How to Watch the Masters Like a Pro — A Viewing Guide for Weekend Golfers

There are exactly two kinds of golf fans during Masters week: the ones who casually flip on CBS on Sunday afternoon, and the ones who clear their Thursday schedule, open four browser tabs, and shush anyone who talks during Amen Corner coverage.

This guide is for the second group. And for anyone who wants to become the second group.

The 2026 Masters runs April 10-13 at Augusta National Golf Club. Here's everything you need to know to watch every shot that matters — and a few ways to make the week unforgettable.

The Broadcast Schedule

The Masters coverage is split between ESPN and CBS, plus free streaming on Masters.com:

Thursday & Friday (Rounds 1-2)

• ESPN: 3:00–7:30 PM ET (main broadcast)
• ESPN+: Extended coverage from early morning (featured groups, Amen Corner, holes 15-16)
• Masters.com / Masters App: Free featured group streams, Amen Corner cam, and holes 4, 5, 6 coverage

Saturday & Sunday (Rounds 3-4)

• CBS / Paramount+: 3:00–7:00 PM ET (main broadcast)
• ESPN+: Early-round coverage before CBS takes over
• Masters.com / Masters App: Same free streams as earlier rounds

The Secret: Masters.com Is the Real MVP

Most people don't realize this: Masters.com streams are completely free. No login, no subscription, no cable package. You get:

• Featured Groups: Follow specific pairings shot by shot
• Amen Corner: A dedicated camera on holes 11, 12, and 13 — the most dramatic stretch in golf
• Holes 15 & 16: Two of the most exciting holes for eagles and aces
• Holes 4, 5, 6: The stretch where morning groups set the tone

Open the featured groups stream on your laptop, put the main broadcast on TV, and keep the Amen Corner stream on your phone. That's three angles of coverage for the price of zero.

Which Groups to Follow

Thursday/Friday Featured Groups

Pairings aren't announced until the week before, but here's who to lock in as soon as tee times drop:

Must-follow groups:

• Scottie Scheffler's group — the defending champion and world No. 1, looking for a three-peat at Augusta (he won in 2024 and 2025). Nobody has three-peated since Tiger.
• Rory McIlroy's group — still chasing the career Grand Slam. Every year at Augusta is another chapter in the most compelling story in golf.
• The last group off Thursday morning — often features contenders who play well in afternoon conditions with firmer greens.

Sleeper groups to watch:

• Any group with Ludvig Åberg — the Swede has the game to dominate Augusta's par 5s.
• Collin Morikawa or Xander Schauffele — both play their best golf at majors.
• An amateur or first-timer — Augusta tradition pairs debutantes with past champions. The contrast is beautiful.

Saturday/Sunday

Follow the leaders, obviously. But keep one eye on the group 2-3 behind the leaders — that's where charges happen. Augusta's back nine on Sunday creates more swings in a leaderboard than any other nine holes in golf.

The Holes That Decide Everything

You don't need to watch all 18. If you only tune in for these six holes, you'll catch 90% of the drama:

Hole 11 (White Dogwood, par 4) — Water left, trees right. The approach shot is where tournaments die.

Hole 12 (Golden Bell, par 3) — 155 yards of pure terror. The wind swirls in the valley and nobody knows what it's doing. More Masters have been lost here than anywhere else.

Hole 13 (Azalea, par 5) — The ultimate risk-reward: go for the green in two over Rae's Creek, or lay up and hope for birdie. The roars from eagles here are audible across the entire property.

Hole 15 (Firethorn, par 5) — Reachable in two for most of the field. The green is guarded by water in front and a ridge behind. Sunday eagles at 15 have decided at least a dozen Masters.

Hole 16 (Redbud, par 3) — The "skip shot" hole. During practice rounds, players skip their ball across the pond in front of the green (a tradition fans love). During competition, it's a gorgeous downhill par 3 where holes-in-one happen at an absurd rate.

Hole 18 (Holly, par 4) — Uphill to the clubhouse. This is where champions are crowned. The walk up 18 on Sunday with a lead is golf's most iconic moment.

The Second Screen Setup

For the ultimate Masters experience, here's the setup:

1. TV: Main ESPN or CBS broadcast
2. Laptop: Masters.com featured groups stream (follow the leaders or your favorite player)
3. Tablet/Phone: Amen Corner stream on Masters.com
4. Phone (second app): Masters app for the live leaderboard — it updates faster than any broadcast graphic

This sounds excessive. It's not. Once you watch the Masters with four screens, you'll never go back.

How to Host a Masters Watch Party

Masters Sunday is the Super Bowl of golf. Here's how to do it right:

Food (Keep It Augusta)

• Pimento cheese sandwiches — the official food of the Masters. White bread, crusts off, just like Augusta serves them. Serious Eats has a great recipe.
• Egg salad sandwiches — Augusta's other $1.50 legend
• Georgia peach dessert — cobbler, ice cream sandwiches, or just sliced peaches
• Domestic beer — keep it simple, the way Augusta does ($6 beers, $1.50 sandwiches — the dream)

Activities

• Fill out a Masters pool sheet — download our Masters 2026 Pool Sheet and have everyone make their picks before Round 1
• "Guess the cut" — everyone predicts the cut line (usually around -1 to +1)
• "First to eagle" — pick which player will make the first eagle of the day
• Sunday Red dress code — optional but encouraged. Tiger made red on Sunday iconic.

The Rules

• No phones during Amen Corner coverage (respect the Augusta vibe)
• Anyone who yells "mashed potatoes" buys the next round
• Mandatory silence during putts inside 10 feet on the back nine Sunday

What Makes Masters Sunday Different

Here's the thing that non-golf people don't understand about the Masters: the tournament doesn't really start until the back nine on Sunday.

A six-shot lead can evaporate in three holes. The roars from the crowd carry through the Georgia pines — a player on the 14th tee can hear an eagle roar from the 15th green and know the leaderboard just changed. Players playing ahead can post a number and put pressure on the leaders who still have Amen Corner to navigate.

It's the only tournament where the architecture of the course creates real-time drama. The par 5s at 13 and 15 give trailing players a chance to charge. The par 3s at 12 and 16 can produce aces or disasters. And the difficulty of the closing stretch (17 and 18) means even a two-shot lead going to the back nine is never safe.

This is why no other tournament creates moments like Phil Mickelson's jump at 18 in 2004, or Tiger's chip-in at 16 in 2005, or Tiger's return to glory at 18 in 2019. Augusta's design manufactures drama.

One Last Tip

DVR the first two rounds even if you can't watch live. Skip to the featured groups and Amen Corner. You'll catch up in an hour and know exactly where the tournament stands.

And if you're watching alone? That's fine too. Some of the best Masters moments happen when it's just you, the TV, and a pimento cheese sandwich. Sometimes the roar from the crowd is all the company you need.

updatedAt: "2026-03-15"

Planning your Masters week? Start with our Masters 2026 Betting Guide for the picks, dive into Masters Traditions for the history, or grab our free Masters Pool Sheet for your watch party.

📌 This article is part of our Masters 2026 Hub — your complete guide to the most beautiful week in golf.