The 19th Hole Golf Show (Ryan Ballengee, Golf News Net)

Coming out of the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Ryan Ballengee has some ideas on HackGolf and the problems preventing golf from growing.

Donald Trump unveiled the new Doral Resort and Spa this week in South Florida. While Trump (with help) has painted a masterpiece, how does it help average golfers? Who will?

Tiger Woods made his comeback to the PGA Tour, but not for the reason you think. Michelle Wie exemplifies believing in what you're doing. And Patrick Reed is back on top of a leaderboard after some big life changes.

Now that broader media is trying to explain why golf is losing players, it's time to set the record straight about the long and short-term problems...and what to do about them.

We've tackled the truth about golf's declining participation. Now let's tackle how we can grow the sport, save land and have some fun. Par 3 courses almost went the way of the Dodo bird, but they can make a roaring comeback.

The USGA's Pace of Play symposium has Ryan wondering if the best way to speed up golf is to make people pay not for an 18-hole round, but by the hour. We also look at what the devaluing of golf has to do with the problem.

Tiger Woods responds with fury to a parody interview written by Dan Jenkins and published in the December issue of Golf Digest. What was gained by all of this? Where does Woods go from here in how he deals with the broader media?

Tiger Woods returns to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge, and we're wondering what kind of player will show up Isleworth, and if that guy will matter in 2015.

A golf industry observer feels modern players don't associate club membership with prosperity, but rather as an entertainment option. Do you agree? Would you rather have a home course or play all over? And we'll discuss why that preference change may reflect the golf course industry.

How did Tiger Woods look in his return at the Hero World Challenge? What expectations should we have for Woods going into 2015? On the other end of the leaderboard, the sky is the limit for winner Jordan Spieth, despite what he says.

As the calendar rolls over into 2015, there's so much to be excited about in golf's new year. From Rory McIlroy to Tiger Woods, from Jordan Spieth to Lydia Ko, and so much more, it's going to be a good year.

The PGA Tour is back with the first event of 2015, the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. We preview the Hawaii-based event and who we like to do well, including Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson. We also reveal where Tiger Woods will start his 2015 season.

The PGA Tour has decided to crack down on how players and caddies interact with the rowdy fans at the par-3 16th at TPC Scottsdale. Why now? What for? We'll discuss that and Patrick Reed's journey to becoming a top-tier player in golf.

Some 12 days after Robert Allenby's weird Friday night in Honolulu, we still don't have a clear picture of what happened. So let's figure it out based on all the info we have and a little detective work.

It seems Tiger Woods hit rock bottom at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, posting his worst-ever round as a pro. Is this true bottom? If Woods can't shake the chipping yips, will he walk away from golf? Then, on the other end, Brooks Koepka adds his name to the list of golf's future stars.

A look at the life and legacy of Billy Casper, recalled through his autobiography and multiple personal conversations and time spent with the golf legend. What a life as a golfer and a man.

We wonder if Davis Love III is the right man to be the 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup captain and when, if ever, Tiger Woods' game will be tournament ready.

Davis Love III is the new-old 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup captain, and he's front man for a new approach to the biennial matches. Are the changes good? Why did it take a task force to implement common sense? And what happens if the U.S. loses?

We give some backstory on Dan Olsen's false accusations about a Tiger Woods suspension, as well some context to the issues faced by caddies at The Honda Classic last weekend.

Patrick Reed has escalated a conflict with author Shane Ryan over allegations in a forthcoming book, but it's only hurting his cause. Meanwhile, John Daly assails the PGA Tour's anti-doping program, already under fire for how it has handled the cases of Vijay Singh and Dustin Johnson.

Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed and Sean O'Hair gave us the Show of the Year at the Valspar Championship. What did we learn about Spieth and Reed, and their chances to win the Masters? What did can Sean O'Hair teach Tiger Woods about busting a mental slump?

We discuss playing golf with Bernhard Langer, his approach to golf and share other fun stories about the two-time Masters winner. Then we spend a few minutes discussing when, if ever, Tiger Woods will play tournament golf again with confidence.

Michael Bamberger is one of the best golf writers and reporters in the business, and he's come out with a new book, "Men in Green," which details his journey to learn more about 18 legends -- some obvious, some not so much -- in a trip back to a different era of the sport.

Gary Player joins us to talk about the Big Three, who he likes to win the Masters, the pressure Rory McIlroy is under to complete the career Grand Slam like he did and the importance of Tiger Woods playing well to the sport of golf worldwide.

Paul McGinley, winning 2014 Ryder Cup captain, joined the show to talk about Jordan Spieth's approach to the Masters and how he took control of the event. The Irishman also shared his views on how Rory McIlroy turned around his Masters in the final 45 holes, as well how Justin Rose did in standing toe-to-toe with Spieth.

With so many horrible images of Baltimore -- a city I love and spent so many of my formative years in -- on TV this last week, it seemed worthwhile to offer a few reflections on Charm City in the context of its role in teaching me the game of golf. The city's golf courses, especially Carroll Park, were critical in bringing me to fully fledged participation in the sport.

In light of their recent wins, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy have clearly set themselves up for a potentially lengthy rivalry for domination of the sport as Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods exit the main stage. We look at both players' styles and why, despite their differences, they work so well for them individually. We also look at the developing landscape in golf media and what it means to be a credentialed member of the media.

Rickie Fowler picked up his second PGA Tour win on a big stage at The Players Championship, winning a three-man playoff after playing the final six holes of regulation in a staggering 6 under par. We talk about what this means for Fowler moving forward and if it might translate into a major championship this season.

We also talk about the momentum golf now enjoys heading into the U.S. Open and how Fox Sports should be able to generate great interest in the year's second major with Fowler, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth playing so well.

Finally, we talk about the importance in remembering that athletes are people and that impacts what they do on and off the course.

#theplayers #rickiefowler #rorymcilroy #tigerwoods #pgatour

After golf collectively got excited about the prospect of a new Big Three of Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler, the world No. 1 quelled that talk with two wins in his last three starts. But here's the thing: There hasn't been a great golf rivalry in the last half-century that didn't involve Jack Nicklaus. We explain why and how it'll be difficult for a great rivalry to ever surface again.

Rory McIlroy stunned golf with a 9-over 80 to open the Irish Open on Thursday. Combined with his 78 to miss the cut at the BMW PGA Championship, is that reason to worry about his major chances this summer? We also give some love to the NCAA Women's Golf Championship and the Stanford Cardinal.

Six-time PGA Tour winner Hunter Mahan joins the show to talk about the upcoming U.S Open at Chambers Bay, his endurance in the FedEx Cup playoffs, fatherhood and fulfilling his potential as a major champion.

Shane Ryan, author of the new book, "Slaying the Tiger: A Year Inside the Ropes on the New PGA Tour," joins the show to talk about his favorite PGA Tour characters from the book, what went into the year-long reporting effort and his takeaways on media, access and players after a season on the beat.

Nine-time major champion Gary Player sat down with Ryan Ballengee for over 30 minutes on Wednesday at the U.S. Open to talk about Chambers Bay, his Grand Slam, the majors, the state of golf around the world and what golf needs to do to thrive again.

With Jordan Spieth halfway to the Grand Slam, was the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay a good idea? Did Mike Davis nail the setup? Was the fan experience as bad as advertised? How did Fox do with their first Open? Ryan Ballengee digs in and answers all those questions.

Bubba Watson won the Travelers Championship in a playoff for the second time and his eighth-career PGA Tour win. However, given his strength and talent, why isn't Watson winning more often? Is he squandering his talent with his mental approach?

Also, we touch on the Tiger Woods and Amanda Dufner-Boyd rumor.

Donald Trump was a ticking time bomb, and golf knew it when it made deals with him to host big tournaments at his properties. Now that the bomb has gone off, how does golf escape, knowing its poor past with gender, racial and income equality? Also, we look at the PGA Tour's anti-doping program and the exposure of more problems in the wake of Scott Stallings' suspension.

On the eve of the 144th British Open, a storm is forming that could do in Jordan Spieth's chances at winning the Claret Jug and get a step closer to the single-season Grand Slam. So who will win at the Home of Golf? We look at Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler and Adam Scott, as well some dark-horse players.

In this week's show, we start with what we might glean from Rory McIlroy missing the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. We touch on Tiger Woods' indifference about golf and that he has perhaps fired Chris Como to seek his own golf game. Finally, Robert Allenby reaps what he sews in his incident with ex-caddie Mick Middlemo.

Rory McIlroy seems likely to play in the PGA Championship given his Wednesday workout video, so what chance does the world No. 1 have to successfully defend the Wanamaker trophy?

Tiger Woods showed some signs of improvement at the Quicken Loans National, and we explain how a familiar Woods narrative is starting to take shape. But can Woods figure out how to avoid the catastrophic shots?

Finally, we talk about the conundrum of trying to drive traffic with rumors and anonymously sourced tips while making sure what we publish is accurate and fair.

Jason Day captured the PGA Championship and put a cap on one of the best major seasons in history. We talk about why this year means even bigger things for golf moving forward. We give a mini eulogy for the Tiger and Phil Era, while keeping hope alive for one zombie run by the two greats. Finally, we wonder about the future relevance of Whistling Straits and other major venues thanks to advances in golf technology.

If you just want golf, skip the first 14 minutes of the show, where we talk about the tragic murder of two journalists on live TV in Virginia and the important conversations we need to stop and have so we can move forward as a better society. The second half of the show is a preview of The Barclays, including a suggestion for a better, yet reasonable, finish to the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup.

Golf seems in a rush to name Jordan Spieth, Jason Day and Rory McIlroy as golf's new Big Three. However, as Rickie Fowler demonstrated on Monday at the Deutsche Bank Championship, that call is probably premature. And there are others already on Tour, with more coming, looking to join the party. We also look at the miscue of picking Phil Mickelson for the U.S. Presidents Cup team.

The FedEx Cup playoffs resume this week with the first of the final two events at the BMW Championship. But should the playoffs, and season, end sooner? We discuss.

Also, we make the case for the Web.com Tour needs bigger purses and a grander stage, seeing as though it's billed as the future of the PGA Tour and, many weeks, is the second-best tour on the planet.

We dig into the Solheim Cup and the controversy surrounding the conceded putt that wasn't, Suzann Pettersen's reaction and apology, and whether or not it overshadows a great overall match. We also discuss if Jason Day should be PGA Tour Player of the Year with a Tour Championship and FedEx Cup win.

Now that Jordan Spieth has put the finishing touches on a historic season that included two majors, five wins and the FedEx Cup, the question is if he can replicate that kind of season again.

We look at some of the headwinds Spieth will face in trying to keep up winning as he has been this year. While he's an above average length player, he relies on putting to score, which is a skill that erodes more quickly than distance. Also, we wonder if Spieth can maintain the same level of mental toughness he's showed this year for another decade or more.

We put a bow on the 2015 Presidents Cup, including if the new format worked (it did), how Nick Price and his players screwed up a great opportunity, what Phil Mickelson meant to the U.S. team (a lot) and why Brandel Chamblee's comments about Mickelson and Tiger Woods not deserving to be American captains is absolutely asinine. We also look at why the One Ball Rule justifies that fans can call in rules violations. We also kick off the new PGA Tour season with a preview of the Frys.com Open.

A day after our report looking at some of golf social media's most egregious content lifters, stealers and plagiarizers, we talk about why these accounts are dangerous for folks who do create things in our industry. We also look at how our culture of a "free Internet" has bred sites and accounts like theses and what consumers could do to prevent them from continuing to pop up.

Smylie Kaufman becomes the second 20-something in this new PGA Tour

season to win, and it makes us wonder what skills these young guys possess that prior

generations didn't that lets them win so young and so often. Then, on the heels of Ian

Poulter's catharsis about the nature of pro golf, we wonder if the grind of the game won't

lead to shorter careers in the future.

In the wake of first-timers winning the first five events of the new PGA Tour season, it' time to ask the question if the style of golf required to win has changed. We talk about that in the context of Phil Mickelson firing Butch Harmon, and wonder if this style has evolved from the success of Vijay Singh in the 2000s.

Davis Love III named Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker as 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup assistant captains, but what does that announcement do for the team and what impact do assistant captains really have on the biennial matches? We discuss. We also implore Adam Scott to stop complaining about the Olympic format. Finally, we talk about the season-ending tournaments on the LPGA and European tours, explaining why they're a late-season success.

In a Tuesday news conference at the Hero World Challenge, Tiger Woods sounded like a man who knew the end was near. We talk about why that made us sad and reflect on why we care so much when our sports heroes start to fade away. We also talk about Woods' legacy compared to that of Nicklaus, Hogan and Snead. Finally, we wonder if Woods has inspired a brand of golf that will further shorten the careers of the next generation of players.

Donald Trump's fascist tone toward immigrants and Muslims is grounds for golf's most important bodies to disassociate themselves from the billionaire presidential candidate. Also, we talk about the difficulty for middle-class players to play great public courses, and why finding those great affordable public courses would be a boon for the sport.

Jack Nicklaus was asked about Tiger Woods' quest to catch him for about the zillionth time. But what will Tiger Woods say when he's asked about the next generation catching him AND Jack? Will we lower the bar for what makes a great player?

In the 2016 opener for The 19th Hole Golf Show, we talk about Jordan Spieth's view that he isn't playing this season as an encore to his incredible 2015. What does he mean by that and why does that make a lot of sense to him -- and other athletes -- but not to the general public?

We look at Spieth's comments in the context of the careers of Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, including the need for athletes to always look forward to keep their edge.

Finally, we talk about Justin Thomas' comment that he'd rather be on the winning U.S. Ryder Cup team than win a major in 2016, what that does and doesn't say about him and that it might indicate the Ryder Cup Task Force is doing its job.

Jordan Spieth kicked off his 2016 with a dominant, eight-shot win at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. While he demonstrated improvement in several facets of his game, perhaps the most impressive was the way he has figured out how to win every which way.

Meanwhile, Patrick Reed didn't successfully defend his title at Kapalua, but he's evolving from a boisterous player to an assured champion.

Shorts are now OK for players to wear during European Tour practice rounds and pro-ams, and the golf world is in a tizzy. Why? Who cares? And then we put this new policy in the context of the tour's new pace-of-play policy, showing why penalty strokes for slow play are not on the horizon. Finally, we dig into the Golf Scientist Bryson DeChambeau and why he is such a compelling figure.

Bubba Watson heard it from the fans at the Waste Management Phoenix Open just a day after saying he was only playing the event to appease his sponsors. We talk about the latest incident of Watson putting his foot in his mouth and the phoniness of his promises to improve as a person and appeal to fans.

We also talk about Ernie Els and how he seems to have found a putting stroke that works in Dubai.

Pebble Beach is the setting for a strong field at this week's AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. So why is the tournament practically unwatchable until Sunday? What can be done about it?

We also look at the biggest underlying story of 2016, which is how Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Rickie Fowler and Rory McIlroy will acclimate to changes in their lives on and off the course, and what affect that will have on who is No. 1 at the end of the year.

In the first episode in a new series of interview-based podcasts, DST Golf founder Bertie Cordle tells us of his journey to create his incredible training aid and the success that comes with having over 400 professionals around the world using his club without payment.

Rory McIlroy took exception to comments Brandel Chamblee made about his fitness regimen, then went out of his way to let Chamblee and the world know how he felt. It's a window into how golfers can be affected by the critics -- fans and media alike -- and what it can do to motivate or discourage a player. Meanwhile, Jordan Spieth is looking to get refocused after a bad few days at Riviera. And why isn't anyone paying attention to PGA Tour Champions?

On this week's Interview Edition of The 19th Hole, Ryan Ballengee has a conversation with children's golf fashion maker Kelsey MacLean. We talk about how she got inspired to start her business, how it has evolved beyond her wildest expectations and how her business reflects what golf can do better to appeal to women and kids.

Our interview guest this week is the legendary Gary Player. We converse with Mr. Player to talk about potential changes to Augusta National, golf in the Olympics, the importance of faith to Mr. Player's career, how often he would play were he a modern, active player and how golf's governing bodies have to respond to get more people to play the game.

After a poor start to the Valspar Championship, Jordan Spieth responded to folks he thought were trolling him on social media. Then Rory McIlroy backed up Spieth. Why do these guys care what the normal people have to say on social media?

Golf historian and author Claudia Mazzucco join Ryan Ballengee to talk about her new book, "Legendary Lessons", which chronicles the timeless, lifetime lessons and wisdom of golf shared by so many of its great champions.

Golf ball maker and owner of Snell Golf, Dean Snell, joins the show to talk about his journey from making the Titleist Pro V1 and leading TaylorMade's golf ball design unit to going out on his own and creating a ball company that is thriving. We also talk about common misconceptions about golf balls and what you should do to find the right golf ball for you.

The WGC-Dell Match Play moves out of pool play to bracket-style play on Friday, and we look at how greatly improved this event is with a format change. We also look at some of the leading Masters contenders and why this should be one of the best in recent memory. Also, we dig into the rumors of Tiger Woods' supposed imminent return. NOTE TO SUBSCRIBERS: We have changed our RSS feed to a new location, so this is a one-time change. Please let us know on Twitter at golfnewsnet if you have any issues.

TGA Premier Junior Golf owner Josh Jacobs joins us for a conversation about laying the foundation for the next generation of golfers, what the sport needs to do to get more people playing and what we can do to help.

With the Masters a week away, we look at what Jordan Spieth must do at the Shell Houston Open to prep his first major title defense. We also look at the four favorites for Augusta National. Lydia Ko could win her second major in a row at the ANA Inspiration. And your humble host is getting ready for his major: welcoming a second child!

We preview the 2016 Masters with Clark Burroughs, who played in the 1984 Masters as an amateur. The former NCAA men's individual champion talks about his Augusta National experience and we talk about the field, the favorites and their chances in the context of the tournament and Vegas odds.

On this week's podcast, we go in-depth on Jordan Spieth's Masters letdown, including how he handled the 12th hole, his mini-comeback and how he handled the gauntlet of gotchas in the post-tournament news conference and green jacket ceremonies. Also, we resoundingly answer how this will affect Spieth with caddie Michael Greller as a guide.

Adam Scott has announced he won't play the Olympic golf tournament, so what can be done to make it more appealing to top male players, who seem to have the issues with it? Also, Tiger Woods did something, but why is golf still obsessed with a guy who could barely walk four months ago?

TaylorMade VP Bret Wahl joins our show to talk about his 20-year career of designing irons, including his favorites, the biggest innovations and what golfers can expect to come from TaylorMade in the near future.

As more and more players announce they're taking a pass on the Olympics, it's becoming clear that golf's Olympic representatives created the mess the sport is now facing. We also look at why golf might be hurting itself with young golfers by not taking a social stand.

Day 1 of The Players Championship showed us several things: There's a reason they're changing the greens at Sawgrass, Jason Day is the best in the world right now and Jordan Spieth is facing a crisis on many fronts.

Phil Mickelson can thank a pair of 2014 cases for why he isn't in handcuffs right now, charged with insider trading and securities fraud. We explain that precedent and how Mickelson was a pawn of the feds. New GNN team member Kevin Power joins the show to talk about Muirfield's decision to remain an all-male club, talking about the implications for them, the Open Championship, the R&A, the Scottish economy and more. We also delve into Rory McIlroy's issue activism and the potential influence he could have on the game and his peers.

Game Golf CEO John McGuire joins the show for a fascinating conversation about his company, the evolution of golf performance tracking technology, how his product might integrate with other tracking technologies in the future and how the company is giving away up to $1 million this summer.

With news that the PGA Tour moved a World Golf Championships event from Trump Doral to Mexico City, as well that Shell Oil is ending a 26-year title sponsorship in Houston, we talk about the realities of the sports bubble and the impact on the PGA Tour. The Tour is going to be just fine because it is smartly positioning itself to get the last of the cable TV money out there and seguing into the future of live sports consumption.

TaylorMade-adidas Golf CEO David Abeles joins Ryan Ballengee from 2016 U.S. Open site Oakmont Country Club to talk about the state of his company's business, their potential sale, the work his company is putting into this important week for the sport and his outlook for the game's health in the future.

The USGA's handling of the Dustin Johnson fifth green situation at the U.S. Open was, well, not good. We explain why in detail and try to figure out how to prevent something like this from happening again. We also talk about why we're OK with Rory McIlroy skipping the Olympics over fears of Zika.

The U.S. Women's Open takes center stage at CordeValle near San Jose, and we talk about the Big 3 (or 4) of women's golf and compare them to the same group on the men's side. We also talk about how players express themselves on the course to cope with golf's inherent stress.

Rory McIlroy took a blow torch to Olympic golf in his news conference ahead of the Open Championship. We look at what McIlroy said and assess where he was right and where he was wrong in his assessment of Olympic golf, its potential impact and his role, if any, in growing golf.

It was the greatest golf duel in major championship history, and Ryan Ballengee talks about Henrik Stenson vs. Phil Mickelson at the 2016 British Open, including what it could mean for both players at the PGA Championship. Ryan is then joined by Billy Casper Golf CEO Peter Hill and Fisher House Foundation president David Coker to talk about the World's Largest Golf Outing, which is a simultaneous golf event with more than 10,000 players raising money on Aug. 1.

Jimmy Walker won his first major championship at the PGA Championship, with an exciting final 30 minutes against Jason Day. How does his win rank against the other three majors of the year? We're joined in the second half of the show by two-time NBA champion and Duke legend Shane Battier. We talk about his foundation, the parallels between golf and basketball, as well his quest to get to a single-digit handicap.

Tom Watson is one of several keynote speakers at an important Friday night dinner put on by Travelers and the Travelers Championship. The dinner will benefit the Bruce Edwards Foundation and is expected to raise more than $1 million that will support research toward a cure for ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease), which claimed Edwards' life. Mr. Watson speaks about his works with ALS since Edwards' passing, sharing stories of their 30-plus years together and talking about how people can help.

Golf's return to the Olympics is a success, both with the men's tournament and the Rose-Stenson showdown, as well the women's event with a strong, yet varied, leaderboard. Now, what can golf do better in four years in Tokyo? We look at that this week.

We now know 20 of the 24 players who will compete in the 2016 Ryder Cup. Ryan takes a look at the 12 European players and the potential snub of Russell Knox, as well the eight automatic U.S. qualifiers and who could fill out the team with Davis Love III's captain's picks.

Three of four wild-card picks have been added to the U.S. Ryder Cup team, and Davis Love III didn't pick Bubba Watson. Why? Will he anyway? We discuss. We also talk about Golfsmith's bankruptcy filing just a little. Then we're joined by EZLinks CEO Gary Cohen to talk about his company's growth, how the game is faring in his view and how technology can help golfers enjoy the game more.

The 2016 Ryder Cup will be remembered for Patrick Reed's domination, Rory McIlroy's performance of a lifetime, the successes of the Task Force and Phil Mickelson. We talk about it all and look forward to the future of the matches.

Tiger Woods shocked the golf world again on Monday, announcing he was pulling out of his intended comeback at the Safeway Open because of a "vulnerable" game. Will he play again? What's holding him back? Our guest is PGA Tour winner Pat Perez, who will make his own comeback to golf after 7 months out following surgery to repair a torn labrum. We'll talk his return, his relationship with Bill Murray's new golf clothing line and his work on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio.

As the PGA Tour wraparound season starts, it seems like the golf year is dragging. So why do pro golf tours insist on playing tournaments when the audience is so small? Also, we talk about the possibility of a total shakeup in the world of golf equipment.

On this week's show, we look at why golf media is struggling and what it means for you as a golfer and consumer of golf news and entertainment. We also talk about how we're going to try to tackle the problem at Golf News Net. Then, Jim Varney joins us from Sentio Golf for a fascinating discussion about his company's new line of putters and all of the little details that go into the flat stick.

We look at how Tiger Woods did in his return to competitive golf at the Hero World Challenge and what the takeaways should be from his week. We also discuss Hideki Matsuyama's rise with his fourth win in his last five starts. We're also joined by Harvey Silverman, one of the creators of Quick.golf, a pay-by-the-hole concept that's looking to change how golf operators and golfers see their time and tee sheets.

We put a bow on 2016 in the final 19th Hole podcast of the year, and we close it with a great guest in up-and-coming PGA Tour stud Jon Rahm. We spoke with Rahm at TaylorMade Golf's 2017 line reveal about his crazy early run as a pro, his equipment, his goals for next year and some of the people who have helped him get to this point. Then we close the show and the year with some news items, including Phil Mickelson's second sports hernia surgery, the birth of the Senior LPGA Championship and Tiger Woods committing to the 2017 Genesis Open.

We open up the 2017 season with a look at Justin Thomas' dominating performances in Hawaii, as well a look at how Donald Trump probably won't impact golf at all as President. We also set the table for the year on the podcast and Golf News Net.

Tiger Woods withdrew from the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on Friday, citing back spasms, his fourth WD with such issues since 2014. So now what? Is this who Tiger is for the rest of his life? Unless he makes drastic changes, Woods' career could be over.

On this episode of The 19th Hole, we dig into Pat Perez's comments about Tiger Woods, why he was shouted down for having an opinion and the comparison in reaction to him voicing his views as opposed to the reaction to Steven Bowditch's DUI arrest.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational will be played this week for the first time sine the passing of Mr. Palmer last September. While PGA Tour players have been critical of their peers for, in some cases, skipping the event, Ryan Ballengee implores golf to look after the longer-term future of the event. That could include breaking up the Florida Swing as we know it to make sure Bay Hill has a proper, important place on the calendar.

On this edition of "The 19th Hole Golf Show," defending KitchenAid Senior PGA champion Rocco Mediate joins us to talk a slew of topics. We also start the show by talking about Jason Day's revelations about his mother's cancer diagnosis and why it's a lesson that we sometimes are too quick to draw to conclusions.

1995 PGA champion and 11-time Masters contestant Steve Elkington joins the show to preview the year's first major. Elk talks about his experience at Augusta National, how the club is looking from his recent trip there, the psychology of winning golf tournaments and why Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth are so tough to beat. Elk also talks about Secret Golf, the instruction there and insight into ambassadors and 2017 Masters contestants Jason Dufner and Pat Perez.

This week marks the first Masters since Arnold Palmer's passing last September, and the feeling of absence will likely be profound. Our guest is award-winning and best-selling writer Tom Callahan, whose new Palmer biography, "Arnie," hits stores on April 4. We talk about Palmer's life, his impact on golf and the Masters and delve into the details that illuminate the legend.