The Golf Insiders

Host Rich Bianco is in the studio and Holly joins the show via the phone.  Rich urges all players to have a bag tag on them so you can easily take care and secure their clubs.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in and talks to the team about Jason Dufner’s first win on Tour at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Bob also talks about Ernie Els playing his way to the top but just falling short.

The team turns their attention to Quail Hollow and the Wells Fargo that looms on the horizon. Bob was able to follow Tiger around at the pro am today and had a chance to talk with Sean Foley, Tiger’ swing coach.

Bob and Rich talk about Rory McIlroy and his game and possible distractions with his girlfriend.

Brian Hewitt, GlobalGolfPost.com, calls in to talk with Rich and Holly G.  Global Golf Post's following is about 4,000 weekly. They just added a huge following in Canada as well as they send out specific Global Golf Post to the United Kingdom.

Holly and Brian also discuss Tiger's recent video Q&A with the fans and the shortcomings that showed up, i.e. poor lighting, background, grooming, etc. Brian talks to the Golf Insiders about Jason Dufner's win and his lack of emotions. Holly and Brian go over Anthony Kim's game falling off the board. It seems that his swing has left him after just looking so good in the Ryder Cup.  Brian talks about the fact that a golfer's swing comes and goes.

May is Get Ready for Golf Month and initiative put on by the PGA. May 19th from 9-10 a.m. Hunter's Creek will be hosting their portion.

Jeff Shain, Orlando Sentinel, joins the Show and talks about Jeff's post about a man in Lake Wale's surviving a gator attack. Jeff talks about his upcoming article on the Golf 2.0 being put on hold for a short until the pages open up. Be on the look out in the Orlando Sentinel for Jeff's article. Holly and Jeff talk about the upcoming tournament at the Wells Fargo and Rory's chances after finishing 40th at the Masters and taking a couple of weeks off.

PGA General Manager Bob Baldassari joins the Golf Insiders to talk about what is on the horizon about getting Golf Ready around the United States.  Five sessions for $99 out on the course actually learning the game and improving. Brendon Elliot, Little Linksters, recently was named

Holly gives a shout out to Disney’s Kevin Weickel and MetroWest Golf Club’s Brendon Elliott as winners in the PGA of America’s North Florida section held its annual awards at Reunion Resort last weekend.  Weickel, 13 1/2 years as Disney’s director of golf, received the Horton Smith Award for longstanding contributions to developing education opportunities for the PGA professional.

Elliott, owner of the Little Linksters Golf Academy at MetroWest, was named the NFPGA’s Junior Golf Leader.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [00:56:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (45)

After a few commercials, Host Rich Bianco is in the studio and Holly G is on the road again.  The two open the show talking about Ben Curtis' win at the Valero Texas Open.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com calls in from the Zurich Classic and talks about the upcoming tournament there. The return to the Tour of Bubba Watson after his Major win and the whirlwind tour that followed it. The trio also talks about the Valero Texas Open as well and Curtis' comeback from the abyss and the comeback of John Huh.

Jeff Shain, the Orlando Sentinel, joins The Golf Insiders and talks about his column about Golf 2.0. How do you bring golf to people who have a financial strain and time crunch issues? Trying to have golf fit into people and families busy schedules. Last year there was Tee It Forward and shooting from the tees that you are comfortable with.

Sean Martin calls in from the Zurich Classic on the outskirts of New Orleans. Native Californian been at Golfweek for six years. The big story this week is Bubba Watson coming back after winning The Masters. Bubba endears himself to people because he seems like a regular guy and his own swing style. Sean talks about the length of the course. Good field at the Zurich with a lot of the top players. Holly talks to Sean about Luke Donald.Sean talks about the freshness of golf that is on Golfweek whether hard copy or on Golfweek.com.

Todd Lewis, the Golf Channel, calls in from New Orleans to wrap up the show. Todd talks about Big Break Atlantis and the Golf Channel's preparation for the upcoming Majors and the Players Championship. Todd also talks about how Bubba will react back on Tour with the bigger spotlight and higher expectations on him. Bubba and his fellow golfers from the Golf Boyz are more into being known as a good person before being known as a golfer.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (50)

Rich Bianco is in the studio and joined on the line by Holly G. Friday Holly was in Daytona shooting a commercial with Sean Foley and then in Tampa for the Champions Tour event. Sunshine State Conference Championship event at The Concession last Monday and Tuesday. Second Straight Conference Title for the men and the women had a one stroke win over.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in and talks about the Valero Texas Open and the lack of the Top 50 players in the field after the Masters.  The Valero is the third longest running tournament on the PGA Tour with more than 9 decades on the Tour. Bob mentions that even though the field is not full of top players, there is still a lot of good golf being played. Holly feels that Matt Kuchar needs to step up and win a tournament.  The only other that might want it more would be Justin Leonard in his own backyard.

Rich and Bob talk about Carl Pettersson’s win at the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, S.C.  Ironically he would not be eligible to play for the European team at the Ryder Cup. He is not a member of the European Tour and with the commitments he would have to play there, which he doesn’t want to.

Jeff Shain from the Orlando Sentinel calls in to talk to the duo about golf and the lack of events going on. Rory McIlroy jumps back to Number 1 in the OWGR without even playing.  Jeff explains to the listeners that the World Golf Rankings are based on a two-year rolling tournament schedule. So each time a player adds another event, the first event on the two-year timetable drops off. Jeff also talks about an article he is working on about how to continue to grow the game of golf during these trying times.

Todd Lewis from the Golf Channel calls in to talks about The Golf Channel's coverage of the Tour. Holly asks Todd about Luke Donald's trials of this season. Todd feels that Luke is the most under rated #1 player in the World. With his accomplishments last year there is a lot of belief that he should do it again this year.  Luke has told Todd that his short game is off at this time and that he will be working on it before he competes again. The trio also talks about the former number one players, like Luke who have not won a Major championship.

Sean Gorgone, Golf Master Instructor and Coach at Sweetwater Country Club, calls in to the Show to talk to Rich and Holly about being named the North Florida Section PGA Player of the Year.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [00:57:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (20)

Host Holly G along with Rich Bianco in the studio talking about Bubba Watson's Masters win. Monday after the Masters two-man scramble with Tuck and O'Neil  at Rosen Shingle Creek.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in and talks about all the great things and not so great things that happened at this year's Masters competition. The team talks about the Albatross made by South African Louis Oosthuizen at the Masters. He said it took him to about 9 holes later to calm down. Bob also talks about the Golf Writers Association's dinner at Augusta. Luke Donald was player of the year, Yani Tseng, Tom Lehman, etc.

The story that wasn't with Tiger and Rory, Phil's and Lee Westwood's missed opportunities at Augusta.

Jeff Shain from the Orlando Sentinel joins the show.  The trio talks about Bubba Watson's whirlwind media tour. Jeff talks about Oosthuizen's decision to use the 3 Wood on the second playoff hole after Bubba hit his drive into the trees.

Aerial View of Bubba Watson's shot on the 10th Hole at the Masters.

Bubba Watson's pink driver goes to the market. Director of Tournament Player Relations at Ping, Chance Cosby, calls in to talk about the 5,000 Pink Drivers Ping will be selling with portions of the proceeds going to charity. Bubba & Friends Drive to a Million.

The Golf Channel's sharped-dressed host Todd Lewis calls in to wrap up the show, talking about the Masters and how Bubba's win is helping to market golf. 14 of the last 14 major championships have all been different winners. Todd talks about the raw emotions that Bubba showed after winning the Masters.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (57)

Rich Bianco is joined in the studio by Jay Golden, teacher, entertainer and PGA Pro at Winter Park Pines, on the day before the Masters. Holly G is on location in Augusta.

Holly kicks off the show calling in from the Masters and talks about the conditions there as well as the storm that cancelled the Par 3 event.

The guys are joined in studio with former PGA Professional Fred Gibson. Fred offers golf lessons in the Central Florida area. www.golfwithfred.com 407-808-6561. Fred also stresses the importance of club fitting.

Todd Lewis from the Golf Channel phones in from Augusta and talks about some of the changes made to the course.

Jeff Shain from the Orlando Sentinel calls in from the Augusta to talk about the wet conditions to start the Masters.  Jeff talks about comments made by Luke Donald and Lee Westwood prior to the Masters. The chances for them and others. Close to 10 other players than Tiger and Rory McIlroy.

Tony Leodora, Golf Talk Live, calls in from Augusta to wrap up the show talking about the man from Seattle who won 4 tickets to the Masters and had his dog eat his tickets. Tony talks about his conversation with Jim Furyk's father.

Listen Now:

 Standard Podcasts [00:55:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (54)