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Amanda Balionis shared a humorous video on her Instagram Stories this Wednesday (Nov. 27). The segment shared with her more than 320,000 followers is a kind of "Public Service Announcement" (PSA) for the holidays in the golf world.
The video clip shared by Balionis shows a family gathered around a table set for Thanksgiving. The mood is tense, and the reason for the tension is a disagreement about the current state of golf.
Balionis accompanied the post with the following text:
"@hallylead giving the PSA of the season"
The full video was originally posted by well-known golf broadcaster Hally Leadbetter, who is one of the "actresses" featuring in it. The plot reveals that the family's tension stems from the fact that one of the guests is a fan of LIV Golf.
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A discussion ensues in which the contradictions between the PGA Tour and the league led by Greg Norman come to light. Eventually, the Tiger Woods situation comes up and the LIV Golf fan makes a joke about his inability to walk an entire golf course.
At this point, the host of the dinner throws gravy in the guest's face and cries out for respect for Woods' figure. The video ends with Hally Leadbetter offering the following advice to the entire golf world:
"This Thanksgiving, remember, don't talk about politics, religion, or the state of professional golf."
In addition to Leadbetter, the video features comedian Jay Larson, actress Carly Chaikin, screenwriter Kate Scarpetta, actress Raphaella Dreyer and actor Spencer Mumford.
The Friendship of Amanda Balionis and Hally Leadbetter
Amanda Balionis and Hally Leadbetter have a long-standing friendship. Both have had similar professional trajectories, from playing golf at the junior and collegiate levels to finding their ultimate professional profile in golf media.
Last September, Leadbetter celebrated her wedding in a golf setting. In fact, the location was Beaver Creek Golf Club and Balionis was one of the guests.
In July 2023, Leadbetter produced a video for Golf Digest's YouTube channel with Balionis as a guest. In the video, the two journalists played a round of golf, revealing that they occasionally play together and sharing details about their relationship with golf.
Hally Leadbetter is the daughter of renowned golf instructor David Leadbetter. She played golf from the junior to the professional level, and her most notable accomplishment was winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II Championship while playing for Rollins College.
Leadbetter, however, decided early on to pursue a career in golf media. During her professional career, she has worked with Golf Digest, Golf.com, GolfTV and the PGA Tour, among others.
As for Balionis, she also has a long relationship with golf that began in her childhood. Although she also played competitively, her most relevant connection to golf has been as a media professional.
Balionis has worked for the PGA Tour, Callaway Golf and CBS Sports. At the first two, she served as an on-air host, while at CBS Sports, she worked as an on-course reporter.
