The 19th Hole Golf Show – Details, episodes & analysis

On this episode of The 19th Hole Golf Show, Ryan Ballengee is joined by Mike Hicks, long-time caddie to Payne Stewart. Looking back 25 years after Stewart's tragic death, Hicks talks about his time with Payne, their wins, their relationship and some of his favorite stories.

On this episode, Ryan tells about the new GNN TV, a 24/7 golf TV channel just launched. Then he explains how the GNN website was compromised by an Asian syndicate, Google and other factors. Needless to say, it's been an interesting 2024.

On this week's show, Ryan talks about the events of the last week, with Jon Rahm going to LIV, as well as the subsequent fallout, and how that has damaged professional golf. Then, on happier terms, Ryan talks about his year in golf and what he's looking forward to next year. Finally, Mark Wang, President and CEO of Hilton Grand Vacations, joins to talk about his company's sponsorship of the LPGA Tournament of Champions and what's coming next month.

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Tiger Woods came back and looked good at the Hero World Challenge, and Ryan Ballengee reviews his return. Also, what's next for Woods in 2018? Then, Ryan looks into some shady tactics by a PR firm that is a chance to showcase that sometimes what you're seeing and reading isn't what it seems.

Tiger Woods is back (again) at the Hero World Challenge, and Ryan lays out what he thinks are the goals for the week and the measuring stick for Woods in the future. Can a 42-year-old guy with a major in 10 years become what he once was? Also, Ryan details a huge potential shakeup of the 2018-19 PGA Tour schedule, which could see maybe eight events change in some fashion.

On this episode, Ryan Ballengee looks into the comments made by Bridgestone CEO Angel Ilagen that the time is now for a pro-only, scaled-back golf ball. Is something in the works? Also, we look at the run of future major site announcements from the USGA and PGA of America. Why are they making unprecedented future announcements so soon?

PGA Tour pro Kyle Thompson joins us to talk about his return to the PGA Tour, the crazy win in Exuma that helped propel him back to the big show, how he approaches the game and making the Web.com Tour a better place to earn a living. We also dig into the case of Emily Nash, the Mass. high school golfer who beat all the boys in a district tournament but wasn't awarded the trophy because she's a girl.

We look at the decreasing meaning of eye-popping purses like the $9.25 million on offer for the inaugural CJ Cup in South Korea. With so many huge purses for top-tier players, are money grabs less meaningful? Also, we look at why there should be a more brutal cutoff for keeping a PGA Tour card. Finally, Ryan looks back on his first Mike Strantz experience at True Blue near Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Just before the Presidents Cup starts at Liberty National in New Jersey, Ryan previews the U.S. vs. Internationals and what looks to be a whoopin' on paper. Then we look at a possible fix (finally!) for the FedEx Cup and muse about how this new generation is taking some of the best from Arnie, Jack and Tiger to make golf their own.

The PGA Tour season and FedEx Cup playoffs end this week at the Tour Championship, and we get hyped for the finale. We also dig into the debacles -- some man-made, some caused by Mother Nature -- at The Evian Championship. What can be done to fix the LPGA's fifth major?