The PGA Championship will be here again before we know it, and this year will be played August 9 through 12 at the Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri. This event marks the 100th anniversary of the championship tournament, and if you've been hoping to catch PGA TV coverage without cable, now is a great time to start making your streaming plan. We'll need to know which networks are airing the golf tournament this year, and which streaming services include these networks, so we don't miss any of the action. Let's get started learning how to watch the 2018 PGA Championship on Apple TV without cable.
Related: Apple TV: Your Complete Guide to Setting Up & Streaming On-Demand Content
PGA Championship TV Coverage 2018
This year TNT will broadcast all four days of the championship, except for weekend afternoons, which will be covered by CBS. This means, of course, that we need to find a streaming service that includes both networks, so we don't miss any of the PGA Championship!
How to Live Stream the 2018 PGA Championship on Apple TV
Watch the CBS Coverage with OTA TV
OTA stands for over the air; in other words, an antenna! Yes, it's true, you can legally pick up locally broadcasted channels and stream them to your Apple TV with an antenna. While you might be envisioning the old-fashioned version that looks like a laundry rack attached to your roof, there are now lots of OTA options that stay right inside your house. Some can boost signals, as well, which is really helpful if you live in a rural area. There are lots of choices, so look into whether CBS is broadcast in your area, or could be picked up with an antenna that features signal boosting. Mohu has a handy tool on their website that shows you what broadcasts are available with which type of antennae. As you can see below, CBS isn't available in my area, but it may be in yours! Other options include AirTV and HD HomeRun, but there are lots more out there.
PGA Championship Streaming with CBS All Access
Compatibility: fourth-generation Apple TV.
Cost: $5.99 with commercials or $9.99 a month without.
Con: All PGA Championship matches not available.
If you're mainly interested in catching the weekend afternoon coverage, all you'll need to do is subscribe to CBS All Access, and stream through the app on your Apple TV. In addition to PGA coverage, you'll also be able to watch NFL games, CBSN news coverage, and over 10,000 episodes of CBS shows on demand.
PGA Championships Live Streaming on DirecTV Now
Compatibility: fourth-generation Apple TV.
Cost: $35 per month
Pros: Seven-day free trial period. Streaming included for AT+T Wireless Customers.
DirecTV Now is DirecTV's streaming offering, and I was super excited to find that their lowest cost plan includes CBS and TNT! Then I looked at the small print to the right of each channel and noticed small boxes indicating "Live," "Vod" or both. Live is pretty obvious: live streaming is available, but "vod?" That stands for video on demand, and if only vod is offered, you won't be able to live stream from that network. For DirecTV viewers in my area this means that CBS is live streamed, TNT is not. Channels offered may not be the same in your area, check with DirecTV Now for details. If you decide to go with this option, here's a tutorial on how to set up DirecTV Now on your Apple TV.
Watch the PGA Championship with Hulu Live on your Apple TV
Compatability: Fourth-generation Apple TV.
Pros: Watch on two devices at once.
Cons: Beta version, subject to glitches.
Hulu makes the jump and joins the live-streaming tv game with their Hulu Live offering, which includes access to the entire Hulu streaming library. If you live in the right area, $39.99 a month will get you CBS and TNT. The whole PGA Championship, on one live-streaming service. A few cautions, though, Hulu warns right up front that this is a beta version and therefore subject to bugs and hiccups, so if you want to ensure the smoothest possible streaming, this could be slightly risky. As well, Hulu customers have complained about commercials with adult themes before, during, and after family and sports content, so if you're watching with kids, Hulu might not be the best choice for your family.
If you live in an area where Hulu Live is at full capacity, you can learn how to set it up on your Apple TV here.
PGA Live with YouTube TV
Compatability: iPad, iPhone, Apple TV.
Pros: No contract, up to six accounts per household.
Cons: Some customers complain of freezing.
YouTube TV launched in 2017, and with 60+ channels including local sports and news, it's another excellent option for PGA fans now that there's finally an Apple TV app available. YouTube TV offers ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, and lots of other sports extras. The tv streaming service includes cloud DVR with no storage limits, so you can save your favorite shows and movies for later viewing at no extra cost.
