The Golf Insiders

The Golf Insiders 06/18/14

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 Martin Kaymer's win at the U.S. Open Championship.

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, kicks off the show reviewing the second major championship of the season.

Bob and Holly talk about the fact that no one was talking about Kaymer or Erik Compton before the tournament kicked off. 

Bob, Holly and Rick discuss the look of Pinehurst #2 and the mixed reviews it got from the public. Bob applauded the look of it and said that if we want to keep the cost of playing golf down, we are going to see more of it. Less watering and maintenance can help drive down the costs. They also talk about the look of the courses at the British Open. Mother Nature decides what the courses will look like there.

Bob wraps up his segment talking about Phil tinkering too much with his putting. 

Todd Lewis, The Golf Channel, calls in to talk about Martin "The Machine" Kaymer. Todd sat down and interviewed Kaymer and asked him what his goals are going forward. Kaymer said he doesn't set goals that way he doesn't have to meet expectations. 

Todd and Holly talk about the U.S. Women's Championship. Todd feels that Stacy Lewis has a good chance to win. They also talk about 11-year-old phenom Lucy Li. Todd hopes she plays well and that will keep the heat off of her. 

In news of the weird, Roger Maltbie's golf cart driver was arrested at the U.S. Open for DWI. Running over the foot of a North Carolina State Trooper, and much more.

Beth Ann Baldry, Golfweek, calls in from The LPGA's second major... the U.S. Women's Open Championship from Pinehurst. Beth says the players are very impressed with the course and how it looks after the Men's Championship. The greens are going to run about the same speed as the Men's and the pin placements will be similar. 

Beth Ann discusses the chances of Lydia Ko, Michelle Wie, Stacey Lewis. Michele Wie has a very underrated short game and great length off the tee. All about position golf. Stacy Lewis' game is in great shape. Beth Ann picks Lydia Ko with Fluff on the bag to win this week. 

Steve Eubanks, Global Golf Post, calls in to wrap up the show. Holly mentions that Steve and Erik Compton share the same heart disease, but Steve has not had to have a heart transplant. Steve's story is in the Global Golf Post. Steve picks Jessica Korda. Rich picks Michelle Wie and Holly picks Lydia Ko. 

The Golf Insiders 06/11/14

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 on the eve of the 2014 U.S. Open Championship. 

Ben Crane was the winner of the FedEx St. Jude Classic last week on the PGA Tour. 

Bob Harig, ESPN.com, calls in from Pinehurst, N.C. to talk to the Holly and Rich about the U.S. Open.  Weather is the up first and then the renovations that were done to the course. Now the course resembles the original design by Donald Ross.

From what Bob has heard, the players like the course and know that it is tough. The rough might resemble a barren wasteland and the fairways might be a little brown. 

Holly talks to Bob about Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson's chances and how their games suit this course. The two also talk about some of the European players and how their game fits this course? Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy,  Jason Day, Sergio Garcia, etc.

Bob also talks about the fact that we just might see a person at the top of the leader board that we normally don't see. Players will miss a lot of the greens, more than normal, and they will need to get up and down a lot more than typical in a tournament. 

Jeff Rude, Senior Writer for Golfweek, calls in from Pinehurst and talks to Holly about the players and how much they are thinking or about their game with the redesign and the fact that this is the second longest U.S. Open golf course. Jeff also mentions that there won't be many birdie opportunities at Pinehurst this week and that it will take a creative shot maker as well as a great short game player to win. There's a lot of chance involved on this course, more than most and that is why it is hard to pick a winner. Jeff brings up the fact that Payne Stewart and Michael Campbell hit a total of 41 fairways in four days that they played and went on to win the U.S. Open. Jeff feels Sergio Garcia has a good chance to win.

Mike Kern, Philadelphia Daily News, joins the show and talks to Holly and Rich about Rory McIlroy and his approach to golf lately without his former fiancee. Mike also talks about the conditions of the course and the weather. Pinehurst is all about the greens and playing them, being able to get up and down. His picks are Furyk, Sergio and Brendon Todd. 

Scott McPherson, President of Antigua, calls into the show and talks to Holly and Rich about gifts for Father's Day and apparel. Scott, in the business for 35 years, talks with Holly about how apparel has changed over the years. Synthetics have dominated for the past decade or so, but Antigua is introducing some cotton blends this year. LPGA Stacy Lewis who recently won the Shoprite LPGA Classic is part of Team Antigua.

The Golf Insiders 06/04/14

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. 

Rich Bianco is joined in studio by guest cohost Jeff Shain, PGATour.com, while Holly G is in Atlantic City for the International Network of Golf Spring Conference. 

Jeff and Rich cover Hideki Matsuyama winning his first PGA Tournament, the Memorial, after beating Kevin Na in a playoff. Jeff points out that Kevin Na had to wait so long and he probably didn't think he would even be in a playoff. Mentally the wait affected his snap hook drive off the tee.

Rich's tip of the month is to tag your golf bag.

Jeff and Rich talk about the upcoming Fedex St Jude Classic with defending champ Harris English. Winning a week before the U.S. Open  

Todd Lewis, Golf Channel, calls in to talk to the duo about the Phil Mickelson and playing the FedEx to help warm up for the U.S. Open. Also Mickelson is caught up in an investigation by the FBI for accusations of insider trading practices. Todd feels that we need to let the facts play out and see what actually happened. 

Todd says that Memphis might be the 3rd most difficult course on the PGA Tour so he doesn't foresee any birdie barrages. Jeff adds that the FedEx seems to be a nice extra "at bat" for some guys prior to the U.S. Open.

Jeff also talks about Dustin Johnson's choice to the play his fifth consecutive tourney before the U.S. Open.

Steve Eubanks, Global Golf Post, is the first digital golf magazine calls in and talks about heading to the Curtis Cup before making his trip to North Carolina for both the men's and women's U.S. Opens. The United States is the defending champ of the Curtis Cup and will be competing against the best amateurs in from Great Britain/Ireland. 

Steve mentions that there are 23 teenagers in the upcoming U.S. Women's Open this year, which 3 already have 7 LPGA titles as well as 1 major championship.

Michael Collins, Sr. Writer and Video talent for ESPN, calls in to wrap up the show talking about Phil Mickelson's FBI investigation and that it might be a good thing? Michael says that if Phil hits a bad shot it might not be as bad as talking to the FBI given the situation.

Look for Michael Collins' in "Quiet Please" video coverage on ESPN.com. He also has upcoming videos talks about how Keegan Bradley's caddie got his nickname. Also upcoming Dave Pelz's incredible backyard, a ride in the blimp and the men's and women's U.S. Open from North Carolina. 

The Golf Insiders 05/28/14

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 and go right to Bob Harig, ESPN.com, with breaking news that Tiger Woods has pulled out of the U.S. Open as much have anticipated. This is the 6th major championship he will miss due to injuries. 

Holly and Bob talk about Adam Scott outlasting Jason Dufner winning the Crowne Plaza Invitational on the third hole of sudden death and Rory McIlroy won the BMW PGA Championship in England. 

Bob and Holly discuss that other  than Bubba Watson winning the Masters, so far this season none of the big stars have really played well until the past weekend. Will a big name finally play well?  Rory and Adam will play together the first two days in the Memorial this week. 

Bob talks about Jordan Spieth's amount of play this season. Bob said that Jordan is playing the events this year that gave him sponsor exemptions last year as a way of repaying them.

Colin Montgomerie won the Senior PGA Championship for his first Major and first official win on U.S. soil.  Jessica Korda won the LPGA.

Dr. Mitchell Supler, NeuroSpine Institute, calls in to the show to talk about back injuries. He discusses Tiger Woods' surgery on his lumbar. Dr. Supler says that typically after this type of surgery, patients are physically restricted the first month. Then they spend the next month rehabbing the muscles before they can take a full swing with a golf club. The NeuroSpine Institute specializes in minimally invasive surgery. 

Jeff Shain, PGATour.com, talks with Holly and Rich about the upcoming U.S. Open at Muirfield Village. Jeff talks about Phil Mickleson, Matt Kuchar and other golfers competing. Jeff points out that It's a shot makers course and this is a different course now that it has been renovated. Rich asks Jeff about Rory winning and his chances at the U.S. Open. Jeff likes Gary Woodland and Justin Rose to possibly win the Memorial.

Lance Ringler, Golfweek, calls in live from Prairie Dunes to give an update of the NCAA Men's Golf Championship between Oklahoma State and defending champ Alabama. Lance and Holly talk about Stanford being ousted. Rich talks to Lance about Mike McGraw leaving Oklahoma State and joining the coaching staff at Alabama a day later just over a year ago. Lance said that the golf course at Prairie Dunes has been different than golfers expected. The wind has not been a factor as it was expected. Holly also talks briefly with Lance about Duke winning their 6th National title in NCAA Women's Golf.