Where to Watch the Masters

Hello, Friends.

That’s right! No article about The Masters is complete without acknowledging Mr. Nantz’s signature line, even one as simple as one about where to get your fix of all things televised. So, without further ado, let’s throw it over to my alter-ego who’s standing by at Butler Cabin with a full rundown of where to watch! 

Televised Coverage

Whether you’re tuning in to catch the drama of Sunday afternoon or the beauty of the Par 3 Contest on Wednesday (I mean, the kids are there! Some of them are wearing caddie uniforms! Stop being such a grump and smile a little—it’s adorable!), here’s everything you need to know about how to see what you want to see.

Wednesday

Dating back more than 60 years, the Par 3 Contest features both tournament contestants as well as noncompeting past champions.

Fun fact: Sam Snead won the inaugural event (1960), and last year’s winner was Tom Hoge. Not-so-fun fact for the winner: no winner of the Par 3 Contest has ever gone on to win the Green Jacket. So if you see your favorite player “accidentally” hit it into the water on No. 9… they’re just hedging their bets.

The Par 3 Challenge begins on Wednesday, April 10, at 12 p.m. EST, with live coverage starting at 2 p.m. on Masters.com. In my opinion, this has become a must-watch, if only to see the contestants actually smiling, having fun and taking it easy mere hours before the first major of the year begins. 

Thursday

Day 1 of the Masters begins shortly after 8:30 a.m. EST (actual tee times have not yet been announced as of the writing of this article), with coverage being streamed exclusively on Masters.com and on the Masters app in the morning waves.

Television coverage begins on ESPN at 3 p.m. EST, going until 7:30 p.m. EST.

Although the event is weeks away, keep an eye out for some Thursday weather (rainstorms currently being called for) which could impact not only tee times, but scoring conditions.

Fun Fact: The lowest opening round in history at Augusta was carded by Greg Norman in 1996 when he shot a 63(!). He led after each of the first three rounds, but then shot a 78 (+6) and ultimately lost to Nick Faldo.

Friday

Day 2 of the Masters begins shortly after 8:30 a.m. EST, with coverage once again being streamed exclusively on Masters.com and via the Masters app in the morning waves. 

Television coverage begins on ESPN at 3 p.m. EST, going until 7:30 p.m. EST.

Weather forecast for Friday looks good—again, it’s early times, so be sure to keep an eye on that aspect as we continue to get closer to Friday. Last year’s extreme weather wreaked havoc on the field, and is always something to keep an eye on.

Fun Fact: Five golfers have won the tournament wire-to-wire, including Craig Wood in 1941, Arnold Palmer in 1960, Nicklaus in 1972, Raymond Floyd in 1976 and Jordan Spieth in 2015. Five out of 87—not great odds. But if your guy’s leading after Thursday, well, just like Lloyd said to Mary: “So you’re telling me there’s a chance?”

Saturday

Day 3 of the Masters begins shortly after 10 a.m. EST, with coverage once again being streamed exclusively on the Masters app and Masters.com in the morning waves.

Television coverage switches over to CBS at 3 p.m. EST, going until 7:30 p.m. EST.

Weather forecast for Saturday looks good at the moment.

Fun Fact: Tiger Woods has twice shot a third-round 65. In 1997, his lead went from three strokes to nine (!). In 2005, his 65 took him from three shots behind the leader to six strokes in front. While it doesn’t always happen, if someone can go low on Saturday, they set themselves up BIG for a beautiful Sunday.

Sunday

The final day of the Masters begins shortly after 10 a.m. EST, with coverage once again being streamed exclusively on Masters.com and Masters app in the morning waves.

Television coverage continues on CBS at 3 p.m. EST, going until 7:30 p.m. EST (or until the champion eventually slips on that green jacket).

Weather forecast for Sunday looks good.

Fun Fact: Three players have won the Masters back-to-back: Jack Nicklaus (1965 and 1966), Nick Faldo (1989 and 1990) and Tiger Woods (2001 and 2002). While I would never rule out Rahm on a stage like this, the odds are not exactly in his favor.

Masters.com Highlights

One of the things that’s best about the coverage of the Masters is that the website has done an INCREDIBLE job of offering access to the rounds. 

This year, they’re offering “My Group”, where you can add your favorite golfers and see their scores update live (with video highlights as well). They’re also offering a feature called “Track Shots” that allows you to “pan, zoom and tilt” to track any shot and its trajectory from any angle.

Add to that the televised coverage of Amen Corner, as well as featured groups throughout the day and other individual holes, and you’ll be able to catch nearly anything you could want to see before the televised coverage comes on air later in the day.

DIRECTV

DIRECTV is airing the Masters feed on both ESPN and CBS. As a bonus, DIRECTV Satellite customers will enjoy an enhanced Masters experience with the Master Mix channel, offering multiple screens of featured groups and an interactive app that delivers access to leaderboards, tee times, scorecards and more.

Concluding Thoughts

The Masters is my favorite tournament to watch every year. The fact they play there every April, surrounded by the azaleas, the chirping birds (even if they ARE pre-recorded…), the stunning beauty… it’s enough to make this author both nostalgic for the days of watching with my dad, and excited to share this tradition with my kids for years to come.

If you haven’t yet tuned in for the Par 3 Contest, it really is a delightful thing to get to experience. It is something that really is unlike any other tournament (let alone major) in the year.

April 10 (and the 11th, 12th and 13th…) can’t get here soon enough.