The Golf Insiders

PODCAST NOTE: Listeners can tune in to iHeart Radio 740 The Game or listen in the Orlando area on FM 96.9 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. 

In the first segment of this week's hour of intelligent golf talk, Holly G, Host and Producer of The Golf Insiders, along with Will Perry, Social Media Expert, EVVUS, start the show off talking about Rod Pampling's win at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open on the PGA Tour, the first in 10 years. The 47-year-old battled major champion Lucas Glover. 

Holly and Will talk about taking up the game of golf and how daunting it can seem to a newcomer. In Holly's blog about growing the game she talks about ways that golf courses can make it more welcoming to beginners, like learner's tees placed out in the fairways. Holly recounts playing at a course that had learner's tees with a new player and how that made the newcomer feel more like she was part of the game.

Checking out the Tours, the Charles Schwab Cup wraps up this week on the Champions Tour and Vartan Kupelian who covers the tour for the PGA will be on this week's show. Also the Race to the CME Globe ends next week on the LPGA Tour in Naples, Fla., as well as the Race to Dubai is in its final weeks on the European Tour.

In the second segment of this week's show, Host Holly G, and social media expert Will Perry, are joined by Jeff Babineau, Golfweek.  Holly and Jeff start off the segment talking about Rod Pampling's win. His last win was 10 years ago at Bay Hill. 

The conversation turns to the wrap around season and how these events in fall can help get some of the players off on the right foot. Players like Keegan Bradley and Glover who have placed in the Top 10 in two events already this season as compared to last year on the PGA Tour.

Will asks Jeff about what some of the players are talking about heading into this week's OHL Classic.  Jeff mentions that winning on Tour in the fall is like getting three years of eligibility back. Pampling's win will give him PGA Tour status up until his 50th birthday now and he will be ready for the Champions Tour. 

Will asks Jeff about the new era with Jay Monahan becoming the new commissioner. Jeff said Jay is well respected on the Tour and feels he will be able to keep the Tour on the successful track that Tim Finchem (pictured) has built over the past 22 years. 

Holly switches gears and asks Jeff about some of the young players on Tour, like Aaron Wise, the 20-year-old from the University of Oregon. 

Ryan Moore has been playing well of late. Jeff said that Moore's success at the Ryder Cup seems to have boosted his confidence. 

Holly aks Jeff who he likes to win this week at the OHL: Jeff says Jon Rahm, Keegan Bradley or Chris Kirk.

In the third segment of the show, Holly G and W Perry talk about the Tour being in Mexico this week and the field of players competing including a contingency of Mexican players who may surprise some people this week.

Will knows some of the Mexican players from working around them at the Gary Gilchrist Academy.  

Holly welcomes Bob Harig, ESPN.com, to the show. The two talk about this week's field of players.

Bob talks to Holly and Will about Jordan Spieth's decision to play less this year after competing in so many events last year against the will of some of his advisors. Bob remembers all the events that Jordan competed in at the beginning of the season last year. With Jordan winning in December, Bob feels that might have thrown off Spieth's thinking that playing so many events might not be that bad. 

This year so far, Spieth seems to be keeping more of a domestic schedule and turning down some appearance fees.  

Will asks Bob about what he thinks Jordan's schedule will be this year.  Bob said that he doesn't know that all of the traveling and playing that Spieth did last year caused him to not win as much, but it definitely takes a toll on the players and they seem to start to wear down toward the end of the season.

Holly asks Bob about the passing of the commissioner’s torch from Finchem to Monahan. Bob has an article on ESPN.com about it. (Jay Monahan named fourth PGA Tour commissioner).  The fact that Jay was a tournament director twice helps him transition into the job as opposed to Finchem who had worked with President Carter's administration prior to stepping into the PGA Tour.

Bob like John Rahm's chances of winning on the Tour this week.

In the final segment of the show, Holly G and W Perry talk about the OHL Classic. Will picks Carlos Ortiz to win and Jim Furyk. Holly is rooting for Keegan Bradley and Emiliano Grillo. 

Vartan Kupelian checks in from Scottsdale, Arizona where he is covering the final event in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on the Champions Tour. 

Holly asks about Bernhard Langer's chance of winning an unprecedented 4th time. Vartan talks about the top 5 players chances of winning.

Vartan and Holly talk about Tiger and his chances of playing in the Hero World Challenge as well as the outlook for him in the upcoming year. 

Vartan wraps up the show picking Joe Durant to win the final event and take home the Charles Schwab Cup title. Durant is in 4th place in the Charles Schwab Cup points and has been playing well.

PODCAST NOTE: Listeners can tune in to iHeart Radio 740 The Game or listen in the Orlando area on FM 96.9 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. 

In the final segment of the show, Holly G and W Perry talk about the OHL Classic. Will picks Carlos Ortiz to win and Jim Furyk. Holly is rooting for Keegan Bradley and Emiliano Grillo. 

Vartan Kupelian checks in from Scottsdale, Arizona where he is covering the final event in the Charles Schwab Cup Championship on the Champions Tour. 

Holly asks about Bernhard Langer's chance of winning an unprecedented 4th time. Vartan talks about the top 5 players chances of winning.

Vartan and Holly talk about Tiger and his chances of playing in the Hero World Challenge as well as the outlook for him in the upcoming year. 

Vartan wraps up the show picking Joe Durant to win the final event and take home the Charles Schwab Cup title. Durant is in 4th place in the Charles Schwab Cup points and has been playing well.

PODCAST NOTE: Listeners can tune in to iHeart Radio 740 The Game or listen in the Orlando area on FM 96.9 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. 

In the third segment of the show, Holly G and W Perry talk about the Tour being in Mexico this week and the field of players competing including a contingency of Mexican players who may surprise some people this week.

Will knows some of the Mexican players from working around them at the Gary Gilchrist Academy.  

Holly welcomes Bob Harig, ESPN.com, to the show. The two talk about this week's field of players.

Bob talks to Holly and Will about Jordan Spieth's decision to play less this year after competing in so many events last year against the will of some of his advisors. Bob remembers all the events that Jordan competed in at the beginning of the season last year. With Jordan winning in December, Bob feels that might have thrown off Spieth's thinking that playing so many events might not be that bad. 

This year so far, Spieth seems to be keeping more of a domestic schedule and turning down some appearance fees.  

Will asks Bob about what he thinks Jordan's schedule will be this year.  Bob said that he doesn't know that all of the traveling and playing that Spieth did last year caused him to not win as much, but it definitely takes a toll on the players and they seem to start to wear down toward the end of the season.

Holly asks Bob about the passing of the commissioner’s torch from Finchem to Monahan. Bob has an article on ESPN.com about it. (Jay Monahan named fourth PGA Tour commissioner).  The fact that Jay was a tournament director twice helps him transition into the job as opposed to Finchem who had worked with President Carter's administration prior to stepping into the PGA Tour.

Bob like John Rahm's chances of winning on the Tour this week.

PODCAST NOTE: Listeners can tune in to iHeart Radio 740 The Game or listen in the Orlando area on FM 96.9 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. 

In the second segment of this week's show, Host Holly G, and social media expert Will Perry, are joined by Jeff Babineau, Golfweek.  Holly and Jeff start off the segment talking about Rod Pampling's win. His last win was 10 years ago at Bay Hill. 

The conversation turns to the wrap around season and how these events in fall can help get some of the players off on the right foot. Players like Keegan Bradley and Glover who have placed in the Top 10 in two events already this season as compared to last year on the PGA Tour.

Will asks Jeff about what some of the players are talking about heading into this week's OHL Classic.  Jeff mentions that winning on Tour in the fall is like getting three years of eligibility back. Pampling's win will give him PGA Tour status up until his 50th birthday now and he will be ready for the Champions Tour. 

Will asks Jeff about the new era with Jay Monahan becoming the new commissioner. Jeff said Jay is well respected on the Tour and feels he will be able to keep the Tour on the successful track that Tim Finchem (pictured) has built over the past 22 years. 

Holly switches gears and asks Jeff about some of the young players on Tour, like Aaron Wise, the 20-year-old from the University of Oregon. 

Ryan Moore has been playing well of late. Jeff said that Moore's success at the Ryder Cup seems to have boosted his confidence. 

Holly aks Jeff who he likes to win this week at the OHL: Jeff says Jon Rahm, Keegan Bradley or Chris Kirk.