Where to watch Golf Live on US TV
|One of the most luxurious sports in the world, Golf is mainly an America based sport. Most of the major golf competitions take place within United States and the major portion of it’s followers belong to the US. According to stats, in an average, 6.7 million viewers enjoy the 4 major golf championships final rounds on US television. More specifically, the number of final round viewers of The Masters, US Open, PGA Championship and Open Championship are 10.8 m, 7.3 m, 5 m and 3.7 m respectively. In this content we will discuss about where to and how to watch and stream various golf competitions live in USA and Canada.
Which Channels to Broadcast Golf Events Live on TV in United States?
There are typically 2 kinds of golf competitions in men’s and women’s division. The major competitions for both men and women as well as the tours and other events which can be categorized as non-major events.
Men’s Major Competitions:
Men’s major competitions feature 4 tournaments.
Masters Tournament:
The Masters is the first major golf competition of the year generally taking place during the first full week of April. Augusta National Golf Club a private golf course hosts the tournament which is also the most popular golf competition in United States. CBS has the broadcasting right of the competition since 1956 and the network televises the weekend round coverage. Viewers can enjoy the 3rd and final round actions live through CBS on Saturdays and Sundays. While the early round coverage are broadcast live through ESPN networks.
PGA Championship:
Currently the 2nd major golf event of the year taking place in May during the weekend before Memorial Day. The competitions formerly used to be held during mid August prior to the Labor Day weekend. Just like The Masters, the PGA Championship’s weekend round matches are also broadcast through CBS. ESPN who replaced TNT as the rightsholder of the competition airs the early round coverage as well as the weekend morning coverage. Apart from these, ESPN’s online streaming platform ESPN+ broadcasts the supplemental coverage during TV windows. All the rightsholder will enjoy the facility through to 2030.
US Open:
The 3rd of the 4 major golf championships of the year. The competition generally scheduled to be played during the month of June. It is broadly known as United States Open Championship. NBC owns the broadcasting right of the competition and televises the weekend round coverage along with the late afternoon and primetime coverage of early rounds. The network’s golf specialty service Golf Channel airs the Early round coverage. Both NBC as well as Golf Channel earned the right in 2020 due to fall sports pressure on FOX Sports network. The mentioned channels will resume the broadcasting duty up to 2026.
The Open Championship:
The final golf major competition of the year is also the oldest ever golf tournament in the history. Generally played during the month of July and many followers know it as the British Open. The competition started it’s journey back in 1860. In United States, the British Open actions are aired through NBC and Golf Channel. NBC televises the weekend round coverage while the later mentioned channel has the right to broadcast the early round coverage.
Women’s Major Competitions:
There are 5 major championships for the professional women golfers.
ANA Inspiration:
Rancho Mirage, California based Mission Hills Country Club hosts the tournament during March-April. Golf Channel owns the entire broadcasting right of this competition. Thus the viewers in US can enjoy the full coverage through this channel.
Women’s PGA Championship:
The competition hosted by United States and last time took place during October. Viewers can enjoy the weekend round coverage through NBC while the early round coverage are available through Golf Channel.
US women’s Open:
Just like the men’s competition, NBC televises the late afternoon and primetime coverage of the early round along with weekend round coverage. Meanwhile, the early round coverage are available through Golf Channel.
The Evian Championship:
Evian Resort golf Club based in Evian-les-Bains, Haute-Savoie, France hosts the tournament. The competition currently takes place in July. Golf Channel has the exclusive US broadcasting right of this competition and will air the entire coverage.
Women’s British Open:
The competition takes place within United Kingdom during August. Similarly to the men’s British Open, the early and weekend round coverage are available through Golf Channel and NBC respectively.
Tour and Other Events:
PGA Tour:
- CBS televises weekend round coverage of at least 20 or even more tournaments each campaign.
- NBC airs at least 10 or more tournaments weekend round coverage every season as well as The Presidents Cup.
- Golf Channel broadcasts the early round coverage of every tournament. It also airs the weekend round coverage in case of NBC or CBS not broadcasting those. In particular cases, during NBC broadcast windows, it may televise the weekend round coverage as well.
- Each of the mentioned television networks and channels will enjoy the right through to 2030.
- Apart from these, NBC’s online streaming service NBC Sports Gold broadcasts PGA Tour Live Coverage prior to Golf Channel windows, and during Golf Channel windows it airs the featured groups and also airs on demand contents. However, the service will enjoy this right just up to 2021 as ESPN+ will take over the duty since 2022.
LPGA:
- Golf Channel has the exclusive broadcasting right of most of the events.
- NBC may televise the weekend round coverage of selected events.
- The contract will run through to 2021 only.
Ryder Cup:
- Golf Channel airs the weekday coverage.
- NBC has the right to broadcast the weekend coverage.
- The channels gained the right back in 2014 and will resume the duty until 2030.
Golf Events Broadcasting TV Channels Chart in United States:
Broadcasting Networks | Extent of Coverage | Featured Tournaments |
CBS | Weekend Round Coverage | Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, At least 20 Tournaments per season of PGA Tour |
NBC | Late Afternoon and Primetime Coverage of Early Round and Weekend Round Coverage | US Open and US Women’s Open |
Weekend Round Coverage | British Open, Women’s PGA Championship, Women’s British Open, At least 10 Tournaments per season of PGA Tour, Ryder Cup, Select Events of LPGA Tour | |
Full Coverage | President’s Cup | |
ESPN | Early Round Coverage and Weekend Morning Coverage | PGA Championship |
Early Round Coverage | Masters Tournament | |
Golf Channel | Early Round Coverage | US Open, British Open, Women’s PGA Championship, US Women’s Open, Women’s British Open, Ryder Cup, Selected Events of LPGA Tour, All PGA Tour Tournaments |
Full Coverage | ANA Inspiration, The Evian Championship, Most Events of LPGA Tour | |
Weekend Coverage | PGA Tour Tournaments not covered by CBS or NBC or Supplemental Coverage during NBC windows |
How Can I Catch the Golf Events Live Via Online Streaming In USA?
Various online streaming sources and service are there to deliver you the golf events actions live and on demand within United States of America.
Online Streaming Media | Available Contents | Cost | Facilities and Setbacks |
fuboTV (Standard Plan Package) | All the On TV Contents from CBS, NBC, ESPN Networks and Golf Channel. Also the Featured Groups and Featured Holes. | Monthly Subscription Fee 59.99 US Dollar | 7 Days Free Trial, Plenty of Sporting Actions, Majority of the Golf Actions |
AT&T TV Now (Max Package) | Monthly Subscription Fee 80 US Dollar | 7 Days Free Trial, Majority of the Golf Actions | |
Hulu+ Live TV | 54.99 US Dollar per Month | 7 Days Free Trial, Plenty of Golf Actions | |
YouTube TV | 64.99 US Dollar per Month | 7 Days Free Trial, Plenty of Golf Actions | |
Sling TV (Blue + Orange Combo + Add On Sports Extra) | All the NBC (Blue), ESPN Networks (Orange), Golf Channel (Sports Extra) Broadcasting Contents | The Combo Package Costs 45 USD per Month (35 USD for the first month) + $10 More for Sports Extra | 3 Days Free Trial, Cheaper than most other options, Doesn’t contain CBS, NBC is not available in certain markets |
CBS All Access | CBS Contents, Featured Group, Featured Holes (PGA Championship, The Masters) | 5.99 USD per Month (with commercials) and 9.99 USD per Month (without commercials); 59.99 USD and 99.99 USD per Year (with and without commercials) | 7 Days Free Trial, Cheaper Option |
ESPN+ | Featured Group, Featured Holes (PGA Championship, The Masters), Supplemental Coverage during TV windows | Monthly Subscription Fee 5.99 US Dollar, Annual Subscription Fee 49.99 US Dollar | Cheaper Option, Versatile Sporting Actions, No Free Trial Facility |
NBC Sports Gold (PGA Tour Live) | Expanding Coverage of PGA Tour, Live Coverage Before Golf Channel windows, Featured Groups during Golf Channel windows | Monthly Pass 9.99 USD, Season Pass (Early Bird) 49.99 USD, Season Pass (General) 64.99 USD | Gives Free Accessibility, Early Bird Offer for the early subscribers |
Masters.com | Every Shot and Every Hole from Every Golfer (The Masters) | Free for the American Watchers | Free and the viewers don’t have to pay money |
Ways to Enjoy the Golf Events Live on Canadian TV:
The TV channels or networks which air the various golf events within Canada, are placed inside a chart below.
Broadcasting Network | Broadcasting TV Channels | Featuring Tournaments | Language Version |
TSN | TSN1, TSN3, TSN4, TSN5 and TSN2 | Masters Tournament, US Open, British Open, PGA Championship, Other USGA Tournaments, Asia Pacific Amateur Championship, Latin America Amateur Championship, Selected PGA Tour Events (Weekend Round Coverage) | English |
RDS | RDS and RDS2 | Masters Tournament, US Open and Other USGA Tournaments, British Open, PGA Championship (Full French Coverage), PGA Tour Events (Weekend Round Coverage) | French |
CTV | CTV | Simulcast of The Masters and British Open | English |
CTV2 | Selected PGA Tour Events (Weekend Round Coverage) | English | |
CHCH | 16 PGA events including 2 WGC events (Weekend Coverage) | English | |
Golf Channel (USA Based) | British Open, PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, European Tour (Early Round Coverage) | English |
- Golf Channel is available within Canada through satellite TV provider Shaw Direct, IPTV provider Telus TV, Bell Fibe TV, VMedia and also through most of the cable television providers in the country.
Golf Actions Online Streaming Options in Canada:
Viewers in Canada who don’t have cable TV subscription to the above mentioned channels or love to watch golf actions through online streaming should have a look at the following chart.
Online Streaming Source | Available Contents | Cost |
TSN Direct | All the On TV Contents Via TSN Networks and Additional Actions | 4.99 CAD per Day, 19.99 CAD per Month, 99.95 CAD for 6 Months |
RDS Direct | Entire French Coverage Via RDS Network | 4.99 CAD per Day, 19.99 CAD per Month |
GOLFTV | Streaming Coverage of All PGA Tour Events | 9.99 CAD per Month |
TSN App | On TV Contents Through All 5 National Feeds of TSN | Requires TV Subscription to TSN |
RDS App | Entire French Language Coverage Through RDS | Requires TV Subscription to RDS |
CTV Go App | On TV Contents Via CTV Network | Requires TV Subscription to CTV Network |