Episodes

Instruction is better, tech is better, the clubs and balls are better—but are golfers getting any better? In this episode, Mark and Lou discuss golf improvement and the handicap system. Is the average handicap index of amateur golfers moving? What factors go into the relative static nature of the average index? How much have changes to the handicap rules over the years changed what a index signifies? If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgo...

You drive it in the fairway on a 500-yard par 5: how far down the fairway does your ball need to go for that tee shot to be break-even Strokes Gained for your skill level? In this episode, Lou puts that question to Mark and Greg, for scratch, 10, and 15 index golfers. After the dust settles (and someone's answers get really close), the guys talk par 5 tee strategy. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting golf stat. We will discuss what you can learn, and m...

With Lou away on caddying duties, Mark and Greg analyze the next moves in pro golf. The DP World Tour announces that players signing with "LIV 2.0" will be barred from playing DP World Tour events. Is this the beginning of the end for LIV's business model? Will Tiger possibly play the US Senior Open to complete? And how important is the width of Rory's trouser/pant legs? If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/ Listeners can...

From a listener question, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about using the hybrid—and other non-wedges—around the green. The guys explain why these clubs can be an advantage, especially for amateur golfers, and then give tips for using these most effectively to get up and down more often. If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/ Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/ Where to find us: Mar...

You've missed the green, but you have a ton of surface to work with. Or you've hit the green, but you're a mile away. What's better? In this episode, Lou asks Greg and Mark what they think a solid golfer would do facing these two shots. (Total delta!) After settling the scoring, the guys offer advice for making those major lag putts less stressful. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting golf stat. We will discuss what you can learn, and most importantly, ...

Is there a time to lay up? In this episode, a longtime friend of pod sends a question about laying back to full wedge distance—advice given from a prominent tour coach. Lou, Mark, and Greg take a crack at answering the question, and attempt to show that while the numbers are crystal clear in the majority of circumstances, there might be fringe cases—especially at the elite level—when a different shot is needed. If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www....

If you've played golf for any length of time, you've probably experienced it: the feel disappears, the golf club feels completely foreign, and you have no clue which way the ball is about to go. What's next? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about one of the worst feelings in golf: when you lose your game during a round? Should you go technical and try to fix it? Walk off the course? How does that work for a professional like Greg? And what if you're just trying to hold on to your game w...

Last week, we saw that low-index golfers are more accurate with the 7 irons, even though they are (presumably) hitting 7 iron from further away. But how far away? In this episode, Lou asks Greg and Mark about the typical total distance that scratch, 5, and 15 index golfers will hit that middle iron. What is normal? And why is a "stock" number perhaps less helpful when you're on the course? Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting golf stat. We will discuss ...

The parameters for the pending rollback seem to have changed again. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about the newest edition of the Model Local Rule for golf ball distance. Does this latest revision make any more sense? And now they're talking about regulating shaft lengths again—does this promote or punish skill? And is it a legitimate barrier for golfers taller than Lou and Mark? If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/co...

At this point, most serious golfers know that distance matters. But can it be quantified? In this episode, Lou and Mark looks at the numbers to see where the trade-off is between distance and fairways. They also discuss ways to improve distance, especially by getting stronger. And how is Lou just like Paul McCartney? Looking to find out how to optimize your body for golf and life? Check out Par4Success here: https://go.par4success.com/data If you have a question you want covered on the pod, pl...

We know that better golfers hit it closer from every distance. And they generally hit every club further and higher index golfers. What happens when golfers of all levels are hitting the same club? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg about the average proximity to the hole that a scratch, 5-index, and 15-index golfer will have when hitting their 7 irons. Will they be similar with the same club, even if they're playing that club from very different distances? Each of these will be a mini-epi...

It's a common complaint: my range game doesn't transfer to the course. But what if it's not just a range session, but consistent practice in a simulator, feedback from a coach, etc., and it still isn't lowering your handicap? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg give some really honest feedback to a listener whose extensive work—and seeming progress—abandons him on the course. Are there holes in his practice—or in his evaluation of his practice? And what kind of expectations for improvement are ...

A good and challenging listener question: what do we know—from the stats—about make rates for uphill, downhill, and sidehill putts? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg dig into the stats to see if leaving an uphill putt matters. If so, what does that mean for our strategy on the course? If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/ Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/ Where to find u...

A Greg-less Saturday Stat, but one you can take to the course. In today's episode, a good golfer has a great opportunity: 125 yards in the fairway as a 5-index. How many shots is he going to average to hole out? Lou and Mark try out their accents and Lou makes plans to heckle Dougie. Check out Lou's new practice app, Window Golf: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/window-golf/id6778014214 Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting golf stat. We will discuss what ...

Most golfers know the 10% rule on the greens: for a lag putt, getting it within 10% of the starting distance is generally a good result. Is there a similar rule of thumb for chipping? In this episode, Lou and Mark tackle this helpful listener question, so that we all have a baseline for reasonable expectations around the greens—and solid assessments for productive practice. If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/ Listeners ...

It's been a streak—what does it mean? In this episode, Mark and Lou discuss the recent trend of the USA losing team golf events: men's and women's, professional and amateur. Is it a run of bad luck? Is there something in the team culture or the strategy? And how can we get more USA television eyes on some of these great events and players? If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/ Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! http...

Everybody gets a bunny! In today's episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg about the world's best players: how often are they making birdie from 75 and from 205 yards? Turns out that the best players and really good, and that Mark and Greg are pretty good as well. After the dust settles, they discuss how to dial in those distance control wedges. Check out Lou's new practice app, Window Golf: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/window-golf/id6778014214 Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long...

Unless you're one of those social media guys who plays all the courses—or a tour pro—you likely play a lot of your golf at one course. In this episode, a listener brings a question for Lou, Mark, and Greg about whether that home-course-heavy index will travel to other courses. Lou brings the numbers and Mark and Greg bring even more travel into the discussion, so that we can have both reasonable expectations and our best possible games when we bring our clubs on the road. If you have a question...

Whenever the rules of golf are a point of discussion, you're almost guaranteed to find something absurd. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg highlight two rules events from the end of this season: one regarding the faintest contact with the bunker sand, and the other with the moving of a divot fragment. The latter rule is very obscure; it is likely news to you. Should the rules of golf be like that? How should golf handle the difference between the players who are under the high-res, slow motio...

You're not getting up and down most of the time, but you're also not multiplying strokes: how far away are you when this happens? In today's episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg how far golfers of different skill levels will be from the hole, in the rough, to average 2.75 shots. The distances themselves are interesting, but the differences between skill levels highlight where handicap golfers have real room for improvement. Check out Lou's new practice app, Window Golf: https://apps.apple.com/us/app...

A good listener question for today's episode. Many of us use Arccos or another platform to track performance on the course. What standard should we use for stat comparisons? In this episode, Mark and Lou tackle this question, and it's not as obvious as you might think. Stats don't always move in exactly the same way, so there can be value in comparing yourself to your next milestone, rather than to something more remote (like scratch or a Tour pro). Having stats is good—using them intelligently ...

Next year's Tour Championship will be much different. In today's episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg continue to discuss the roll out of the format changes for the upcoming Tour season. We've already seen the Championship vs Challenger series, but the new Tour Champion will need to win a significant, two-venue match play gauntlet. Is this an improvement? Will it make us care about the Championship? And should we even want more match play? If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please subm...

You can learn from other people's mistakes, especially Greg and Mark's. In this episode, Lou asks about one of the very best "manage your expectations" stats to have in your mind: at what distance will golfers of differing abilities average 2 putts? While the pros mangle the numbers, you can get the correct answers in mind—and know on the course where you're gaining (or losing) strokes on the greens. Check out Lou's new practice app, Window Golf: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/window-golf/id6778...

Greggie! Greg returns (almost) triumphantly to the podcast to recap his T3 finish at the 2026 Ally Challenge. Greg and Mark and Lou talk about Greg's visit to some golf stores to tweak his driver setup, the value of equipment changes, the ability to bounce back from a bad hole, and an obvious bad number. If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/ Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/...