Ever Evolving

In another big change for a Colorado-based golf talk show, ‘In the Fairway’ moves from broadcast radio to a podcast

By Gary Baines – 10/5/2022

If you’re an aficionado of Colorado-based golf talk shows on broadcast radio, 2022 hasn’t been an ideal year.

Early in ’22, the hosts of “Morning Cup of Golf,” a northern Colorado-based show that had been a weekend fixture for years, said the program wouldn’t air in 2022 due to a change in programming for its former home station, KCOL. And co-host Stan Fenn texted on Wednesday that it’s doubtful the show will return in 2023.

Then recently, the “In the Fairway” program, which has been around since 1993, opted out of the broadcast radio game after airing this past season on ESPN Denver 1600 on Sunday mornings. But in their case, hosts Jerry Walters and Mike Castorino have transitioned In the Fairway to the podcast route. The first one dropped on Sept. 2, when they interviewed recent U.S. Senior Women’s Open champion — and Denver native and Colorado Golf Hall of Famer — Jill McGill. Walters said episode No. 6 was just recorded. The show can be found on Apple, Spotify and Buzzsprout.

In the Fairway this year had been moved from 104.3 The Fan to 1600 AM, and Walters indicated the “disparity in listenership was pretty wide.” For that and related reasons, along with the fact that podcasts are less restrictive, particularly time-wise, Walters made the transition to podcasts.

“No regrets, just moving on,” Walters wrote in an email.

In the Fairway has moved around the radio dial — to use a throwback term — during its 29-year run, with the highlight being a period on KOA. The show has also aired on — warning: more alphabet soup forthcoming — KYBG, 1550 and 1600  ESPN, and 104.3 The Fan. And during the Covid-19 pandemic, the show even went the Facebook Live route.

Walters, a former “Yes” putter representative on various tours, has earned a number of awards for his golf-related radio work over the years. That includes a Distinguished Service Award from the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, the Colorado PGA’s Todd Phipers Media Award (twice), the Colorado Open’s Ralph Moore Golf Journalism Award and honors from the CGA.

Meanwhile, Castorino is a former NCAA Division I college golfer, having played at Providence College.

One Colorado-based golf talk show on the radio continues its run — Tee to Green, from Colorado Springs. It broadcasts from 8-9 a.m. on Sundays and is hosted by Jay Ritchie and Jerry Evans. It’s syndicated and draws a more geographically diverse audience. Tee to Green, which debuted in 1994, airs on XTRA (1300 AM in Colorado Springs), Sirius Channel 217/XM Channel 203 and the Sirius/XM app, iHeartRadio, SportsByLine.com, TuneIn and Stitcher Radio and American Forces Radio.