5 Things to Know About the 2025 Masters

Well, golf fans, we've made it.

The calendar has turned to April, temperatures are warming, flowers are blooming, and springtime in Augusta, Georgia is officially here. That means one thing.

The Masters is upon us.

As the first men's major championship of the year, the 89th Masters Tournament takes place at Augusta National Golf Club, April 10-13. It's a kickstart to the golf season for many, as courses in northern climates begin to open their doors, but also the beginning of an exciting stretch for the game.

Here's five things to know before the 2025 Masters begins.

Before anyone tees off to compete for a Green Jacket, 80 junior golfers and 72 of the world's best women amateurs will showcase their talents.

The Augusta National Women's Amateur (ANWA), in its sixth year, features one of the strongest fields ever for an amateur golf tournament, with 49 of the top 50 players in the World Amateur Golf Rankings competing. Two rounds are played at Champions Retreat in nearby Evans, with the final round on April 5 at Augusta National. All competitors receive a practice around at Augusta National, too, an added bonus for competing.

Coverage of the ANWA is on Golf Channel April 3 from 1:30-3:30 p.m. ET and NBC on April 5 from 12-3 p.m. ET, with a simulcast on ANWAGolf.com. Pro viewing tip: the usual playoff for a spot to play at Augusta at the end of the second round is riveting.

The ANWA leads into one of my personal favorite days of the year, the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals. 80 boys and girls from across the country scatter across the Masters Tournament Practice Area and Augusta National's 18th green for their chance at a memory of a lifetime. We've seen some great photos and moments like this one below over the years:

Golf Channel will carry Drive, Chip and Putt coverage from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. ET, so grab your coffee and tune in. You'll surely find yourself smiling after watching these kids compete and have fun for a few hours.

One of the best parts about Masters week is just the incredible depth of coverage provided for golf fans. And it seems to get better every year.

First, we'll give you the main broadcast coverage windows for the Par 3 Contest and tournament days:

Keep those handy. Outside of that, coverage on tournament days of Featured Groups, Amen Corner, Holes 4-6 and Holes 15-16 will also be on Masters.com, CBS Digital, DirecTV, ESPN+ and Paramount+.

One new nugget for this year's viewing experience will be at the Tournament Practice Area. The Masters will be delivering On the Range segments on Masters.com, CBS Sports Network, CBS Digital and Paramount+ every day, but fans will also have access to live and recorded data on every single shot from each player during their range sessions throughout the 2025 Masters. Details will include distance, carry, speed, hang time, height, curve and wind. Each individual shot will deliver a 3D tracing, and a full scatterplot for every player will be available from each day of their range sessions.

So, yeah, you can sit back and watch Scottie Scheffler stripe irons and get all the data he's getting. Pretty cool! Here on PGA.com, we'll have a PGA Coach watching some of the range sessions to provide some insights on what golfers can learn next Tuesday, too.

While Tiger Woods at the Masters is about as good of a viewing experience a golf fan could ask for, it's not to be this year with Woods recovering from Achilles surgery.

But . . . that doesn't mean there aren't a breadth of storylines that have emerged in the lead-up. Three stick out right away: Rory, Scottie and Bryson.

McIlroy is playing some of his best golf in recent years, with two wins at Pebble Beach and THE PLAYERS already in his pocket. While he admitted he's not at 100 percent with a nagging elbow issue, we all know a Masters victory is the one Rory wants the most. Not only will it give him a career Grand Slam, but wipe away the ghosts of Masters past and set up him for a potential halfway to the 2025 Slam opportunity with a course he likes in Quail Hollow at the PGA Championship in May.

Scheffler, meanwhile, isn't coming into Augusta National as hot as he was last year but with two Green Jackets in the last three years, he's still a force to be reckoned with. The Christmas hand injury set him back a bit, no doubt, but three Top 10s - including a T2 in his last start in Houston - have him trending . . . and a trending Scottie is a Scottie the field fears.

Lastly, Bryson. He's been playing LIV Golf tournaments around the world, but you know the first major of the year has him fired up. Last year, it looked early on like the Masters was his for the taking but he fizzled a bit on the weekend. He got a major later at the U.S. Open after a close call at the PGA Championship, so it remains to be seen if he can channel that good play for 2025. Given his talent, it's likely he does.

As someone who's been lucky enough to be on the grounds for the Masters a handful of times - thanks to being a PGA of America Member - I feel empowered enough to share my concession rankings. You've likely seen the iconic menu sign that sits out each concession building. Yes, those are the prices. And yes, the food is all amazing.

So if you're going this year, or just want a little insight on the Masters fare . . . behold, my power rankings:

Only served until 10 a.m., this is a solid option to pair up with your coffee. A tad dry, but nothing a little honey can’t solve.

Yes, I tried the Pimento Cheese, and while it’s a must for anyone attending the Masters, the Egg Salad gets my vote. I add a little honey mustard to it for a perfect combo.

I think the brioche bun does it for me here, but the sausage, egg and cheese is just a classic mix and takes the cake for best breakfast item in my mind.

Chicken salad and golf go hand-in-hand, and the honey wheat bread adds a little sweetness to a stellar sandwich. Grab two at lunch.

Don’t even look at the back of the wrapper for the calorie count — just enjoy peach-flavored ice cream between two amazing cookies. Give them two or three minutes out of the freezer and you’ll have the perfect Masters treat.

Honorable Mention: I stuck with food for consistency reasons, but the Masters does offer great coffee, sports drinks and its own craft beer called Crow's Nest, which pays homage to the top floor of Augusta National’s clubhouse where the amateurs stay for the week.

Once the final putt drops on the 18th hole at Augusta National, the fun doesn't stop when it comes to men's Major Championship golf.

Only a few weeks later is the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, which last hosted in 2017 and where Justin Thomas won his first major title. Here's a little hype video to get you psyched up:

No doubt, Quail Hollow is a venue the pros you'll see at The Masters are familiar with, which likely will lead to a bunch of them rising to the top for an exciting finish. And exciting finishes is what the PGA Championship does lately: JT winning a playoff in 2022, Brooks battling Viktor Hovland to win his fourth Wanamaker (and who could forget Michael Block), and last year Xander needing to get up-and-down to win, and doing it, by a shot over Bryson.

If you're looking to experience an exciting finish like that in-person, there's still limited PGA Championship tickets that remain, too. And all ticket purchases will be dropped into a recently announced Play Like the Pros sweepstakes, where you and two friends can win a chance to play at Quail Hollow the day after the final round!

It's a good time to be a golf fan. Major Championship season is here. Get your popcorn ready!