Pebble Beach is different. Honestly, if you've ever tried to keep track of a leaderboard while a Hollywood actor is hacking out of the ice-plant on the 14th hole, you know exactly what I mean. It’s chaotic. It's beautiful. It's also one of the most confusing tournaments to follow because the broadcast rights are split between traditional cable, specialized golf networks, and a handful of streaming platforms that seem to change their interface every season.
If you are looking for how to watch Pebble Beach Pro-Am, you aren't just looking for a channel number. You're trying to figure out how to see the "Signature Event" stars like Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy without missing the celebrity banter that makes this stop on the PGA Tour unique. Since the tournament moved to Signature Event status, the field is smaller and the stakes are higher, but the viewing options have become a bit of a jigsaw puzzle.
The primary ways to catch the action
Most people assume they can just turn on NBC or CBS and see the whole thing. They're wrong. CBS usually handles the weekend afternoon "main" coverage, while Golf Channel takes the early shifts and the first two rounds.
If you're a cord-cutter, you basically live and die by ESPN+. This is where the real depth is. They run "Main Feed," "Marquee Group," and "Featured Holes" simultaneously. It’s great for people who actually care about the golf, but it can be overwhelming if you just want to see Bill Murray throw a club into a bunker. For the 2026 season, the streaming schedule is tighter than ever. You'll generally find the early morning coverage starting around 8:30 AM PT / 11:30 AM ET on ESPN+, specifically under the PGA Tour Live banner.
Breaking down the broadcast windows
The timing is everything here. Because the tournament is held on the West Coast, the prime-time slots are actually in the late afternoon for East Coast viewers.
- Thursday and Friday: This is mostly a Golf Channel and ESPN+ affair. You won't see this on network TV. Golf Channel typically picks up the "simulcast" coverage in the afternoon, usually around 3:00 PM ET.
- Saturday and Sunday: This is the big show. CBS usually takes over around 3:00 PM ET for the finish. However, if there’s a weather delay—and at Pebble Beach, there is always a chance of horizontal rain—the coverage might shift to sister stations or stay on the streaming apps.
Why the "Signature Event" status changed everything
In the old days, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am had a massive field spread across three courses: Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill, and Monterey Peninsula Country Club. It was a nightmare to televise. Cameras couldn't be everywhere. You'd often see a grainy highlight of a leader from a course three miles away while the live feed showed a celebrity finishing a three-putt.
Now, it’s a Signature Event. The field is restricted to roughly the top 80 players. No cut. The amateur portion is often wrapped up earlier or confined to specific rotations, meaning the cameras can stay focused on the guys playing for the $20 million purse. When you are looking for how to watch Pebble Beach Pro-Am now, you're getting a much more "professional" broadcast than the pro-am "hit-and-giggle" style of the late 90s.
Streaming is no longer optional
Let’s be real. If you don't have a login for Paramount+ or ESPN+, you are going to miss about 60% of the tournament.
📖 Related: Why the Penn State Boise State Football Game is the Matchup Everyone’s Been Waiting For
Paramount+ is essential because it carries the CBS feed. If you have the "Premium" or "Showtime" tier, you can watch your local CBS station live. This is huge for people who don't want to pay for a full cable replacement like Fubo or YouTube TV. Speaking of YouTube TV, it’s probably the most seamless way to watch, as it aggregates the Golf Channel and CBS into one DVR-friendly spot.
Watching the iconic holes
You don't watch Pebble just for the scores. You watch for the scenery. The broadcast usually parks "Featured Hole" cameras on the 7th—that tiny, terrifying par 3—and the 18th.
The 7th hole is perhaps the most photographed hole in golf. It's barely 100 yards, but if the wind is howling off the Pacific, you’ll see pros hitting 5-irons. Watching the "Featured Holes" feed on ESPN+ is often better than the main broadcast because you get to see every single player deal with that specific challenge, rather than just the top three players on the leaderboard.
The Peacock factor
NBC Sports often utilizes Peacock for their portion of the rights, especially for early-round "overflow" or specific "Walk-and-Talk" segments. These segments are actually some of the best content in modern golf broadcasting. A pro wears an earbud and talks to the announcers while walking down the fairway. It’s insightful. It’s candid. It’s something you won't get if you’re just checking the scores on your phone.
Common misconceptions about the broadcast
A lot of fans think the tournament is only on Pebble Beach. While the final round is always on the iconic links, the early rounds are split. This means the TV crew has to manage multiple production trucks. Sometimes, the audio from Spyglass Hill sounds a bit different, or the camera angles aren't as polished.
Also, don't expect the celebrities to get 100% of the airtime anymore. Since the prize money skyrocketed, the focus has shifted heavily toward the FedEx Cup points. If you’re tuning in specifically to see your favorite quarterback or actor play, you might find yourself disappointed by how much "serious" golf is being shown. The amateurs are mostly featured in the Thursday and Friday morning windows on the streaming feeds.
✨ Don't miss: Florida Gators Baseball News: Why This 2026 Squad Is Different
International viewing
If you're trying to figure out how to watch Pebble Beach Pro-Am from outside the United States, your best bet is usually Sky Sports Golf in the UK or GolfTV/Eurosport in other regions. The times can be brutal—often starting late in the evening and running into the early hours of the morning—but the feed is usually "cleaner" with fewer commercials than the US broadcast.
Technical tips for the best experience
- Use a multi-device setup: Put the main CBS/Golf Channel feed on the big TV and have your laptop or tablet open to the ESPN+ "Marquee Group."
- Check the weather: If the wind exceeds 40 mph, they stop play. Don't waste your time looking for a stream if the waves are crashing over the seawall on 18; the broadcast will just be a "Best Of" replay.
- Audio matters: Pebble Beach is a sensory experience. If you can, use headphones or a soundbar. The sound of the surf and the wind through the cypress trees is half the reason to watch.
Watching this tournament is a commitment. It's a four-day journey through some of the most expensive real estate on earth. Whether you're there for the $20 million chase or just to see if someone's ball actually stays on the green at the 14th, knowing exactly where to click at 2:00 PM on a Saturday saves a lot of frustration.
Actionable steps for tournament week
To ensure you don't miss the winning putt or a spectacular collapse on the 18th, follow this checklist:
- Confirm your ESPN+ subscription at least 24 hours before Thursday's opening tee time. Most "Where to watch" issues happen because of expired passwords or billing errors.
- Download the PGA Tour app. It provides a live map of where every player is on the course. This is the only way to know if your favorite player is currently being filmed or if they are in a "dark zone" between cameras.
- Set your DVR for an extra two hours. Pebble Beach is notorious for "The Monterey Fog." Rounds frequently run long, and if the tournament goes to a playoff, the network often shifts the ending to a secondary channel like Golf Channel if a news broadcast is scheduled.
- Check the "Featured Groups" list on Wednesday night. The PGA Tour usually announces which high-profile players will have dedicated cameras following every single shot. If your favorite player is on that list, you can watch them exclusively on ESPN+ regardless of what the main broadcast is showing.
- Sign up for a Paramount+ free trial if you don't have cable. It's the cheapest way to get the high-definition CBS feed for the weekend finish without a long-term contract.