The Golf Insiders

The Golf Insiders 03-25-15

PODCAST NOTE: Listeners can tune in to iHeart Radio 740 The Game Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. to hear The Golf Insiders live. Add The Golf Insiders podcast to your iPhone as an app. Click here and go to the bottom of the device's screen to create the "Quick Launch" icon for the Golf Insiders. Once you've done this it will add The Golf Insiders podcast as an App to your home screen. 

Holly G and Rich B are in the studio talking about Matt Every's win at Arnold Palmer Invitational. Every held on to beat beat Henrik Stenson who was rattled over being put on clock for slow play. Rich B says Stenson and his group were one hole behind and that is unacceptable in tournament play.

The Daytona Beach native won his first Tour event at the Arnold Palmer last year. He successfully defended his title this year at the API for his second tour win. 

Holly was at the press center and recorded some audio of Every's interview. She said that Every was refreshingly candid. 

Every spoke about the guy who was in the gallery at 18 and fake coughed "straight putt, straight putt." Every said he was thinking that this guy would have to be a real D&%$ to say something like that and it not be straight. Every sized up the putt and sunk it. He also talks about this win compared to the pressure after winning his first Tour event. 

Bob Harig ESPN.com, talks to Holly and Rich about the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Stenson's slow play. Bob wrote an article for ESPN.com that covered PGA putting Stenson and his partner on the clock a few times during the event that seemed to rattle Stenson on the 3rd time he was put on the clock. Bob wrote another article stating that Strokes not Fines is the way to end slow play. 

Tim Rosaforte, The Golf Channel, called in and talked with Holly and Rich about several topics around the golf world including the evolution of the The Golf Channel and what it takes a network to cover an event like the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Tim spoke with Holly and Rich about Tiger's chances of playing in the Masters. He said that it remains to be seen what will happen with Tiger.  

Ann Ligouri, Sports Radio and TV broadcaster, talks with Holly and Rich about her shows from the Sports Interview that she did for 17 years. Some of those old interviews are now available on Hulu and Amazon. Ann said that the show ran from 1989-2006. During that time she was able to complete more than 600 interviews and 59 are available already online. Interviews from Ted Williams, Billy Jean King, Mickey Mantle, Annika Sorenstam to Brett Favre. She is hoping that they will be converting her interview with Sam Snead and have it available online soon.

Holly asks Ann how long she has been covering the Masters. "Since 1998." Ann has had the privilege twice to play the Monday after masters twice. Media members put their names in a lottery and are randomly chosen to play on the same set up at Augusta that is used for Sunday's final round including the pin placements. Lottery pin positions same as Sunday.

The Golf Insiders 03-18-15

PODCAST NOTE: Listeners can tune in to iHeart Radio 740 The Game Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. to hear The Golf Insiders live. Add The Golf Insiders podcast to your iPhone as an app. Click here and go to the bottom of the device's screen to create the "Quick Launch" icon for the Golf Insiders. Once you've done this it will add The Golf Insiders podcast as an App to your home screen. 

Holly G and Rich B are back in the studio on the eve of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, picking up after a winter break. Holly and Rich open season 7 talking about Jordan Spieth's win at Valspar Championship at Innisbrook. Ironically, when The Golf Insiders signed off for the year, Spieth had just won the Hero World Challenge at Isleworth. 

Holly talks about how Spieth was phenomenal in the Snake Pit for the final three holes. He won on the third hole of a three-man playoff defeating Patrick Reed and Sean O'Hair. It was Spieth's 4th professional win and his second on the PGA Tour.

Holly was at the press conference at Bay Hill and has some thoughts from Matt Every on his win at the Arnold Palmer last year and what followed.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in from Bay Hill to talk with Holly and Rich. Bob wrote a story about parody and the first time winners this season. There have been 17 tourneys over 16 weeks and there has NOT been a repeat winner this wrap-around season.

Bob talks to Holly about how great Jordan Spieth is already and his play at the Valspar ... and he is only 21. If he stayed at Texas, he'd be just graduating this year, instead he's already won $10 million. Bob says that Spieth's second win answers a lot of questions and doubts that some naysayers had.

Holly talks to Bob about Sam Saunders, Arnold Palmer's grandson. Bob feels that how close that Saunders came in Puerto Rico helps Saunders cause in retaining his Tour card.

Just three weeks away from the Masters, Rory McIlroy is making his first appearance at Bay Hill. Holly shares some audio from Rory's press conference at Bay Hill. 

Jeff Babineau, Golfweek, calls in from Bay Hill, talking about getting back out on the tour covering. Jeff talks about some of the pros tuning up prior to the Masters. Holly talks to Jeff about Gator alum Billy Horschel and how he has been since closing out the season last year.

Rich asks Jeff about Ian Poulter's play of late and what may be the issue. Poulter put 5 balls in the water at the Honda. Jeff feels that Poulter needs to channel the Ryder Cup Poultz and bring it to the tour.

Holly asks Jeff about Ryan Moore's troubles. Babineau says that a lot of the guys have not been able to close the deal on Sundays like we were used to seeing Tiger do in the past. "It's really hard to win on the Tour or to win anywhere out here."

Holly has audio from Arnold Palmer being asked why Bay Hill and why Orlando? Palmer said that they were there before Disney.

Todd Lewis, Golf Channel, calls in from Bay Hill and talks about the conditions of the course. Todd breaks the news that Bubba Watson had just pulled out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational due to the death of a childhood friend. 

Todd talks to Holly and Rich about Rory and Tiger and where they are with their games at this point. Todd believes that no one is rooting for Tiger's return at Augusta more than Rory ... because that will take a lot of the focus off of Rory and maybe make it a little easier for him to focus on the possibility of a grand slam. Todd talks about some of the back history of Patrick Reed. "You do a lot of things when you are 17-21 years old in college. Judge the man you see now and not the boy from his past."

Holly asks who, if any of the winners on the season so far, will be the one who'd be most likely to win at the Arnold Palmer. Todd says Jason Day. "He's been playing really well and has the game for this course."

Holly mentions the Arnie series that the Golf Channel put together that was a huge hit when it first aired. The show re-aired last night and then was followed by the fourth installment in the series, Arnie & Me.  Holly G was featured in the series telling her lifelong story about The King!

The Golf Insiders 12-10-14

PODCAST NOTE: Listeners can tune in to iHeart Radio 740 The Game Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. to hear The Golf Insiders live. Add The Golf Insiders podcast to your iPhone as an app. Click here and go to the bottom of the device's screen to create the "Quick Launch" icon for the Golf Insiders. Once you've done this it will add The Golf Insiders podcast as an App to your home screen. 

Holly G and Rich B are back in the studio talking about Jordan Spieth's back-to-back wins at the Australian Open and then this past weekend's win at the Hero World Challenge at Isleworth.

Holly got a chance to interview Spieth after his win at Isleworth and shares it with the listeners. 

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in to talk to Holly and Rich about Spieth's win.

"It's incredible when you think that he was in Japan a couple of weeks ago and then went to Australia and won, then flew 16 hours to Orlando for Tiger's event," Harig commented.

Bob pointed out that it was a nice three weeks for Spieth and the three pro wins now will boost his confidence going into 2015.

Holly and Bob talk about Keegan Bradley's success with switching to the standard putter after using the belly putter for such a long time. 

"Why not change when you haven't been putting well with the belly putter and you know that you are going to have to switch to the standard putter in 2016 when the anchoring ban goes into effect," Harig said about Bradley. 

Rich asks Bob about some of the players like Keegan making equipment changes and ball changes as well.

"Tiger had new Nike irons in play and didn't play very well. We knew he was ill but actually Saturday was his best round and he had a fever of 102 F. 

The transition in Tiger's game from the greatest short game of all time about five years ago to now is a little crazy," Harig said. "Why would you change it when you were the best." 

Holly asks Bob about the Ryder Cup task force's first meeting and what he knew about it. Bob said he feels that the task force is going to keep everything close to the vest and then announce something when they have sorted it all out.  Like Tiger suggested in his press conference .... we should only have to do this once.

Terrie Purdum, Publisher Florida Golf Central Magazine, calls in to talk to Rich B and Holly about Rich's success in the North Florida PGA as well as being the Bachelor of the Month in the magazine.  The three talk about the PGA SuperStore opening locally in the Orlando area on Turkey Lake Rd.

Jeff Shain, PGATour.com calls in to talk about the Hero World Challenge among other things as the season wrapped up. They talk about the baboon playing through with Luke Donald in South Africa.

The Golf Insiders 12 03 14

PODCAST NOTE: Listeners can tune in to iHeart Radio 740 The Game Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. to hear The Golf Insiders live. Add The Golf Insiders podcast to your iPhone as an app. Click here and go to the bottom of the device's screen to create the "Quick Launch" icon for the Golf Insiders. Once you've done this it will add The Golf Insiders podcast as an App to your home screen. 

Holly G and Rich B are back in the studio after the holiday break.

Jordan Spieth wins at the Australian Open by six strokes.

Rich B competed in the North Florida PGA North Central Bonus Event Country Club of Orlando a field of 26. Rich B tied for 5th place. 

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in to talk about the Hero World Challenge and Tiger's return to golf. Bob and Holly and talk about the new look of Tiger.

He has a new teacher, Chris Como, that has a viewpoint that you should play golf but avoid injury. His swing looks different and he has a different posture when he swings.

Bob said that Tiger looked pretty comfortable at the Pro-Am today and only missed a couple of greens all day. Rich points out that this is a home event for Tiger and he really knows the course after living at Isleworth for about 15 years. Bob said that it is really no advantage if you are familiar with the course if you are not playing well.

Holly asks Bob about Tiger's new swing consultant Como. Bob says that the difference between Como and Foley that Como is not as into the Trackman numbers as much as Foley was. Some were of the thought that Tiger was too much into the Trackman numbers so it might be good since he knows about all of that, to tuck it away and move on.

Both Como and Foley are big on Bio-mechanics and Bob Harig stressed that bio-mechanics equals injury avoidance, which everyone especially Tiger can benefit from.

He couldn't do any more of what Foley was advocating, he felt that it wasn't working for him any longer. It was a very amicable split. Tiger felt he needed to make a change.

Bob pointed out that with Tiger's back injury made it probably very hard for Tiger to work on his short game during that time and develop a bad habit.

Holly asks Bob about Jordan Spieth's victory at the Australian Open and how he won with very consistent putting. Bob said that the Aussie Open is a good one for Spieth to win after playing so well all year. Spieth made a long journey home after the Aussie Open and endured a 16-hour time change to compete at the Hero World Challenge.

Bob said that he likes Jordan Spieth to win the Hero World Challenge and Spieth's hot hand.

Holly said that she was able to travel to Naples and watch the CME Race to the Globe and watch Lydia Ko win the Inaugural Race to the CME Globe. 

Steve Eubanks, Global Golf Post, calls in to talk to Holly G and the 2014 LPGA season and Lydia Ko's incredible win at the CME Tour Championship. Steve and Holly talk about Mike Whan's success with the LPGA. Steve said that the marketing was great but if he didn't have a great product like he had this year it wouldn't mattered. 

Steve talks about most of the players who win on the LPGA are college grad age so why not go to college and get that great experience. Holly mentions that there are now 32 LPGA events in the upcoming 2015 season.

Todd Lewis, Golf Channel, calls in from the Hero World Challenge to wrap up the hour of intelligent golf talk. Todd was at the Turkish Airline Open and the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai the final two events of the European Tour season. Brooks Koepka, Florida State grad, picked up his first professional win at the Turkish Open.

Holly asks Todd about Jordan Spieth and his win at the Australian Open at the young age of 21. Todd interviewed Jordan Spieth today and Spieth said that it felt good to kinda get the monkey off his back after being so close and finishing second at a major championship this year.

Holly talks to Todd briefly about the PGA of America voted in Suzy Whaley as the Secretary of the PGA. 

The Golf Channel celebrates 20 years in 2015 and there will be a big celebration at the PGA Merchandise Show.Todd said that he loves working at the Golf Channel and that everyone at the Golf Channel wants to help grow the game.