Like racing, like golf: why the mystery of the Masters is part of the magic

When 'normal' people are canvassed about why they don't go racing and what changes would make them more likely to go racing in the future, they seem to fall into two camps: those who are put off by the mystery and the jargon and the sheer unfamiliarity of it all, and those who positively relish the mystery and the jargon and the sheer unfamiliarity of it all.

When you're somebody who is familiar with the inner workings of racing, it's easy not to notice any of this. Do we have any more jargon and mystery than, say, football, with its arcane offside rules, the unfathomability of VAR and the sheer bafflement of why all-in wrestling seems actively encouraged in the penalty box in domestic competitions but outlawed in European ones? And does any of this nonsense put off the millions who go to watch it every week?

I have the chance to adopt the stance of outsider once a year, when I sit down to enjoy my rare unashamed recreational bets on one of the great punting events of the calendar: the US Masters.