The Golf Insiders

The Golf Insiders 11-12-14

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 special guest host Mike Jamison, Director International Network of Golf and a golf writer for the Examiner, are in the studio talking about Bubba Watson's magnificent win at the WGC-HSBC Champions after making an eagle from the bunker on the 72nd hole of competition. And then wins in sudden death.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in to talk to Holly and Mike about Bubba's win. Harig said, "Might have been one of the best tournaments of the year." Bubba had double bogeyed the 17th and had issues on it and the 18th hole with a disturbance from the crowd there in Asia.

Nick Taylor, a Canadian, won the Sanderson Farms tournament in the United States. Bob talks about Taylor's road to even qualify for the PGA Tour and feels that the PGA has done a great job of making these tournaments meaningful.

Holly asks about the Turkish Airlines Open that is coming up this week. Last year Victor Dubuisson burst on the scene at this event. An event that Tiger shot around 20 under and finished 3rd.

Bob and Holly talk about the 6 month suspension last week for a Xin-Jun Zhang signing incorrect score cards on the PGA China Tour.

Jeff Babnieau, Golfweek, talks to Holly and Mike about going back out into the field to cover the sport after being the editor at Golfweek for awhile. Golfweek is redesigning the web site and tweaking the magazine for the 2015 season. Holly talks to Jeff about Charley Sifford receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his pioneer work on the PGA Tour.

Holly also brings up Lydia Ko winning the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year at the age of 17.  Mike says that he feels that Lydia has always looked and played like a veteran. 

Jeff and Holly talk about Colin Montgomerie being recognized for his 600th tournament appearance.  

There's a lot more golf coming up here in Florida - LPGA Race to the CME Globe in Naples, Fla., Hero World Challenge and the Father and Son tournament.

Michael Collins, ESPN golf analyst, calls in to wrap up the show to talk about caddying on the Web.com Q School Second Stage. Michael will be on the bag for Parker McGlaughlin. "Every golfer needs something different from a caddy," and for some it's just positive reinforcement, like I have been providing Parker," Collins stressed. He also talked about the brutal weather conditions.

Holly asks Michael who he thinks will end up being the caddy for Adam Scott? Adam is not spotlight driven. He would be okay sharing the limelight with his caddie. 

Michael also says that the personalities have to be able to work together.

The Golf Insiders 11-05-14

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 Bianco are in the studio talking about the Cinnamon Inn in Mt Dora. Later in the Show, Holly and Rich gave away a free night at the Cinnamon Inn in celebration of Veteran's Day.

Holly also mentions that Ryan More successfully defended his CIMB Classic title and updated listeners on what has been happening in golf worldwide. 

The Golf Insiders' first guest is Mario Conte, Hurricane Golf Tour, calls in and talks about the success of the Junior Tour and introduces the Hurricane Pro-Am Series. The HJGT has grown from 3 states and barely 25 events and now they are up to 145 events and 16 states.  www.HJGT.org is where most kids sign up 

Hurricane Pro-Am Series first event will be in February 2015 in Palm Springs. Five-man teams best ball tournament. Four amateurs and 1 club pro. The Hurricane Pro-Am Series events are part of an all-inclusive package. Players will stay at luxurious hotels that feature world-class casinos, pools, bars, restaurants, spas, and much more. Pros fly free if they book their team early enough. HurricaneProAm.com 

ESPN.com Bob Harig, calls in to talk about Ryan Moore's success in the fall. The Top 50 in the World Rankings the WGC-HSBC Champions is this week coming.  They have 40 of 50 of the Top players are competing this year at "Asia's Major."  Adam Scott, Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Bubba Watson are some of the PGA players who are playing in the event. This is part of the PGA wrap around season and the third of four final events on the European Tour. 

Bob gave a Dustin Johnson update ... even though DJ was reported to be suspended by the PGA Tour for a drug violation, according to GOLF.com, Dustin and his agent have said that DJ has taken a leave of absence and won't return until after Paulina Gretzky has the couple's baby in early 2015.  All of this just happens to take place during a 6 month time period.

Mike Bender, calls in to talk to Holly G and Rich B about the V1 systems and the Mike Bender Academy in Lake Mary, Fla.  Mike says at his Academy they teach at all levels. Masters Champ Zach Johnson is one of Mike's top notch students.  Mike and Rich talk about how the average viewer doesn't realize how detail oriented the PGA Pros are. Mike goes out on the Tours and visits the men and the women's pro tours. 

Vartan Kupelian, PGATour.com, calls in to wrap up the show talking about the Champions Tour that he covers. Vartan talks to Holly about how good the shot makers are on the Champions Tour like Jay Haas and Bernhard Langer. He feels sad that there are not more shot makers left of the PGA Tour. Vartan feels that most of the guys on today's PGA Tour just bomb the ball. The feeling used to be the ones who just joined the Champions Tour dominated at a younger age than their competition, but that is not the case anymore. The older players are continuing to have some of the best years of their careers.

Rich talks to Vartan about the Q School qualification going on for the Champions Tour around the United States and at Orange County National in nearby Winter Garden, Fla. Vartan said that there is only 5 spots that are available. This is the most difficult Q school out there. He said that 78 golfers is a full field. Vartan says briefly about the Ryder Cup that the U.S. got beat because the Europeans are just better. Vartan did a piece just recently on Fred Couples and feels the same way as Fred, the PGA has complicated the whole thing with this task force. Too much of a "show" and not enough about playing. 

The Golf Insiders 10-29-14

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 Bianco are in the studio talking about Rich B qualifying for the Senior Professional National Championship. Nov. 11-16.

Ted Bishop, then President of the PGA, was ousted Friday over a sexist Tweet that he posted to Ian Poulter, referring to him as a lil girl. 

Robert Streb won the McGladrey Classic at Sea Island, Georgia. This was Streb's first win and won in a 3-man playoff. 

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in to talk to Holly and Rich about Streb's win. He had 10 birdies out of 20 on Sunday including the two holes in the playoff. With the win he gets to play in the Masters in 2015 and has a 2-year exemption on the PGA Tour. Bob talks about Streb battling back to get his Tour card.

Holly asks Bob about Bishop's dismissal. Bob feels that what Bishop did was not smart. Bob said that Bishop is the head of a sports organization and you have to be above that. It was really bad form. "They've caused the story to be prolonged and brought more embarrassment upon themselves," Harig said. 

Holly pointed out that it has been going well for the PGA since the debacle of playing the Tour Championship final holes in the dark. Then the Ryder Cup and now this.

Holly asks Bob about who will become the next Ryder Cup captain for the U.S. Will it be Fred Couples since he is successful with the President's Cup?

Steve Eubanks, Global Golf Post, calls in to the show and talks to Holly and Rich about Ted Bishop. Steve thinks that Bishop definitely Had to Go. He thinks that it has been a culmination of things that has been brewing. From the final hole in the dark with Mickelson, Fowler and McIlroy, to appointing himself as the official golf cart driver for Tom Watson at the Ryder Cup, the tweet. Steve feels that Bishop has been a loose cannon since day one. 

Michael Collins, ESPN Caddie, calls in to wrap the show talking about Bishop being ousted. Michael wants to know if it was really a sexist thing to say "lil girl." It may be very childish and ridiculous thing to say. But there have been so many other things that have been said about women that were way worse and they just get ignored. If everyone is so mad, where is the backup? Is there a PGA player or LPGA player standing up and saying that this was wrong?  Bishop case full of manufactured outrage. Don't throw stones in glass houses. Your soap box is made of balsa wood and you just put your foot through it. It's very hypocritical to have an outrage over what he said and then have Caddie Girls and other sexist typed ads on the same web site.

The Golf Insiders 10-22-14

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 Bianco are in the studio talking about Ben Martin's breakthrough win at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Holly and Rich quickly cover the tours.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, talks about Ben Martin and says the week before Ben missed the cut at the Frys.com the week before. There are dozens of players on tour who can do exactly what Martin did. His 3rd year on Tour after playing golf at Clemson University. 

Kevin Streelman made a great late charge to try and take the tournament from Martin but wasn't able to repeat his feat at The Hartford earlier in the year.

Holly asks Bob about the news that Tiger is now hitting full shots recently. Getting ready for the World Championships in December. Tiger has seemed to enjoy his down time healing from this injury. Family time and golf course design, etc. 

Rich B asks Bob about who Tiger's next coach will be. Bob doesn't think he will have a coach any time soon and that may not be a bad thing. Bob said that with all of Tiger's knowledge of the game and the swing that he could be by himself for a while. 

Holly asks Bob about his article on the post Ryder Cup fallout. Holly talked about Jose Maria Olazabal taking the team to task in Medinah after the first day of competition. Not everyone on every team gets along with the captain of the team no matter what country they are playing for them. Holly asks Bob about Paul Azinger and his involvement of the Task Force to fixing the Ryder Cup woes of the United States. Bob also mentions that if Azinger is going to be the captain why would he be on the task force?

Ron Whitten, Golf Digest, calls in to talk to Holly and Rich about news about the best new courses around the globe. Not just public, but private, courses under construction, etc. Now there are only 10 Top new courses each year as opposed to the 1990s and 2000s. When the housing market plunged, there was not as many being built. 

The Best New Courses for 2014: A Celebration of Fun. The top course is a David McLay Kidd designed course, Gamble Sands in Brewster Washington. The original Bandon Dunes was his first design in 1994. Then he developed a local following and then designed courses all over the globe. He fell in love with his own image and designed more and more difficult courses because he thought that was what architects were supposed to do. Then he realized at the age of 50 that play ability and fun are more important for the game. 

Holly talks about two new 18 hole courses in Florida designed by Chris Wilczynski. One is the Esplande Golf and Country Club of Naples. Both courses are currently open to the public as the developer sells lots and houses to residents with golf memberships.

Holly also talks about a reversible design golf course by Tom Doaks, Forest Dunes. Play clockwise one day then play counterclockwise the next day to play two different courses.