The Golf Insiders

The Golf Insiders 08/20/14

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 is in the studio with Rich Bianco. Holly welcomes a new sponsor to the Golf Insiders Show, ChillSkinz towels. 

Holly and Rich talk about Camilio Villegas's win and how other players finished at the Wyndham Championship, the run up to the FedExCup Playoffs.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in to talk about The Barclays and if Rory has a possibility of winning four in a row? Bob feels that Rory's schedule since his wins and all of his travel to support his sponsors, and watching Manchester United live may take a toll on his game?

Rory has said that he'd like to win the FedExCup. Bob points out that Rory has won a couple of FedExCup events but not the FedExCup itself. 

Holly asks if there are any late season players who may bubble to the top. Holly also wonders if the FedExCup and the fact that players are trying to make the Ryder Cup could be a distraction for some players. Keegan Bradley said that it is a tough spot to be in at this time. Bob feels that the FedExCup takes care of itself with the way you play. The Ryder Cup is not just results but more of how you play. As for a prediction for a Barclays winner, Bob feels that you have to go with a player like Snedeker who is in the hunt for the Ryder Cup.

Holly asks local listeners to come out next Wednesday to see herself and Rich B do the Ice Bucket Challenge? Then maybe head over to Sam Snead's Tavern for a snack. Sneads is another new sponsor for The Golf Insiders. 

Jeff Babineau, Golfweek Editor, calls in to talk to Holly and Rich. This is an exciting time of the year the way the FedExCup is set up. It used to be a big gap and a break in the season, but now there is meaningful golf to follow. Babineau really likes Jim Furyk and how he has been playing lately at these big events. He feels with Furyk's experience that he may make a good run in the FedExCup. 

Camilo Villegas went back to back in 2008 winning the first two events of the FedExCup. Babineau stresses how hard it is to win on a weekly basis and you appreciate the wins much more. 

Gunn Yang captures the U.S. Amateur Championship. Jeff shares with the listeners that the U.S. Amateur champ had fallen on hard times with injuries and had lost his scholarship at San Diego State University. After the win at the U.S. Amateur, Jeff said that Gunn's has given Gunn scholarship back. 

Holly and Jeff talk about the Web.com Tour being pressure packed now with the upcoming four week playoff type event as players fight to get the Tour cards. 

Bill Dickson, ChillSkinz towels, calls in to talk to Holly about this high tech towels. Very thin towel and just needs to be damp and waving it in the air causes the cooling to start. It stays cool for about 15 minutes at a time before you need to wave it again to get the cooling affect going again. It doesn't mold or mildew. It can be washed by NOT dried in the dryer. The towel itself can have a logo put on it, very easily directly on the towel. ChillSkinz is also offering a cooling beanie and a cooling headband soon. 

Steve Eubanks, special to the Global Golf Post, NY Times Best Selling author and has written 36 books, calls in from Atlanta. Steve shares the U.S. Amateur Championship and the fact that Gunn Yang was ranked 776 going into the tournament. 

Holly wraps up the segment talking to Steve about the Wegman's LPGA Championship in Rochester. Brittany Lincicome was beaten by Inbee Park for back-to-back victories at the Wegmans. 

Holly likes Matt Kuchar to win this week and Rich likes Rickie Fowler at The Barclays.

The Golf Insiders 08/13/14

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 is in the studio with Rich Bianco. Rich shares that Gary Koch, former PGA Tour player and current NBC analyst Gary Koch won the 38th Florida Senior Open.

Holly and Rich talk about the final round of the 2014 PGA Championship, won by Rory McIlroy. Rich feels that Mickelson wanted to stop the round due to darkness and finish Monday. Phil didn't want to be rushed and not be able to read the greens.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, talks to Rich and Holly about the finish of the PGA Championship and what went wrong. Bob says that there was already angst over not moving up the tee times as should have been done. He also mentions the advantages Rory had being able to watch Phil and Ricky hit their shots on 18. Brandt Snedeker is Bob's pick to win the Wyndham.

Rich talks about the distance that Rory and other players are hitting it now. Their equipment is finely tuned as well as they are finely tuned.

Alex Miceli, Senior Writer Golfweek, calls in from the USGA Amateur to talk to Holly about Tiger's chances for a Captain's Pick for the Ryder Cup. Alex feels that Tom Watson won't pick Tiger. Rich asks Alex about the number of players who made the playoff at the U.S. Amateur. Alex also talks about the end of the PGA Championship with Holly and Rich B.

Holly and Rich discuss the Wyndham Championship and the final spots for the Ryder Cup.

Beth Ann Nichols, Golfweek, calls in to talk about the Wegman's LPGA Championship in Rochester, New York. Holly and Beth Ann talk about Michelle Wie. This is the final time that the event will be held in Rochester and it's not certain that there will be a Rochester event.

Todd Lewis, the Golf Channel, calls in from the Wyndham Championship to wrap up the show. Todd says that three of the most popular players in the world not named Tiger Woods were playing the final 9 at the PGA Championship. Rickey Fowler finished in the top 5 of all fours major championships this year. Todd was impressed with the way Rory came back after he lost the lead to claim this major.

McIlroy said that he found out that he can win when he wasn't playing his best game.

At the Wyndham, there are a bunch of guys trying to get into the FedEx Cup playoffs as well as play into the Ryder Cup in September. Todd wonders what Tom Watson is going to do on September 2 when he makes his Ryder Cup picks.

The Golf Insiders 08/06/2014

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 special guest host Jeff Shain, PGATour.com. 

Todd Lewis, The Golf Channel, calls in from Valhalla and says that Tiger Woods will play in the PGA Championship. The injury is a different spot in Tiger's lower back and it's not the same injury he had surgery for earlier.

Jeff asks Todd if this all seems rushed for Tiger. He tees off in 14 hours and he is out playing the back 9 at the time of this broadcast. Todd says he doesn't feel Tiger would be here if he didn't think he could play and do well. 

Tiger said that he is pain free and he is fine. Todd wants to know if Tiger "trusts" his back and his explosiveness through his swing? Todd said also that Tiger has not played well this season. 

Holly and Todd talk about Tiger and the upcoming Ryder Cup team for this year's competition. Tiger is well outside the Top 200 of the FedEx Cup spots and is not actually qualified on points for an automatic Ryder Cup birth.

Holly and Todd recap the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational results and how well Sergio, Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy all played and what it looks like for each of their chances.  Todd feels that Rory's driving ability gives him an advantage at Valhalla. He hits it so long, so straight and with little fear. 

Brian Hewitt, Global Golf Post Editor, calls in to talk to Holly G and Jeff about the PGA Championship. Brian likes Graham DeLaet and Lee Westwood for the Championship. Sergio Garcia and Graeme McDowell are two guys you have to like for the PGA Championship.

Brian talks to the duo about Tiger and his injuries and what his chances are? There was intense coverage of his warm up round earlier today. Brian thinks that any kind of survival Tiger will have to back it off a little bit and he is not sure Tiger is wired that way.

Holly talks to Brian about Charles Schwartzel and Rickie Fowler's golf games of late and their chances. 

Player of the Year seemed almost a lock for Martin Kaymer but now with Rory's success and the way Rickie Fowler has played all year it's not that easy to give it to Kaymer.

Jeff asks Brian about Butch Harmon's, One of the World's Top Golf Teachers, work with Fowler and what is different?

Jeff Babineau, Golfweek editor, calls in from the press center of Valhalla and talks about the injuries to some of the players in the field. Holly asks about Jason Dufner and what has been going on with his game of late and his chances for the Ryder Cup team?

Steve Stricker was named one of the vice captains of the Ryder Cup team. Jeff Shain and Babineau talk about the Ryder Cup team and the last Ryder Cup for the U.S. has left a bad taste in a lot of the player's mouths. Babineau feels that Rory is the golfer to pick to win the PGA Championship. Maybe Keegan Bradley as a sleeper.

Biggs Tabler, Those Weekend Golf Guys, radio show from Louisville, Kentucky calls in and talks about No. 13, the signature hole at Valhalla. About 350+ yards and Rory tried to drive the hole today during the practice round about he hit his 3 Wood first. Biggs talks about the course layout at Valhalla. 

Jeff picks Rory as his number one choice to win the PGA Championship but is "rooting" for Rickie Fowler as Holly roots for Sergio Garcia.

The Golf Insiders 07/30/14

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 talking about Tim Clark's win at the RBC Canadian Open as well as Bernhard Langer's domination in the season's third Champions Tour major championship.

Holly talks about Spain winning the first LPGA International Crown.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in from Akron, Ohio the site of this week's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. Holly and Bob talk about defending champion Tiger Woods. 

Bob was able to follow Tiger for 8 of 9 practice holes after his interview at the Bridgestone. Bob feels that Tiger is still struggling with driver but pointed out that the driver has not always been his best club that he hit in his bag. It's been about four months since Tiger's surgery so the fact that he is out there competing is huge. In Bob's article he points out the more than 40% of Tiger's wins have been at WGC events, which are "stacked" events with the best players in the world. Tiger has 18 of those wins and no one else has won more than 3 of them.

Holly and Bob talk about the buzz going on in the golf world and the buzz around Rory McIlroy and the upcoming Ryder Cup. Rory says that he only wants to focus on the next major championship and not how many he will win. They also discuss Jim Furyk being so close and not being able to close the deal on the final day. 

Jeff Shain, PGATour.com, joins the team and talks about the WGC Bridgestone at Firestone Country Club. Jeff covers the golf courses that the PGA events are played on throughout the season for PGATour.com. He feels that Adam Scott has set himself up pretty well for the final run of the season and has been playing really well of late. Jeff likes Adam and Graeme McDowell's chances this week at the WGC.

Holly, Rich and Jeff talk about the Ryder Cup selections and Jeff feels that some of the players need to start showing Tom Watson something to make his picks easier. 

Travis Kent, Manager of the TaylorMade Performance Lab at Grand Cyprus Resort talks to Holly and Rich about custom fitting your golf clubs to fit your swing and your game. Holly recently went through the extensive 2 and 1/2 to 3-hour custom-fitting course for all the clubs in her bag with Travis. After playing most of her life, she was surprised that they fitted her for a 1/2 inch shorter length of shafts which she said has made a world of difference.

Custom fitting in the broadest sense is building a club designed to match your individual swing characteristics so that you hit the ball longer and straighter with better control. TaylorMade Performance Labs is able to provide golfers with "Golf's Ultimate Fitting Experience" utilizing the same revolutionary advancements in motion capture technology seen in such films as Lord of the Rings, Polar Express, King Kong, Batman, and The Tiger Woods Video Game. 

Rich picks Rickie Fowler and Holly takes McDowell to win the WGC-Bridgestone.