<P> The Masters Tournament (usually referred to as simply The Masters, or the U.S. Masters outside of North America) is one of the four major championships in professional golf . Scheduled for the first full week of April, the Masters is the first major of the year, and unlike the others, it is held at the same location, Augusta National Golf Club, a private course in the southeastern United States, in the city of Augusta, Georgia . </P> <P> The Masters was started by noted amateur champion Bobby Jones and investment banker Clifford Roberts . After his grand slam in 1930, Jones acquired the former plant nursery and co-designed Augusta National with course architect Alister MacKenzie . First played 84 years ago in 1934, the tournament is an official money event on the PGA Tour, the European Tour, and the Japan Golf Tour . The field of players is smaller than those of the other major championships because it is an invitational event, held by the Augusta National Golf Club . </P> <P> The tournament has a number of traditions . Since 1949, a green jacket has been awarded to the champion, who must return it to the clubhouse one year after his victory, although it remains his personal property and is stored with other champions' jackets in a specially designated cloakroom . In most instances, only a first - time and currently reigning champion may remove his jacket from the club grounds . A golfer who wins the event multiple times uses the same green jacket awarded upon his initial win (unless he needs to be re-fitted with a new jacket). The Champions Dinner, inaugurated by Ben Hogan in 1952, is held on the Tuesday before each tournament, and is open only to past champions and certain board members of the Augusta National Golf Club . Beginning in 1963, legendary golfers, usually past champions, have hit an honorary tee shot on the morning of the first round to commence play . These have included Fred McLeod, Jock Hutchinson, Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player . Since 1960, a semi-social contest at the par - 3 course has been played on Wednesday, the day before the first round . </P> <P> Nicklaus has the most Masters wins, with six between 1963 and 1986 . Palmer and Tiger Woods won four each, and five have won three titles at Augusta: Jimmy Demaret, Sam Snead, Gary Player, Nick Faldo, and Phil Mickelson . Player, from South Africa, was the first non-American player to win the tournament, in 1961; the second was Seve Ballesteros of Spain, the champion in 1980 and 1983 . </P>

When was the first green jacket awarded at the masters