The Golf Insiders

The Golf Insiders 10-15-14

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 week in golf. Martin Kaymer just defeated Bubba Watson in the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in a playoff.

Charles Rutherford (pictured left) calls in from Mesquite at the ParaLong Drivers in the World at the Mesquite NV Sports & Event Complex on Oct. 16-17. Charley is a competitor. One of the sponsors is Bridgestone. 

Holly and Rich give away some Bridgestone Golf balls as prize to listeners.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls into the show to talk with Holly G and Rich B about the Ryder Cup Task Force and Paul Azinger being noncommittal at the time. Bob said that Paul has a private meeting with the PGA Tour.

Bob said that at the end of the day it is all about playing better, which the American players have not done in the past two competitions. He also feels that the playing as a team is overstated. 

Holly and Bob talk about the "business model" that the Europeans have and how that has worked out well. Players become assistants and then become captains. The system the Europeans use keeps some continuity around. Bob feels that Azinger has a good point that you can create a good system of uniformity. Holly also pointed out that you need to get the best players there and maybe some restructuring to the picking of the teams. 

Bob said that the U.S. team may have been more tired than the European players since a majority of the U.S. players were competing in the FedEx Cup events. "There needs to be a break, people need time away from golf," said Harig. Staring the new season 25 days after the Tour Championship is a bit ludicrous. 

Steve Eubanks, Global Golf Post, calls in to talk about the buzz on the Ryder Cup. Steve had an article in this week's Global Golf Post "One Blunder After Another" where he writes about the Ryder Cup fallout and the newly formed Task Force. Steve points out that one of the problems is that the Ryder Cup needs to need to bridge the gap between the players and the organizers of the events. 

The Golf Insiders 10-08-14

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 their recent play at MetroWest Golf Course. MetroWest is run by Celebration Golf Management. Holly and Rich B give away hospitality passes all show long. 407-916-8255. 

Holly talks about the passing of Jack O'Leary, longtime writer for the Boston Herald for many years before moving to Orlando and working the golf business as a writer and editor in the Central Florida area.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in to talk to Holly and Rich about the fallout from the 2014 Ryder Cup loss by the United States. Bob broke the story about what went on Cup meeting turned ugly at the Ryder Cup team room. "I think that it was sorta scratching the surface of what was really going on."

Bob said that it started at the Saturday meeting with the players, caddies and their wives when Watson dismissed the gift of the trophy replica that the team signed. Watson said he wanted the real thing. 

After the post Ryder Cup press conference where Phil Mickelson voiced his concerns about how the team was captained, the PGA has come up with the idea of a task force to hammered out a new plan for the process of picking the captain and  vice captains. Much like the Europeans have a template or system. The only one of late that didn't follow the system was Nick Faldo, who incidentally was the only Euro captain to lose.  Holly mentioned that Paul Azinger had that in place with the POD system.

Bob talked about the pairings and who was comfortable playing with one another and what was the backup plan if it didn't. The beauty of the POD system is that you are invested in the players and know who can play with whom. Nobody has really followed Azinger's template or the captain's have not talked to one another about the strategy they used.

Azinger spoke with the John Maginnes and Jeff Rude of "The Clubhouse" at the Back9Network about the problem with the US Ryder Cup team and how it runs a lot deeper than what people believe.

Bob and Holly talk about the fact that if Phil would have had the conversation and aired his grievances privately that most likely nothing would have happened.

Watson released a six paragraph article accepting responsibility for the mistakes at the Ryder Cup. Bob feels that sitting Mickelson all day Saturday was disrespecting to Phil.

Todd Lewis, The Golf Channel, calls in to talk to the duo about his time in Scotland covering the Ryder Cup and where things stand right now. "It's a very educational experience for the PGA of America." Todd talks about the difference in age between the captain and the players. It's like he was a collegiate coach and the players were on scholarship, which caused distance between Watson and the players. His style may not work today, maybe in the '90s when Watson was captain before but not today.

Holly shares that Todd feels that Europe has it right. They have won 8 of the last 10 Ryder Cup matches. Winning Captain Paul McGinley of the European Ryder Cup team, had the ability to adjust parings in the European Tour prior to the Ryder Cup. Todd says that is because the European Tour runs the European Ryder Cup team, whereas the PGA of America runs the U.S. team but not the PGA Tour. So advantage Europe.

Holly and Rich talk briefly about the start of the 2014-2015 PGA Tour season as well as the wrap up of the Champions Tour and LPGA Tours.

The end of the show honors Jack O'Leary. Tony Leodora, Golf Talk Live, calls in from Philadelphia. Jack was a pioneer of the start of the International Network of Golf and Jack was the first president. The ING will be celebrating 25 years in existence. Tony says for many things, he was a great writer. He had a great way with words.

Tony said that he wanted to make sure that he had the proper tone of irreverence as Jack would want when he came on the Golf Insiders tonight. Leodora said, "Jack told me once, when I die I want you guys to throw the biggest party and tell Jack stories all day." Tony spoke with the great golf historian Jim Finnegan earlier and broke the news about Jack's passing. Jim as many others did, went on golf junkets/trips around the world with Jack. RIP Father Jack O'Leary. You are loved and will be missed!

The Golf Insiders 10-01-14

PODCAST NOTE: Listeners can tune in to iHeart Radio 740 The Game Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. to hear the 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 to wrap up the Ryder Cup won handily by Team Europe 16 1/2 to 11 1/2.  

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in to talk to Holly and Rich about the Ryder Cup. Bob says that you just need to give it up for Europe, "They just get it done, no matter what!"  Bob pointed out that the Europeans didn't need their main players like Rory to get it done.

On the U.S. side, Bob goes over the results of the top U.S. players who didn't do that well in the entire Ryder Cup. Furyk has 20 losses in Ryder Cup play, the most in U.S. history.

Rich asks Bob about the make up of the team in 2016. Most of the top players made the team on points. Bob is rethinking his take on Ryder Cup and that youth might be the emphasis going forward. The other is to get the 4th captain's pick back and go for the youth and that are playing well at the end. Bob also talks about moving the Captain's picks to later in the year to get some of the hottest players to take to the Ryder Cup who may have not made the team on points. 

Bob also talks about Tom Watson's decisions including sitting Jordan Spieth and Patrick Reed in the afternoon on Friday right after playing really well Friday morning. Holly asks Bob about Phil Mickelson not playing Saturday as well as other players and pairings and the press conference at the end.

Bob doesn't feel that Phil should have aired his differences with Watson and maybe do it somewhere else and not in front of the world. Bob feels that the captain gets too much credit and too much blame. It's more about the players playing well. Bob said that "Just because Phil was right doesn't make what he did right." Do you need the PODs that Paul Azinger used to be motivated? Isn't playing in the Ryder Cup and revenge for what happened in Medinah enough motivation?

Bob also mentioned that 7 of the European team members live in the United States and not overseas. He also said that 10 of them either play a lot on the PGA Tour or partially. 

Bob said that Patrick Reed is the USA team's MVP without a doubt.

Jeff Babineau, Golfweek, calls in to talk to Holly and Rich about his experiences at the Ryder Cup. Jeff feels that the players that are selected need to perform. Europe was so deep that they left Justin Rose at home. 

Holly asks Jeff who he thinks the next U.S. captain should be for the Ryder Cup? Jeff says maybe a psychiatrist or a team of them. He also thinks that Paul Azinger has a lot on the line if he takes the chance on being the captain again after what he pulled off in Valhalla. "What if he doesn't win?"

Vartan Kupelian, PGA Tour.com Champions Tour, calls in. Vartan has covered numerous Ryder Cups over the years. Vartan said that the bottom line is that the Europeans have better golfers right now. The U.S. players can hit the ball high, far and straight and the Europeans are all about playing the whole game. The Europeans know how to play the game and know how to score and are not hooked on the technical part of the game. They can get it up and down from anywhere. 

Vartan also pointed out that Jack Nicklaus, Lanny Wadkins and the other players records of their time don't compare to the Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson's and the U.S. players records of today because the European players are way better now than in Jack's time. The European Tour is way better now than 40 years ago. 

Vartan feels that the U.S. is at a disadvantage because they aren't excited to be in the Ryder Cup because they like the President's Cup and it's almost the same players for both teams. Whereas the Europeans only play an event like the Ryder Cup every two years and are much more fresher.

Vartan also talks to Holly and Rich about the Champions Tour and John Cook's win. Vartan feels that this is John Cook's time and is ready for the Schwab Cup. 

The Golf Insiders 09-24-2014

PODCAST NOTE: Listeners can tune in to iHeart Radio 740 The Game Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. to hear the 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 upcoming Ryder Cup competition that starts Friday. This week's show is sponsored by Fields BMW.

Brian Hewitt, Global Golf Post, calls in to talk to Holly and Rich about the Ryder Cup. Phil Mickelson was all over the news for his comments about the U.S. team not litigating against one another. 

He also talks about Tom Watson being very antsy and ready to get this thing under way since he has been the point man for the past two years. 

Brian says that there is no other event like this team competition and the dynamics of the event. 

Brian feels that the pressure is really on Ted Bishop, PGA of America President, because he is the one who picked Watson.

He also mentions that there is no "bad guys" to root against on the European team. 

Brian feels that there are two X-factors, one for each team, Victor Dubuisson for the Europeans and Patrick Reed is the X-factor for the U.S. 

Holly talked to Bob Harig, ESPN.com, earlier in the day at Gleneagles, Scotland to talk about the Ryder Cup. Holly asks Bob about the U.S. team. 

Bob and Holly talk the captaincy for each team, especially Tom Watson.  Bob said that Tom Watson said that the Ryder Cup is more pressure than a major championship. The players want to play well for one another and their countries. Everyone is exposed at the Ryder Cup.

Bob talks to Holly about the atmosphere at the Ryder Cup and how many people come out to attend at that they clap for bad shots just as much as a great shot.

Paul McGinely is a huge contrast to Tom Watson. Holly mentions that Paul got in to golf after suffering a major injury that ended his pro soccer hopes. Whereas Tom Watson has an amazing lineage in golf.

Holly asks Bob about the European captain's templates to winning. Bob said that it is really hard to figure out what McGinley means by that. Maybe use the veterans be the mentors for the new players. Bob feels that one of the "unknowns" for the U.S. team is Patrick Reed who has a cocky attitude. Who will Reed be paired with? 

Holly and Bob talk about Gleneagles at how beautiful it is and the fact that it will make people want to travel to Scotland and play. Bob says that the course doesn't have to be that great like in a major championship. 

Holly mentions that there will be thousands of people watching every moment at every hole and how much pressure that will be.

Rich announces that the U.S. team won the Jr. Ryder Cup. The 2016 Ryder Cup will be at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota.

Jeff Shain, PGA Tour.com, calls in to wrap up the show. Jeff talks about the experience of the Europeans in his New York Times article. He feels that the more pressure that is felt at the Ryder Cup, the Europeans seem to relish it. Whereas, the Americans seem to tighten up under pressure and play to tightly. 

Jeff and Rich both feel that the Europeans will win the Ryder Cup. Holly goes with Team USA and Captain Tom Watson.