The Masters Trophy: Facts, Figures and History

The Green Jacket is the most-famous prize handed out to the winner of The Masters Tournament, but the winner also receives a more traditional trophy. The Masters trophy, though, comes in two sizes: big and small.

The big Masters trophy is very big and remains inside the Augusta National clubhouse; the smaller Masters trophy is the one presented to the winner in the ceremony following completion of the tournament. The smaller one is a replica of the larger one, so they differ mainly in size.

The Large, Permanent Masters Trophy

When we say "big," we mean it: At more than 130 pounds, The Masters Tournament trophy is certainly one of the heaviest trophies in all of sport. That's one reason it is not presented to the winning golfer during the champion's ceremony, and also why it is permanently housed in the Augusta National Golf Club clubhouse.

The permanent Masters trophy (which is featured in the video at the top of this article) is a sterling silver scale model of the Augusta National clubhouse, constructed from more than 900 pieces of silver. It sits atop a wooden base, around which a silver band is wrapped. The names of both the Masters champions and their runners-up are engraved on the band.

The permanent Masters trophy checks in with these stats:

• It was introduced in 1961;
• at its widest (at the base), the trophy is four feet wide;
• the band that wraps around the base is 9 feet, 6 inches long;
• and it weighs 132 pounds.

The Masters Trophy Replica Awarded to Winners

If the winners aren't presented with the big Masters trophy during the champion's ceremony, what are they presented with? A much smaller replica.

The replica Masters trophy given to winners boasts these stats:

• It is 13.5 inches at its widest point;
• it is 6.5 inches tall;
• it weighs 20 pounds.

The replica, which Masters champions get to keep, was only introduced in 1993 — 32 years after the permanent Masters trophy was created.

Previous Masters Trophies

The replica Masters trophy came along in 1993, and the permanent one in 1961. What came before? Were there other trophies given to winners in the past? Here is a timeline:

• The Masters' first trophy was a simple brass plaque. It was first presented to Byron Nelson after the 1942 Masters, but plaques were also made for the Masters champions prior to 1942.
• In 1960, the plaque was replaced as the tournament trophy by a bas-relief, stirling silver depiction of the Augusta National clubhouse, which was mounted on an oak panel. Arnold Palmer, winner of the 1960 Masters, was the first recipient.
• The large, permanent Masters trophy was created in 1961 and housed in the Augusta National clubhouse. Tournament winners continued receiving the bas-relief trophy introduced in 1960.
• In 1993, the bas-relief, sterling silver clubhouse-on-oak-panel was replaced by the smaller replica of the large, 132-pound, silver clubhouse created in 1961.

Bernhard Langer, winner of the 1993 Masters, was the first champion presented with the current trophy at the post-tournament awards ceremony. All previous Masters winners were offered the chance to buy their own versions of the new trophy. Most did, but some declined. Jack Nicklaus, winner of six Masters, bought four of the new Masters trophies.

Some of the older Masters trophies are shown in the following video: