The Golf Insiders

The Golf Insiders 09/17/14

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 guest host Jeff Shain, PGATour.com, are in the studio wrapping up the FedEx Cup Championship for 2014. Rich Bianco is competing in the North Florida Match Play Championships where he is the defending Legends Champ. 

Billy Horschel, Florida Gators alum, won the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup title in the process. He finished the final three events with 2 wins and a tie for second place.

Jeff mentioned that after Horschel missed the cut at The Barclays, he went home and worked on his putting grip with coach Todd Anderson. Jeff said that when he missed the cut, Billy was about 150 in putting on the Tour. When he came back he putted lights out and has not stopped.

Jeff talked to Holly about the players who are on the U.S. Ryder Cup team that didn't play well in the Tour Championship or even make the final event. Jeff said that a lot of it is due to fatigue for the players and maybe not so much physical, but really mental while playing at such a high level.

Holly asks Jeff about maybe switching the Ryder Cup team picks closer to the Tour Championship event, or at least after the first event of the FedEx Cup championship to maybe get the hottest golfers on Tour. Chris Kirk and Billy Horschel are two of the top golfers in the United States now, but neither are on the team. They had not played well enough during the season for Tom Watson to possibly pick them or for them to make the team outright. 

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in to talk to Holly and Jeff about Tiger's press conference Monday at Isleworth where Tiger introduced a new sponsor for the Hero World Challenge, which brings together 18 of the best golfers in the world and benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation. The tournament, held in December each year, is being moved to Orlando this year.

Holly and Jeff talk to Bob about Tiger's health, his outlook, possible swing coach and when he might start playing golf again.

Holly also talks to Bob about Billy Horschel's win and the whole structure of the FedEx Cup. Bob offers some suggestions that others have talked about on how to fix the FedEx Cup. Bob feels the event needs to be more engaging and represent the Tour Championship.

With all the injuries of late in golf as well as what has happened to Tiger over the past few years Chuck Wolf, Director of Human Motion Associates, calls in to talk to Holly and Jeff about biomechanics in sports. 

Tiger is limited in his left hip and strengthening is only part of the fix for Tiger. Chuck says that first defining what the core is key. Core runs from head to toe. Chuck says that you have to find out what the root of the problem is and not fix the symptoms.

Holly feels that there may be a misunderstanding in the golf world of how to train physically. Integrating

There is definitely a role for strength training. Traditional lifts can be limiting in themselves. Chuck feels that in strength training if you are already immobile or are slightly immobile when you start strength training that you will add to that immobility. Strength training. He feels that you need to be doing strength training and mobilization to the hips and the thoracic spine and through movement you will not only gain the strength but also gain mobility. Chuck believes in Integrated movement pattern and integrated flexibility and not isolation training. 

Todd Lewis, the Golf Channel, calls in to wrap up the show talking with Jeff and Holly about how average Billy Horschel's golf season and then how he got hot at the right time. Todd feels that Billy has never lacked confidence but has questioned it at times. Todd feels that Billy's success will be a springboard for him in the coming years.

Holly also asks Todd his opinion about the timing of picking the Captain's picks for the Ryder Cup

The Golf Insiders 09/10/14

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 B are in the studio on the eve of the final event of the season, the Tour Championship at East Lake. Rich and Holly talk about Billy Horschel’s big win at the BMW Championship that now sets him up for the FedEx Cup Top 5 and the hunt for the FedEx Cup title.

Horschel was in contention the week prior and hit a bad shot toward the end of the tournament that cost him a chance for a playoff and the tournament title. He ended up finishing tied for second.

Todd Lewis, the Golf Channel, calls in from East Lake and talks about Arnold Palmer, who turned 85 today, and how Mr. Palmer always has been “every man’s” champion. Todd said that Arnold has made fan interaction on the golf course what it is today and that has made golf a great sport to follow. Arnold was also one of the integral players in getting the Golf Channel up and running.

Holly and Todd talk about how the Top 5 in the FedEx Cup standings control of their own destinies. If any of those 5 players win the Tour Championship they will win the FedEx Cup title. Todd shares with the listeners that the word at East Lake is “fatigue.” The players require sharp mental focus to constantly contend in the final events.

Todd says that even though weather could play a factor in the tournament, that East Lake has a system underneath the greens that sucks the moisture out of the greens. So you could have soft fairways and hard greens.

Holly asks Todd about Hunter Mahan making every FedEx Cup playoff event since it started, all 32. He mentions that is the first time since 1992 that neither Tiger Woods nor Phil Mickelson qualified for the Tour Championship.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in from East Lake to talk to the Golf Insiders about the FedEx Cup and how it is such a convoluted system. Bob wants to have a system in place that everyone can easily follow it. The players need to know going in as well as the fans who is going to win without a slide ruler. Bob thinks that the current way is too complicated. He feels that there is a way better way to do it.

Bob said that Jim Furyk could actually win the FedEx Cup without winning a PGA Tour event all year. A lot of things would need to happen for him to do that, but it actually could happen.

You could win every tournament in the year and if you don’t win the FedEx Cup, you wouldn’t win the FedEx Cup title. Bob feels that all 30 players coming into the Tour Championship should have a shot at winning the FedEx Cup title if they win the Tour Championship. The winner of the final event should win it all.

Steve Eubanks, Global Golf Post, calls in from East Lake to give his thoughts about the golf course and who it favors. Sets up well for McIlroy and Horschel. Is Billy going to be able to hold up under the pressure?

Holly feels that the mental pressure of these final tournaments play a big part of these top pros mishitting shots like Horschel did.

Steve brings up the press conference from earlier where Rory talked about Mickelson and Woods getting older and that injuries and fatigue have worn down both players this year.

Steve wonders what the one thing that is keeping Rickie Fowler from breaking through and winning on the Tour. Rickie has finished in the Top 5 at all 4 majors this year.

Todd Lewis, Bob Harig and Steve Eubanks pick Rory McIlroy to win the whole thing. Rich B picks Rory with Jim Furyk as a backup and Holly picks someone from the field and not the Top 5.

The Golf Insiders 09/03/2014

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 is in the studio with Rich Bianco talking about their participation tonight in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge after the show at Sam Snead's Tavern parking lot in Maitland, Florida. The challenge is to help raise money and awareness for Lou Gehrig's disease ALS. 

Kevin Sternett, Coggin Deland Honda, calls in to talk about his participating in the University Titans High School Athletic Booster a local fundraising golf tournament he participated in with Holly G. Their team placed 3rd and Holly G had a nice eagle on a par 5 on the 17th hole. 

On the eve of the BMW Championship in Cherry Hills, Colorado, tonight's show is being brought to you by Fields BMW, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. 

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in from the BMW Championship to talk about Chris Kirk's win at the Deutsche Bank, the FedExCup playoffs, and the Ryder Cup team selections. Holly asks Bob about Tom Watson's Captain's picks for the Ryder Cup team. Keegan Bradley, Hunter Mahan, and Webb Simpson. Bob feels that there really wasn't any American that stood out and said pick me. 

Rich and Bob talk about European Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley's picks Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Stephen Gallacher. Bob feels that the only one that may have been slighted was Luke Donald.

Jeff Shain, PGATour.com, is also in the studio and asks Bob Harig about the difference between the Ryder Cup overseas and when the U.S. hosts it as well as the weather and being cheered or booed.

Holly talks with Bob about the BMW Championship. The key is to be in the top 5 after the BMW Championship so you are set up to win the FedExCup without winning the Tour Championship at the end.

Vartan Kupelian, Champions Tour writer for PGATour.com, calls in to talk about the Ryder Cup. Holly asks about Bernhard Langer not being picked and if that was an oversight? Vartan says that with all due respect, the best players on the Champions Tour cannot "hang" with the players on the PGA Tour. Rich, Holly and Jeff talk with Vartan about past Ryder Cups, team captains, players and the chances of each team.

Jeff Shain, talks to Holly and Rich about the Ryder Cup. Jeff feels that Europe is such a big favorite because they have four of the top 5 players in the World Golf Rankings. But when you go from 5-12 the Americans have good players. Jeff feels that it will depend on how they are paired and how the rank and file play and not so much the marquee match ups. Rich picks Rickie Fowler to win the BMW, Jeff picks Rory and Jason Day.

The Golf Insiders 08/27/2014

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 is in the studio with Rich Bianco talking about all things golf. Holly G and Rich B will be participating in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge next Wednesday at Sam Snead's Tavern parking lot in Maitland off of the 414 to help continue to raise awareness for Lou Gehrig's disease ALS. 

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in to talk about the FedExCup at the Deutsche Bank. A total of 6 guys will miss this leg of the FedExCup playoffs. Jason Dufner due to injury, Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia as well as Graeme McDowell will not play. Bob and Holly talk about the grueling schedule at the end of the season this year especially with the Ryder Cup this year.

Dufner said that he will just need time to rest his injury to let it heal. Bulging disc in his neck. Dufner does not want to play until he is competitive.

Tiger and Sean Foley part ways after four years. Tiger was #1 again during that time but he didn't win a major championship during Foley's tenure. Bob mentions that we don't really know what goes on behind the scenes if Tiger was listening to Sean, was it helping. Bob talks about the fact that Tiger wasn't a healthy player for the past year.

Holly talks to Bob about Johnny Miller's comments on Tiger. Johnny says Tiger is not Ponce de Leon and shouldn't continue searching for the fountain of youth. Bob says that Tiger shouldn't be explosive but needs to focus on strength and flexibility. 

Todd Lewis, The Golf Channel, calls in from the Deutsche Bank to talk about the second leg of the FedExCup playoffs. Todd said this is a big week and the field will be trimmed to 70. Todd also says it is the last week for players from both countries to impress the Ryder Cup coaches. Todd an Holly talk about the schedule at the end of the year. 

Todd feels that It's the mental fatigue and trying to stay sharp and stay at the highest level that the players are dealing with right now. 

Holly and Todd talk about the play of Hunter Mahan and looking back at 2012 winning early in the season that year but fading at the end and not making the Ryder Cup in Medinah. Todd says that Mahan was devastated. So this year he is winning late and might play his way on to the Ryder Cup team.

The goal is to get into the top 5 for the Tour Championship. If you are in one of those positions you control your destiny and could win the FedExCup. 

Jeff Shain, PGA Tour.com, calls in to wrap up the show. Holly asks Jeff about the Deutsche Bank and the gauntlet of the playoffs. Because of the way the Ryder Cup is scheduled there is no week off like in the past. Brandt Snedeker has not taking a week off since the Open Championship.