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Associated Press

The green jacket is one of the most revered symbols in all of sport, right up there with an Olympic gold medal and the Stanley Cup.
Yet, even with the strict sense of decorum that is afforded the prized garment awarded every Masters champion, it occasionally winds up in spots no one would ever expect.
Like underneath a rubbish bag.
Or in Ohio.

	I have no garment bag. I'm going to New York at 6am, so I covered it up with a trash bag

	Zach Johnson 
Yep, an authentic green jacket is on display at a country club in suburban Cleveland - a long, long way from Augusta National.
"Believe me, when we're showing off the club to a prospective member," Michael Kernicki, the head golf professional at Canterbury Golf Club, said, "and we take them into the Henry Picard Lounge, they're like, 'Did I see that right? You've got a green jacket?'"
Indeed they do, thanks to the descendants of the 1938 Masters champion.
Picard's family donated it to the club when it was designing a room to honour the Hall of Famer who also served as its longtime pro.
Each Masters champion gets to keep his jacket for a year, but Augusta National expects it to be treated with an ample level of respect during its 365 days away from the club.
Just ask 2007 winner Zach Johnson, who committed a couple of faux pas during his tenure as champion.
First, not realising until after his victory that he could take the jacket with him, he was not prepared to transport it.

"I have no garment bag," Johnson recalled. "I'm going to New York at 6am, so I covered it up with a trash bag."
Then, during media appearances in Times Square, Johnson slipped on the green jacket while wearing a pair of jeans. Apparently, that didn't go over well back in Augusta, either.
"That's a no-no on the bag, a no-no on the jeans," Johnson said, noting that when Trevor Immelman won the Masters the following year, he received "this nice, embroidered garment bag" - and, no doubt, a not-so-gentle nudge from the powers-that-be to wear the jacket with a proper pair of trousers.
The green jacket accompanied Immelman during appearances in China and Japan, where he was amazed by the excitement it generated.
"It's a cherished part of our sport, like an Olympic gold medal or the Stanley Cup or the World Cup in soccer," the South African said. "Not many people get to see it."
But, in keeping with the stuffy traditions of Augusta, the green jacket does not take part in the sort of giddy revelry we've come to expect from Lord Stanley's chalice or even the Claret Jug, the historic trophy that goes to the winner of the British Open.
Both those awards have turned up at some pretty wild parties, even at the bottom of a swimming pool.
When Stewart Cink won the British Open, he tweeted a picture the next morning showing the jug next to a regular glass, jokingly asking which he should use to swig some orange juice.
"I was told to wear the green jacket in golf-oriented events - my foundation, charity, corporate events, golf clubs," Johnson said.
"Wearing it to [a fast-food restaurant]? Ain't going to happen."
Augusta National zealously guards its pomp and circumstance more than perhaps any other sports entity, so it's not surprising that only a handful of green jackets wound up beyond its gates on a permanent basis.

One belonged to Gary Player, who won the first of three Masters titles in 1961, took the jacket home to South Africa, and never brought it back.
Picard won his green jacket during the Masters' formative years, before the custom of returning it began.
He apparently stored it at home, and his family hung on to it after his death in 1997.
Then, when Canterbury was undergoing a renovation six years ago, the call went out for memorabilia belonging to him.
"As I was told," said Kernicki, the latest club pro, "the chairman of our heritage foundation asked by chance, 'Hey, I know back in the day you could keep your Augusta jacket. Do you have his jacket?' The family said, 'Yep, we have the jacket.' So naturally we asked, 'Can we have the jacket?' And they said, 'Sure.' It was a simple as that."
Now, it's the star attraction in the Henry Picard Lounge.
"It's a grand room," Kernicki said. "We have a Masters party in there every year. In fact, it's happening in that room tonight."
Not to worry, Augusta National - no hijinks were planned for the green jacket.
Associated Press


Green jackets get royal treatment - most of the time

Bubba Watson (right) presents Adam Scott of Australia a green jacket at 77th Masters tournament at Augusta National Golf Club last year. Photo: AFP



Gary Player of South Africa hits one of three ceremonial first tee shots on the first hole during the first round of the 2014 Masters. Photo: EPA

Zach Johnson (left) receives his Masters green jacket from Phil Mickelson after winning the 2007 tournament. Johnson was caught unprepared as he had no garment bag. Photo: AP

Sport

Golf

Augusta traditionalists take a dim view of champions 'abusing' coveted garment


Green jackets get royal treatment - most of the time

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Augusta traditionalists take a dim view of champions 'abusing' coveted garment

Augusta traditionalists take a dim view of champions 'abusing' coveted garment