On the 25th anniversary of one of the most dramatic Masters in history (where live coverage began just as Greg Norman was spinning his approach off the front of the 9th green), The Masters broadcast has come a long way. A very long way.

For the longest time, the green jackets held to the notion that ‘less is more’ when it came to TV. The front nine holes weren’t even seen by the viewing public in any meaningful way until 2002.

But in the digital age, the club has pivoted 180 degrees. With previously unimagined technology at their fingertips, those in charge of telling the Masters story have become Masters of their own universe.

While much of the commentary tends towards syrupy, the smorgasbord of options for the viewing fan is beyond criticism.

The Masters app and website – with the extraordinary feature that allows fans to see every shot played by every player in the field – is truly revolutionary.

One can only begin to imagine the number of views that service will be generating in Japan the next 24 hours.

In an age where social media can sometimes run ahead of the TV pictures, this single advance has all but created something unthinkable in live sports coverage: time shift TV.

More than once at the weekend did a Tweet hinting at something I had missed see me head to the leaderboard to hunt for the vision.

It is the sort of leap forward that will ultimately change the way fans consume the professional game and while it is likely some time away for week-to-week events, in decades to come viewers will take for granted the ability to replay the entire round of their favourite player.

"While much of the commentary tends towards syrupy, the smorgasbord of options for the viewing fan is beyond criticism." - Rod Morri.

Of course, it’s not just fans who will use this feature but coaches as well. The ability to review all 18 holes of a student in intricate detail – including factors beyond just the swing – will undoubtedly grab the attention of instructors looking for an edge.

Everything from body language to swing plane can be scrutinised for shots both good and bad, each detail logged in the endless search for improvement.

The drone shots added to the coverage for last year’s November playing of the Masters were also back in 2021, complementing coverage of the on course action with fascinating views of the field of play itself.

The aerial perspective of Alister MacKenzie’s famed layout from angles previously unseen adds a welcome and fascinating element for those with an interest in course design.

Augusta National don’t get everything right but since the advent of the internet they have proved themselves leaders in the field of tournament coverage.

And like the over par/under par scoring system invented by CBS’ famous producer Frank Chirkinian in 1960, some of their innovations will surely be the norm in years to come.