Stand on Washington Road, which flanks the Georgia venue, and you could be anywhere in the US, but not when you walk through the gates.

The famous Magnolia Lane entrance is only for players and officials, but there’s no chance of anyone feeling like a second-class citizen when it comes to this place.

Helped by the fact that it’s the only one of the four men’s majors that is held at the same venue each year, money is no object at Augusta National.

As a result, the people running the club - the ones who wear the Green Jackets - are always making improvements on and off the course.

Five years ago, a new Press Building, which looks like a five-star hotel from the outside and functions like one inside, was built.

On this occasion, the latest addition is a Content Centre, which is actually located on the opposite side of the aforementioned Washington Road and is connected by a giant tunnel.

For most of the patrons - they prefer that to spectators - the first port of call once they walk down from the entrance is the Golf Shop, where it’s rare not to see a long queue outside.

Apparently, the average spend is $950 and the hot item this year is a garden gnome. I watched one media colleague come back into the Press Building yesterday lifting a box bearing one of the said gnomes as though he was showing off the trophy up for grabs here.

Compensating for the money they hand over in the shop, patrons are not fleeced when it comes to food and drink, unlike lots of other sporting events these days. Pimento cheese sandwiches, for example, cost just $1.50, which hasn’t changed in two decades.

No mobile phones are allowed on the golf course, including the media, while running or whooping and hollering are not encouraged.

Some traditions are scoffed at, but there’s no denying tickets for The Masters are the hottest in golf and always will be.

Behind the scenes at the Masters 2022: Where beer costs $5 and the hottest merchandise is a garden gnome

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