the new champion, adding another layer to one of the sport’s best-known rituals.
However, the jacket can only be kept for a year before it is returned to Augusta National, where it is subsequently stored in the Champions’ Locker Room.
Why is the Masters so famous?
Part of the Masters’ appeal lies in how much of it stays the same. Unlike the other men’s majors, it is played at the same course every year, giving Augusta National an unusually central role in the tournament’s identity.
Its landmarks, from Magnolia Lane to Amen Corner, have become as familiar to golf fans as many of the champions themselves.
That continuity is central to the Masters’ identity. The small field, the spring setting, the Green Jacket and the tournament’s many rituals give it a character that is unmistakable within the sport.
Key Masters records
Some of the tournament’s most enduring records help explain why certain names remain so closely tied to Augusta National. Jack Nicklaus holds the record for the most Masters titles with six, while Tiger Woods became the youngest winner when he claimed his first Green Jacket in 1997 at 21 years old.
READ MORE: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/2026-masters-faq-green-jackets-augusta-history-records
