Bunker to Bunker, March 18, 2006
Greg and Tiffany were in studio for the show this week. They opened with the recap of last week’s golf and talked about Annika picking up where she left off in 2005. She is virtually untouchable. Greg had commented on the fact that he believes Annika is actually the best player in the world right now. She has done more than Tiger over the last couple of years. The conversation then switched to the PGA Tour and Luke Donald’s victory at the Honda Classic last week. Tiffany talked about how his victory came as one of the few victories this year where a “bomber” did not win the event. Luke basically was more accurate than the rest of the field. On the Champions Tour, Tom Kite schooled the field at the AT&T Classic at Valencia CC. His second round 64 locked up the event for him.
The first guest to join Greg and Tiffany was Tom Malites, Tournament Chairman of the Safeway International LPGA event, being conducted at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club. Annika is trying to win this event for the third straight year. The tournament is shaping up for a great finish. Greg had mentioned that this would be a wonderful event to go watch. The scenery is excellent and the golf will be exciting.
Greg announced the winner of last week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. Don`t forget to enter every week from Saturday morning to Monday night by going to the Bunkergolf homepage contest entry link, fill in the information requested and then answer the question. Tom Littell was this week’s winner by giving the correct answer of 26 times Padrig Harrington has been a runner-up in his professional career. Tom will receive a Magique I-Brid golf club, an Antigua tournament pique golf shirt, an Ahead Golf Cap, a DOZEN Titleist golf balls and a pair of Tifosi Sunglasses.
This week’s question is: What percentage of 2005 PGA Tour winners won their event without having a 3-putt during the tournament. The answer is 41% had no 3-putts on their way to victory circle.
Tiffany tried to stir the pot with Greg by starting a dialog about the golf ball distance and the fact that the Ohio Golf Association will be using a standard golf ball for an event this year. They have been discussing this for years and now are going to test the waters with a standardized golf ball for the entire field. Once again, Greg touched upon the fact that if a player hits the ball thirty yards farther than his fellow competitor with the current golf ball, then he will still hit it thirty yards farther with a reduced-distance golf ball. Golf course conditions must be altered to adapt to the evolution of the equipment.
Greg and Tiffany wrapped up the show with a reminder to tune in next Saturday, and every Saturday, from 7:00-9:00 a.m. on ESPN Radio 860 AM.. Due to technical difficulties, the show has not been on On-air Sports the last couple of weeks and the B-to-B team is trying to determine why. So tune in on ESPN Radio 860 for now. Tiffany and Greg will be in studio again next week. They will be recapping all of this weekend’s golf action and announcing the winner from this week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. So for now, keep it between the ropes.
Bunker to Bunker, March 11, 2006
Tiffany and Marty were live in studio this week where we started the show with a recap of last week`s golf for the PGA. The Dual at Doral in the Ford Championship at Doral went on, but was pretty boring with the outcome being what everyone expected . Once again Tiger Woods wins, this time by bogeying the last two holes. The dual between Tiger and Phil was a dud with Phil never making a charge. Tiger was challenged by David Toms, but Toms bogeyed 18, which allowed Woods to win with a bogey.
We all know that the Thunderbirds do a great job of running the FBR Open, but I don’t think we realize how much money is raised during this tournament. Pat McGinley, the 2007 Tournament Chairman, talked with us today about the Birdies for Charity program which was started last year. It is run by the assistant tournament chairman and they are very competitive with each other to see who will raise the most money. This year the Thunderbirds have raised more than $1,135,000 for Arizona Charities through the Birdies For Charity program. This means that each birdie (1,509) that was made this year was worth $752. In it’s second year, the funds are raised by corporate partners, Thunderbird charities and FBR matching funds, and by the pledge drive that everyone can participate in. To get involved next year, you can visit the FBR Open Website. All you have to do is pledge a penny! That makes all the difference.
Next we talked with Brian Kontak, a local golf professional who is playing on the Grey Goose Gateway Tour. This is a local tour that that had Kontak as the leading money winner for the Desert ‘A’ Series, which was just wrapped up last week. The difference with his game and the players on the PGA Tour players is consistency. Kontak has been a professional for fourteen years and knows what it takes to win. The Grey Goose Gateway Tour is a great tour for him because it allows him to stay home with his family and still compete professionally without the travel. Kontak will start the next series of the Tour, the Desert ‘B’ Series, in a few weeks and of course, work towards PGA Qualifying school. You can watch Kontak play by attending local tournaments. Just check the tour’s Website to find out where they are each week.
Are you looking to have a putting green in your backyard? Well, this is the best you can get--Mirage Greens of the Valley. Owner and General Manager, Jay Giesbrecht, has earned the industry`s top certification of Master Turf Installer. Jay not only trains his own installers, but he also shares his expertise on a regular basis by personally training all new Mirage authorized dealers. It says a lot about a company when PGA professionals like Ricky Barnes are paying to get these greens installed in their backyards. Mirage Greens of the Valley is a full service dealer specializing in the sale and installation of The World’s Finest NON-SAND Putting Green & Lazy Lawn products. To find out more information, visit their Website or you can go see them at Cracker Jacks, Vans Proshops, and Paddock Pools.
Tiffany announced the question for the Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. Don`t forget to enter every week from Saturday morning to Monday night by going to the Bunkergolf homepage contest entry link, fill in the information requested and then answer the question. This week’s winner will receive an Ahead golf cap, a DOZEN Titleist golf balls, a pair of Tifosi sunglasses, and a free custom-fit Rescue Club from Magique Golf.
This week’s question is: Padraig Harrington is defending his title this week. How many runner-up finishes has Harrington had in his career worldwide? Answer: 26.
We recapped this week`s golf with David Toms leading The Honda Classic and a local favorite, Billy Mayfair, one stroke back. The LPGA is down in Mexico with Annika Sorenstam making her debut and of course, leading the tournament tied with Silvia Cavalleri. And a Monday qualifier, Mitch Adcock, was leading the Champions Tour with Ben Crenshaw (still looking for his first win on the Champions Tour) and Jay Sigel right on his heals.
That was it for our show. If you want to learn about the most recent golf news, remember to tune in next Saturday, and every Saturday, from 7:00-9:00 a.m. on ESPN Radio 860 AM. Tiffany and Greg will be in studio next week to recap all this weekend’s golf action and to announce the winner from this week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. Hit ‘em straight and see you on the course!
Bunker to Bunker, March 4, 2005
Greg and Tiffany were in studio for the show this week. Greg opened with the recap of last week’s golf that had Geoff Ogilvy dominating Davis Love III to win the World Golf Championships match play. Davis just cannot close the big events. Geoff Ogilvy played 129 holes of golf on his way to this great victory. The PGA Tour was also in Tucson for the Chrysler Classic of Tucson, where Kirk Triplett, playing on a medical exemption, won for the first time since 2003. I don’t think he needs the medical status anymore. On the LPGA tour, Meena Lee beat Seon Hwa Lee in a playoff to win the Fields Open in Hawaii. Michelle Wie made it interesting by firing a final round 66 to finish third. This finish squelched the “crying” Morgan Pressel in their showdown on the course. With the third-place finish Michelle Wie jumped into second place in the Rolex World (what a joke) Rankings. With this Tiffany went off on Rolex and the rankings, blasting them and the thought of Wie being the second-best player in women’s golf. Michelle Wie should not even be in the top ten. Greg agrees with Tiffany 100% and mentioned that he thinks this ranking was like setting up the preseason polls in college sports. Greg recapped the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am victory of Champions Tour player, Jerry Pate. This was his first victory since 1982 when he used an orange golf ball. Jim Rutledge won the ING New Zealand PGA Chamionship Nationwide Tour event by closing with a final round 64 to win by one over Jarred Lyle. It will be good when the Nationwide Tour returns to the mainland.
The first guest to join Greg and Tiffany was Paul Nolan, the Head Golf Professional at the Gallery Golf Club in Marana, AZ. The Gallery will play host to the World Golf Championships match play starting next year. This means that the Tucson Open fades away and rides off into the sunset. Seems fitting for all of the westerns that were filmed in Tucson. Paul talked about the style of the golf course and how instrumental the Conquistadors were in this event coming to Tucson from LaCosta. Wade Dunagan and Paul now have a lot of work ahead of them. Wade is no stranger to PGA Tour events. He was the Head Golf Professional at the TPC of Sawgrass for several years.
Greg announced the winner of last week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. Don`t forget to enter every week from Saturday morning to Monday night by going to the Bunkergolf homepage contest entry link, fill in the information requested and then answer the question. Michael Jacques of Mesa, AZ got the correct answer of fourteen first-time winners at the Tucson Open including five of the last six events have had first-time winners. Michael will receive a Magique I-Brid golf club from Magique Golf, an Antigua tournament pique golf shirt, an Ahead golf cap, a DOZEN Titleist golf balls and a pair of Tifosi Sunglasses.
This week’s question is “Who are the only three players to win the Ford Doral Open in the tournament’s history and what years did they win? The answer is Raymond Floyd 1980, 81, 92; Andy Bean 1977, 82, 86; and Greg Norman 1990, 93, 96. Go to the contest link and enter to win this week’s prize package that includes a QuickFix warm-up golf club, an Antigua tournament pique golf shirt, an Ahead golf cap, a DOZEN Titleist golf balls and a pair of Tifosi sunglasses.
Other highlights that Tiffany and Greg touched upon were the fact the Titleist/Cobra had another great win on the PGA Tour. Geoff Ogilvy was playing with Cobra equipment to hold off Davis Love III, who, by the way, plays with Titleist. The Arizona Golf Association announced their 2005 award winners this week. Bryan Hoops was the player of the year, while Ken Kellaney won his tenth Mayfair award. This award is given for the lowest stroke average. Also recognized were Cyrus Whitney, Cannon Randall and Bob Mandeville for winning their Divisional Player of the Year awards.
Greg and Tiffany wrapped up the show with a reminder to tune in next Saturday, and every Saturday, from 7:00-9:00 a.m. on ESPN Radio 860 AM. You can also pick us up on On-air Sports. Tiffany will be in studio next week with a guest host, while Greg is in Mohave Valley minding the operations at El Rio Country Club. Tiffany will be recapping all of this weekend’s golf action and announcing the winner from this week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. So for now, keep it between the ropes.
Bunker to Bunker, February 25, 2006
Tiffany and Marty were live in studio this week with lots of golf to talk about. To start the show, we recapped last week`s golf for the PGA, LPGA, and Champion’s Tours. Loren Roberts made tour history by becoming the first player to win three tournaments in a row, which just happens to be the first three of the Champion’s Tour. Rory Sabbatini held off Fred Couples and Adam Scott to claim his first win of the 2006 season and Seon Hwa Lee won the first event of the season for the LPGA tour.
Every year, the Collegiate Invitational, hosted by Western Michigan State, comes to town and plays at Rio Verde Country Club. Jane Noble, an assistant golf professional at Rio Verde Country Club and the tournament director, said the event, now in its fourth year, has commitments from 17 teams. The brainchild of Cindy Trout, the women’s golf coach at Western Michigan University, the event welcomed 11 teams, mostly from the Midwest, in 2003 and has grown substantially since then. The University of Michigan is the defending champion, while the Wolverines’ Laura Olin won the individual event a year ago with a 54-hole total of five over par. The tournament is Thursday, March 2nd through Saturday, March 4th. For more information on the event contact Jane Noble at Rio Verde Country Club at (480) 471-9420.
Next we had on the new executive director of the Grey Goose Gateway Tour, Charley Yandell. Charley has taken over the position from Chris Stutts who created and started this tour four years ago. Yandell will be dealing with the day-to-day operations and working with the sponsors and players to increase the tour’s visibility. To find out more information about the tour, visit their website .
The big topic of the week was the Rolex World Rankings for the Women. Annika Sorenstam and Paula Creamer were ranked number one and number two respectively, which was no surprise to anyone reading the list. The big shocker was who was listed at number three--Michelle Wie! What??? She isn’t even on the LPGA tour and doesn’t even have one win under her belt. She was ranked in front of Christie Kerr, Birdie Kim (who won the U.S. Open) and Julie Inskter. Tiffany was beyond words looking at the list and really couldn’t believe that someone who has never won a tournament could be ranked third! The Rolex World Rankings measure performance over two years with emphasis on the most recent 13 weeks. Points are based on the strength of the field, then divided by the number of tournaments played. The different tours that count for this are the LPGA, the European, Japan, Korean, Australian, and the Futures. What a crock this is!
Next we had Liz White with Golf Magazine on to talk about the casting call for the St. Joseph Pressure Challenge. They are looking for true 8 to 10 handicappers that will take their challenge. Their challenge consists of a golfer paring one hole to win $1,000, but if they par two, they win $2,500. Would you continue? Well, if you do and you par all nine holes, you will be able to win $250,000! Do you think you have what it takes? They are doing a casting call Saturday, February 25th at Mesa Golf Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. To find out information, visit their website.
Tiffany announced the winner for last week`s Fantasy Golf Trivia Contest was Ryan of Buckeye. Don`t forget to enter every week from Saturday morning to Monday night go to the Bunkergolf homepage contest entry link, fill in the information requested and then answer the question. This week’s winner, as well as Ryan from last week, will receive an Ahead golf cap, a dozen Titleist golf balls, a pair of Tifosi sunglasses, and a a free custom-fit Rescue Club from Magique Golf.
This week’s question is: How many times has the Chrysler Classic of Tucson had a first time winner? And how many first-time winners have there been in the last six years?
Sean Sheppard with Magique Golf was on the show to talk about his company. Since 1986, these clubs have been designed by teaching professionals for the average player. They feature softer shafts, lower kick points, more upright lies and traditional lofts. Each club is custom-fit for about half the price of the leading brands. The new M-Series line of woods, irons and hybrids help you get the most from your game. To find out more information on Magique, visit their website.
That was it for our show. It flew by as we had lots to talk about. If you want to learn about the most recent golf news, remember to tune in next Saturday, and every Saturday, from 7:00-9:00 a.m. on ESPN Radio 860 AM. You can also pick us up on On-air Sports. Tiffany and Greg will be in studio next week to recap all this weekend’s golf action and to announce the winner from this week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. Hit ‘em straight and see you on the course!
Bunker to Bunker, February 18, 2006
Greg and Tiffany were live in studio this week with lots of golf to talk about. To start the show we recapped last week`s golf, the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. A first-time winner and Scottsdale local, Aaron Oberholser, was the victor. He hung onto his lead when it didn’t look like he would to capture his first PGA Tour title. Mike Weir, on the other hand, couldn’t do anything right in the final round and ended up with a 78 to help Oberholser come out ahead.
Next we had Scott Sackett on to talk about the casting call for the St. Joseph Pressure Challenge. They are looking for true 8 to 10 handicappers who will take their challenge. Par one hole and win $1,000, par two holes and win $2,500, par nine holes and win $250,000. You even get three mulligans. After successful par of a hole you can either take your winnings and go home or risk it all and play the next hole.. Would you continue, could you take the pressure? Do you think you have what it takes? They are doing a casting call next Saturday, February 25th at Mesa Golf Center from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. To find out information visit their Website.
After the ESPN break we had Roger Tambellini, PGA Tour player, on to talk about his year so far and what he has been working on. He has made two of four cuts so far with concentration on his short game being his key focus. The short game is what separates the top-10 players in the world from the rest. Mickelson and Woods aren’t in the top-100 on driving percentage, but they know how to scramble with their short game. Roger will play in Tucson next week and then head over to Florida for three consecutive tournaments where he hopes to get into some sort of groove and make his move. It is easier to play as the season goes on because the top guys aren’t playing as much. This leaves room for the Q-school and Nationwide guys to get into the top-125 on the tour. Good luck to Roger in Tucson and we’ll keep an eye on him.
Greg announced the question for the NEW Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. He said the contest is easy to enter. Every week from Saturday morning to Monday night go to the Bunkergolf homepage contest entry link, fill in the information requested and then answer the question. This week’s winner will receive an Ahead golf cap, a dozen Titleist golf balls, a pair of Tifosi sunglasses, and a free custom-fit Rescue Club from Magique Golf.
This week’s question is: Who won the 1998 Nissan Open and how did he win the event? Answer: Billy Mayfair beat Tiger Woods in a playoff. Billy is the only player to beat Tiger in a playoff in Tiger’s professional career.
Ryan with the Raven Golf Club at South Mountain came on the show to talk about the Jeff Feagles/Mike Golic MDA Celebrity Golf Tournament which will be held at the Raven the weekend of March 17-18, 2006. Celebrities like Dan Marley, Frank Kush and many more will be there. To find out more and to get information on playing in the tournament, visit the MDA Celebrity Golf Classic Website.
That was it for our show which flew by as we had lots to talk about. If you want to learn about the most recent golf news, remember to tune in next Saturday, and every Saturday, from 7:00-9:00 a.m. on ESPN Radio 860 AM. You can also pick us up on On-air Sports. Tiffany and Marty will be out at Mesa Golf Center next week to recap all this weekend’s golf action and to announce the winner from this week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. Hit ‘em straight and see you on the course!
Bunker to Bunker, February 11, 2006
Greg and Tiffany were in studio for the show this week. They started out quickly with an in-depth recap of the FBR Open. The event was a huge success and JB Holmes will be a great champion. He absolutely bombed it all week and made TPC of Scottsdale look like an easy golf course by averaging 320 yards off the tee all week. He drove hole 17 on Sunday with his 15-degree Cobra metal as he showed he could do no wrong on the last day of the tournament. He basically ran away with the event due to a 6-stroke swing on 15 between he and JJ Henry. Greg mentioned that JB Holmes, who is definitely self-made, is the new “blue-collar golfer.”
The first guest to join Greg and Tiffany was Ben Johnson, with the Arizona High School Rodeo Association (AHSRA), to talk about the upcoming fund-raising celebrity golf tournament. The event will be held at Camelback Golf Club on February 17, 2006. It is a 4-person scramble that starts at 10:30. For more information, go to Arizona High School Rodeo Association and click on the golf tournament link.
Next on tap was David Abeles, the VP of Sales and Marketing with Cobra Golf. David was like talking to the proud papa of the first-born son when discussing JB Holmes and his victory at the FBR Open. JB Holmes wore his Cobra cap and used Cobra equipment on his way to the 7-stroke victory. This was Cobra`s re-entry onto the PGA Tour and what a great way to start. The first and second place finishes of Holmes and Camillo Villegas catapulted Cobra into instant stardom again. The last presence of Cobra on any Tour was when Greg Norman and Hale Irwin represented Cobra in the 90s.
Greg announced the winner of last week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. He said the contest is easy to enter. Every week from Saturday morning to Monday night go to the Bunkergolf homepage contest entry link, fill in the information requested and then answer the question. John Thompson from Prescott Valley will receive a foursome of golf for the TPC of Scottsdale, an Antigua Tournament Pique golf shirt, an Ahead golf cap, a DOZEN Titleist golf balls and a pair of Tifosi sunglasses. John got the official correct answer of Arnold Palmer winning the Phoenix/FBR Open consecutively from 1961-63.
This week’s question is “Who has won the most AT&T Pebble Beach Invitationals since 1975 and how many? This week’s winner will receive a foursome of golf to El Rio Country Club, an Antigua Tournament Pique golf shirt, an Ahead golf cap, a DOZEN Titleist golf balls and a pair of Tifosi sunglasses.
Before the final guest of the show, Greg got on a soapbox about changes that will have a very adverse effect on the game of golf. The USGA is making rumblings about limiting the distance the golf ball will fly. Greg and Tiffany agree that this would be bad for golf. This is being considered because of 400+ worldwide Tour players that can bomb the ball so far that golf courses are becoming obsolete. There are 99.9999% of the golfers that this will harm more than hurt. Greg mentioned that it does not matter if the USGA rolls back the distance of a golf ball because the bombers will still hit it farther than the rest of the field by the same amount just shorter distances than now. The average ball striker will now be hitting 5-irons from 180 yards rather than a 7-iron and the bombers will be hitting 7-irons instead of wedges. Thus the bomber still has the advantage. Greg advised the listener to start an email campaign to the USGA to leave the technology alone. Tiffany was dead on with her statement that technology should continue advancing and that it is never good to roll back. So write the USGA and give them an ear full at their Website. For another viewpoint on this topic, see Frank Hannigan`s column in GolfObserver.
The final guest of the show was Robb Corwin of Gorilla Companies talking about one of his companies, ProEM, Professional Event Management. This is the company that provides all of the security for the FBR Open and will be the security for the upcoming LPGA Safeway International. Robb explained that 80% of his staff is employed full time with all the events that go on throughout the Valley. He also mentioned that they have already secured the contract to provide the security for next year’s FBR Open. So when you see the people in purple running security, be courteous, they are just doing their job.
Greg and Tiffany wrapped up the show with a reminder to tune in next Saturday, and every Saturday, from 7:00-9:00 a.m. on ESPN Radio 860 AM. You can also pick us up on On-air Sports. Greg and Tiffany will be in studio next week and will be recapping all of this weekend’s golf action and announcing the winner from this week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. So for now, keep it between the ropes.
Bunker to Bunker, February 4, 2006
Greg and Tiffany were live out at the FBR Open in the Expo Tent for the FBR edition of the Bunker to Bunker Golf Show.
To start the show we recapped last week`s golf, the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines. This was Tiger`s first tournament of the year and there was no rust on his game. Over the winter he didn’t pick up a club for three weeks straight but you couldn’t tell on Sunday when he would come from behind to get into a playoff with Jose Maria Olazabal and Nathan Green.
The rest of the show was about the FBR Open, which was in our backyard. With no Tiger in the field, it was anyone’s tournament. With a couple of young guns on top of the learderboard, you would wonder where Phil Mickelson and Mark Calcavecchia were. These two golfers know how to win on the TPC of Scottsdale, between them they have five wins here. Well, Mickelson would be let down, not by his putter, but by consistency. When it was bad, it got worse for Mickelson. If it was his driver, the entire hole went bad. But he would still manage to make five birdies a round. The problem was he also made bogeys and double bogeys. Calcavecchia was a different story. He didn’t have the inconsistency problems, he just couldn’t roll in the necessary putts to get his score on top of the leaderboard. Known as a pretty even keel player, Calc could step up to his ball on the green and know which way it was going to break just by looking at it once. He has played the TPC of Scottsdale so many times that you would think every putt would go in--not this time.
Next we had Pat McGinley, the 2007 Tournament Chairman of the FBR Open, on to discuss the leaderboard, skyboxes, birdies for charities and changes for next year. The Thunderbirds, who run the FBR Open, have done a great job again so they are ready for record crowds on Saturday. They have added more skyboxes, including number 18 which is now double decker, along with new ones on number 16. The birdies for charities is a program that keeps growing every year with the public really getting involved more and more. Anyone could pledge money, even a penny, and for every birdie that is made (which is usually around 115 for the four days of play). They are looking at raising around one million dollars for charities just off this program. Pat says there is a lot of room to grow in this area and he is looking forward to growing the birdies for charities next year. He also mentioned how hard it is to top what Mike Haenel, the 2006 Tournament Chairman, has done, but Pat will be trying. He is looking forward to the challenge and will lean on the group of Thunderbirds to help him grow the tournament even bigger and better.
We also had iGolfTours on air with us. iGolfTours is a new company that offers online, interactive virtual tours of your favorite golf courses. You can go to their Website and view a course that you are going to play but are unfamiliar with. You can view each hole from every angle possible and really learn about the course before you get out there. They are also going to add where you can track your stats after you play and where each shot went. TPC of Scottsdale is currently on their system and you can go to FBR Open to check out the TPC course. If you go there you can also look around and see where you would like to sit and watch the PGA Tour as they come through. It is a different way of looking at the course and really gives you a great perspective of a new course you might now have any knowledge of.
Greg announced the question for the NEW Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. He said the contest is easy to enter. Every week from Saturday morning to Monday night go to the Bunkergolf homepage contest entry link, fill in the information requested and then answer the question. This week’s winner will receive an Ahead golf cap, a DOZEN Titleist golf balls and a pair of Tifosi sunglasses.
This week’s question is: Which PGA Tour player has consecutively won the most FBR Open/ Phoenix Opens and what were the years? Answer: Arnold Palmer, 1961, 62, 63.
That was it for our show. It flew by and we had lots to talk about. If you want to learn about the most recent golf news, remember to tune in next Saturday, and every Saturday, from 7:00-9:00 a.m. on ESPN Radio 860 AM. You can also pick us up on You can also pick us up on On-air Sports. Greg and Tiffany will be in next week to recap all this weekend’s golf action and to announce the winner from this week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. Hit ‘em straight and see you on the course!
Bunker to Bunker, January 28, 2006
Greg and guest host Jim Hill were in studio for the show this week while Tiffany was on assignment in Orlando, FL. for the PGA Merchandise Show. Again this week our show was packed with great guests: Tiffany called in from the PGA Show, David Dusek, Director of Marketing for the St. Joseph Pressure Challenge, Jeff Kogan, Director of Marketing for Golf602, and Mike Haenel, Tournament Chairman of the upcoming FBR Open. Greg announced a special prize give a way today saying that he would give eight any-day tickets for the FBR Open to the first four listeners to show up at the studio after the show.
The first guest to join Greg and Jim was Tiffany calling from the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida. She reported on all of the great new products coming out in 2006. Everything from new golf club designs, graphite shafts and designer grips to the hottest new apparel for this upcoming spring and summer.
Mike Haenel, Tournament Chairman of the FBR Open called to give the listeners an update on the FBR and announced two more sponsor exemptions: local favorite Kirk Triplett and PGA Tour star Duffy Waldorf. Mike also broke the news that Bill Murray will be playing in the Wednesday Pro-am and may even be a part of the entertainment in the Bird’s Nest following the Pro-am. Five out of the top ten players in the world rankings are scheduled to be in the field
Next on tap was David Dusek, Director of Marketing for the St. Joseph Pressure Challenge. He talked about the upcoming audition at the Mesa Family Golf Center, on February 25th. For details about this exciting reality TV event go to their Website
Greg announced the winner of last week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. He said the contest is easy to enter. Every week from Saturday morning to Monday night go to the Bunkergolf homepage contest entry link, fill in the information requested and then answer the question. Robert Geake will receive 16 tickets to the FBR Open, an Ahead golf cap, a DOZEN Titleist golf balls and a pair of Tifosi sunglasses. Robert got the official correct answer that Tom Kite made 590 cuts in his PGA Tour career. Jay Haas is within 4 cuts of breaking that record. Thanks for keeping us in line.
The final guest of the show was Jeff Kogan, Director of Marketing for Cypress Golf Solutions, the parent company of Golf602. Jeff shared with the listeners that they currently have service in 17 states and work with over 600 different golf courses. Soon the valley will see a change in the Golf602 web site to golfnow.com. This will be more than just a website to book golf. They are going to be offering a “Country Club” membership program that will offer several benefits for signing up.
Greg and Jim wrapped up the show with a reminder to tune in next Saturday, and every Saturday, from 7:00-9:00 a.m. on ESPN Radio 860 AM. You can also pick us up on On-air Sports. Greg and Tiffany will be broadcasting live from the FBR Open and will be recapping all of this weekend’s golf action and announcing the winner from this week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. So for now, keep it between the ropes.
Bunker to Bunker, January 21, 2006
Greg and Tiffany were in studio for the show this week for a show packed with great guests. They had Roger Pretekin, President of SoloRider golf cars, Henry Hughes, Sr. VP of PGA Tour Operations, Mike Haenel, Tournament Chairman of the upcoming FBR Open, and Greg and Tiffany also took calls from listeners for the first time in a long spell. Greg wants this to be a main stay in the program again because we want to hear from our listeners on golf-related topics, to hear their opinions or know if they have questions.
Greg reminded the listeners about the ability to listen to the show weekly on the Internet at On-air Sports. The site was not working last week and we actually received e-mails telling us they did not get to hear the show and were disappointed. It was back up and working this week.
The first guest to join Greg and Tiffany was Roger Pretekin, the President of SoloRider golf car company, to talk about the single-rider golf car that is the only certified ADA golf car for people with disabilities that would otherwise keep them from enjoying the game of golf. This golf car can be driven on the tee and greens and actually causes less compaction on the green than a 250-pound golfer carrying a golf bag. Roger also mentioned that this golf car can actually extend senior golfers` playing longevity because of it versatility. These golf cars are being purchased around the country by some of the biggest golf facilities. For more information about the SoloRider, go to their Website.
Mike Haenel, tournament chairman of the FBR Open, called to give the listeners an update on the FBR and announced two more sponsor exemptions: local Chez Reavie and PGA Tour rookie Camillo Villegas.
Next on tap was the Senior VP of PGA Tour Operations, Henry Hughes. The topic pertained to the 2007 PGA Tour schedule and the new TV contracts with the Golf Channel, CBS and NBC. The FedEx Cup series in 2007 will create a new enthusiasm for the viewers while allowing the players to set up their schedules so the season is not as long. The top players will still play in the same events as before with the other players vying for their playing privileges for 2008 continuing play all the way to the end of the season.
Greg announced the winner of last week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. He said the contest is easy to enter. Go to the Bunker Golf home page, click on the contest entry link to fill in the information requested and then answer the question. Judy Hudson will receive 16 tickets to the FBR Open, an Ahead Golf Cap, a DOZEN Titleist golf balls and a pair of Tifosi sunglasses. Judy got the unofficial correct answer of 341 consecutive holes without a three putt by John Cook until Dennis, who was listening on On-air Sports, called to provide another correct answer of Brad Faxon with 362 holes in 2003. Thanks for keeping us in line.
Tiffany and Greg wrapped up the show with a reminder to tune in next Saturday, and every Saturday, from 7:00-9:00 a.m. on ESPN Radio 860 AM. You can also pick us up on On-air Sports. Tiffany will be at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida next week. Greg has guest host Jim Hill sitting in for Tiffany when they will recap all of this weekend’s golf action and announce the winner from this week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. So for now, keep it between the ropes.
Bunker to Bunker, January 14, 2006
What a great show we had with Greg and Tiffany were live in studio along with a special guest host, DJ Flanders, in from Japan.
To start the show, we recapped the Mercedes Championships and the third straight Mercedes win for Stuart Appleby. No one has won this tournament three times in a row since Gene Littler in 1957. In his quest for his third win, Appleby also recorded a long drive of 426 yards! The scary thing is that wasn’t the longest drive of the week, Jason Gore had a drive of 427 yards, the longest recorded drive to date. Lucas Glover was also a big winner of the Mercedes Championships by getting a hole in one on the 203-yard eighth hole.
The big story this week on the PGA Tour is the “Big Wiesy," Michelle Wie. She unfortunately was let down on the first day of play at the Sony Open with a 9-over, 79. She did come back on Friday to shoot a 68, with only eight guys in the field on Friday shooting the same or better. She needs to learn to come out and put two good rounds together. She has been working with weights and has put on 5 pounds, but we all agreed that she needs to learn how to win and make that putter work for her. We will see Wie again when the LPGA heads over to Hawaii for their opening tournament at the SBS Open at Turtle Bay.
Next we had Mike Haenel, the tournament chairman for the FBR Open,on to discuss his first sponsor exemption which went to Andrew McGee. McGee is a Thunderbird friend who lives here in the Valley. He has been on the PGA Tour for over 20 years and has given so much back to his community that Haenel decided that he deserved to get a chance. Haenel also mentioned that he will hand out two more sponsor exemptions this week. His hint to us was about two young players: a Nationwide player and a player who qualified for the Tour through Q-school but doesn’t have the rankings to play. Tiffany guessed that Kevin Stadler would be one of the exemptions. Stayed tuned next week when Haenel reveals who he has given the exemptions too. For more details about the tournament check out the FBR Open Website.
After the break we had Curt Byrum, The Golf Channel golf analyst, on to discuss the players of the Nationwide Tour. Byrum said there are several guys on the Nationwide Tour that you should keep your eyes on. One is Michael Putnam, a rookie on the Nationwide Tour who graduated from Pepperdine who is not new to to winning. Another is Kevin Stadler who was on the PGA Tour last year but didn’t make enough to stay, so he is dropping back down to the Nationwide Tour. Stadler definitely knows how to win on this tour and you can expect him to win several tournaments. Curt also discussed the huge deal that The Golf Channel just signed with the PGA Tour for the 2007 season. He wasn’t sure how that was going to affect his job, but it is definitely going to be exciting for him.
Greg announced the question for the NEW Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. He said the contest is easy to enter, just go to the contest entry link and fill in the information requested and then answer the question. This week’s winner will receive 16 Any-Day tickets to the FBR Open, an Ahead golf cap, a DOZEN Titleist golf balls and a pair of Tifosi sunglasses.
This week’s question is: Which PGA Tour player holds the record for playing the most consecutive holes without a three-putt and how many holes did he play? Answer: John Cook, 341 holes.
Next we discussed the inaugural FedEx Cup schedule for the 2007 season which features a strong sequencing of tournaments leading into the conclusive four-event Championship Series. The major changes have been moving The Players Championship from March to May, followed by the BellSouth Classic which switches from late March to May 17th. Other changes include the Tampa Bay Championship in March, the newly announced World Golf Championships-CA Championship at Doral and the 84 Lumber Classic moves from fall to June right after the US Open.
There are more changes to be announced next week which will be discussed in more detail then. Make sure to tune in next Saturday, and every Saturday, from 7:00-9:00 a.m. on ESPN Radio 860 AM. You can also pick us up on On-air Sports. Greg and Tiffany will be in next week to recap all this weekend’s golf action and to announce the winner from this week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. Hit ‘em straight and see you on the course!
Bunker to Bunker, January 7, 2006
Greg and Tiffany were in studio for this first show of 2006 and the first one back together since December 10th. Greg and Tiff wasted no time getting into the action. The first topic was the Mercedes Championship and the conspicuous absence of Tiger, Ernie, Phil, Retief, and Padrig. Greg stated that this is a slap in the face to the event and that this should be on each tournament play list for the following year. Tiffany stated that the guys are independent contractors and can pick and choose their events.
Greg reminded the listeners about the ability to listen the show weekly on the Internet on On-air Sports. You will be amazed at what you will hear. Greg was tuned in while in Michigan last week and called Tiffany on throwing me under the bus about the LPGA.
The first guest to join Greg and Tiffany was long-time friend of the show, Peter Kessler, of Pure Golf with Peter Kessler on XM radio. Peter has been airing his morning golf talk show since June and stated that doing radio is far more difficult than doing his television show when he was with The Golf Channel. Topics ranged from the Mercedes Championship to the LPGA’s marketing opportunity this year. Peter stated that he believes that the LPGA finally has some ladies that will be nipping at the heels of Annika Sorenstam. Greg asked Peter about who he though would win first between Morgan Pressel, Brittney Lang, Ay Myazato, and Michelle Wie? Peter said he believes Morgan Pressel will break through first. This led the co-hosts to ask about Michelle Wie and her direction as a professional golfer. He still believes she needs to learn how to win on the smaller level before taking on the major professional tours. Finally, Tiffany asked Peter about his first venture, after leaving The Golf Channel, the Perfect Club. He stated the success has been outstanding and they have now added a 3-wood to the line that is available for purchase. The club is affordable and user friendly.
Next on tap for the show was Troy Anderson, author of the “Blue Collar Golfer: Laying the Foundation for Pain Free Performance.” The book contains eight golf fitness articles, a detailed golf fitness program, a training journal and numerous photos. Greg mentioned that the book is only 55 pages long and that this is a book that you can really use. Troy commented that workouts do not need to be lengthy. You can exercise for as little as five minutes to as much as an hour. It is up to the individual. Tiffany mentioned that it is important to just make sure to stick with it if you decide you are going to exercise. She also said to make an attainable goal.
Greg announced the first question of 2006 in the NEW Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. He said the contest is easy to enter. Go to the contest entry link and fill in the information requested and then answer the question. This week’s winner will receive a foursome of golf to Rancho Manana Golf Club, an Ahead golf cap, a DOZEN Titleist golf balls and a pair of Tifosi sunglasses.
This week’s question is: Stuart Appleby won the 2004 Mercedes Championship to chalk up the 138th victory by a Nationwide Tour alumnus, What was the percent of 2004 PGA Tour members who have played on the Nationwide Tour? ANSWER: 59%
In the third half hour, Tiffany and Greg received a call from a special guest, DJ Flanders, former co-host of the show. DJ is in town for a Troon Golf function and shared some great stories with the listeners about his experiences in Japan. The biggest difference in golf between Japan and the USA is that Americans play 18 consecutive holes then hit the 19th hole; the Japanese culture is to play nine holes eat lunch then play the next nine. It is truly an all-day event over in Japan. DJ says he has learned how to eat sushi. He stated that he has a big belly to fill so you need to adapt to the food of the land if you do not want to starve.
The final guest of the show was Dale Samar, from Rancho Manana Golf Club. Dale shared all that the facility has to offer. Tucked away in the little village of Carefree, it is a wonderful retreat that you need to experience, so check out their Website.
Tiffany, Greg and DJ wrapped up the show with a reminder to tune in next Saturday, and every Saturday, from 7:00-9:00 a.m. on ESPN Radio 860 AM. You can also pick us up on On-air Sports. Greg and Tiffany will be in next week to recap all this weekend’s golf action and to announce the winner from this week’s Fantasy Golf Trivia contest. So for now, keep it between the ropes.
