​The Brown Jackets started life in 1995 as the University of Bristol Rugby Football Club Golfing Masters. The idea was that the winners would not win a Green Jacket, such as in the US Masters, but, tongue-in-cheek, a grubby, charity-shop-bought brown jacket. It almost immediately became known as the Brown Jacket Masters. There was never an original cup and the standard of golf was appalling.

 

The event was the brainchild of legendary Bristol rugby player Matt Singer and creative genius Michael Aylwin. Matt played full-back or wing for England A, Saracens and originally Neath, when they were a top team and where he learnt lots of horrible things. He is now a teacher in Singapore. Michael played on the wing for the 3rd team and did all sorts of positive things for the club, including writing and directing plays, putting on race nights and generally being club funny man. He also played the lead part in pretty much every university play and was Chief Editor of the Epigram, the university newspaper. He is now rugby correspondent for The Guardian and a regular speaker at University Rugby Club dinners.
 

Big mouth Nigel Clark would also claim to have had some input into the origins of the event, and was no doubt present at original soundings, though it was almost certainly Michael’s idea.

All 3 of these former legends were invited back to play in the 20th Masters, but they all politely declined with feeble excuses, barely masquerading the true reason which was that their golf is just too crap.

The Brown Jackets Masters was pretty much hijacked in its second year with possibly only continuing members Finbar Saunders, Alex Alcott and Paddy 'Automaton' Ko being from the rugby club. The Methley Street gang (housemates of Paddy and Alex) filled the void and form the core of the group to this day. In those first few years, it was still a small affair, with only nine or perhaps ten people taking part in 1999.

It was the following year in Tramore, Ireland (organised by Paddy Ko) when the pace was stepped up and the event became the instituion that it is today.

Over the years, all sorts of new faces have joined the scene, whether they be siblings/partners of former members or just friends. The Brown Jackets has always tried to maintain its Bristol roots, returning there in 2014, whilst being a welcoming place to any new members keen to join in on our rather strange but maturing antics.

The golf is taken seriously, but only when you arrive on that first tee.