A multi-million dollar state-of-the-art press centre was officially unveiled yesterday and it immediately becomes the new yardstick for media facilities for the coverage of any sporting event in the world.

The committee of Augusta National Golf Club has never been known to do anything by halves but they have outdone themselves with the new press centre.

Located at the western end of the tournament practice range, you can’t help but be impressed with the two-storey building as you walk through landscaped gardens to the front door.

PHOTO: Miller Brown/Augusta National.

It looks like a stately Southern mansion and would not be out of place on the set of Gone With The Wind. The stone façade gives the impression this building has been here for years but in fact the final touches were only made in the last few weeks before the Masters.

Work began on the new press centre two days after Danny Willett won the green jacket last year. The media had been housed in an amphitheatre style press centre near the 1st fairway since 1990, after decades of journalists tapping out stories on typewriters in the legendary Quonset Hut – a semi-cylindrical corrugated iron building more commonly used by the US military. That hut would probably fit into the dining area of the new press centre.

Inside, the facilities for compiling stories, interviewing players and disseminating TV and radio broadcasts are world leading. As one of the media at Augusta National this week, its hard not to feel spoilt.

Each working member of the press has two computer screens on their desk – one with a scoreboard, the other provides access to 17 golf-related TV channels. The high-speed internet connection is world class and, perhaps the best of all, the leather chairs are really comfortable. No expense has been spared whatsoever to ensure the people bringing you the stories of the Masters, are comfy while they’re doing it.

Take a tour of Augusta National's new press centre. VIDEO: Courtesy Augusta National GC

There's also plenty of memorabilia adorning the walls, commemorating award-winning golf writers as well as past Masters Champions.

Rory McIlroy had a tour of the new facility recently and was gobsmacked by what he saw.

“We had a little bit of a delay,” McIlroy said of a scheduled practice round he had at Augusta National. “We were supposed to tee off early in the morning but the rain was coming in sideways, it wasn’t a very nice morning. So ... the pro there said, ‘Why don’t I take you around and see this new media facility.’ 

“I kept saying, ‘Do you realize what you’ve done here? These guys are not going to want to leave. You’re going to want to cover Harbour Town next week from there. Just get a feed and like stay there.’ It’s nuts. It’s unbelievable."

Yes it is Rory and you're right ... I could stay here.