How to Watch the Masters Tournament – A Detailed Breakdown of the Coverage Issues
The Masters Tournament, held at Augusta National, has always been a significant event in the golfing calendar. In the days leading up to the tournament, Augusta National provided fans with a range of compelling content. From insightful press conferences with top golfers to the exclusive Champions Dinner hosted by Scottie Scheffler, everything was covered in detail. One light-hearted moment from the kitchen even caught fans’ attention when someone received two scoops of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream on a Warm Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie, rather than the usual one.
The excitement continued with the traditional Par 3 Contest on Wednesday. This event allowed the families of the players—especially their wives and children—to step onto the course and take part, creating a fun and heartwarming atmosphere. All of this pre-tournament content was broadcast effectively by Augusta National and received positively by fans.
However, when the tournament officially began, things took a disappointing turn. Fans expected to watch the first round live on the Masters Tournament’s official website or through their app. To their dismay, there was no live coverage available at the start of the tournament. This sparked widespread frustration among golf fans, many of whom turned to social media to voice their displeasure.
One user summed up the situation by tweeting: “A tradition unlike any other, waking up on Masters Thursday only to remember it’s the worst coverage of the 4 majors and doesn’t start full coverage until 2 PM. It’s 2025, have full coverage all day like the other majors @TheMasters.” This highlighted the long-standing issue with Augusta’s limited early-day coverage.
Many fans echoed similar sentiments. They criticized the tournament’s outdated broadcast schedule and questioned why, in an age of advanced technology and media access, Augusta still fails to offer full-day coverage like the other three major golf tournaments. One fan pointed out that “Every single year I forget how utterly abysmal the early coverage of Day 1 of the Masters is,” expressing disappointment that the issue persists annually.
Another fan added, “For literally ANY other tournament, coverage starts as soon as the first player hits the first tee shot. People are on the course at Augusta right now and there is no way to watch the #Masters. Make it make sense.” The sentiment across the board is clear: while Augusta National provides top-notch content before the tournament, it consistently falls short when it comes to delivering live coverage at the most critical moment—the start of round one.
This ongoing issue has led to increasing calls from fans and the golfing community for Augusta National to revamp its broadcast strategy. Many believe it’s time for the Masters to adopt a more modern, fan-centric approach to coverage, especially on the opening day.