Episodes

SMS - Tour Pros, Putting from 30', Short and More Than 5' Away

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. From 30' away, even a Tour pro rarely expects to make his putt. But how often is he leaving it more than 5' from the hole? How often will his putt come up short of the hole? These are the questions Lou brings to today's episode. Mark and Greg give their answers, but more importantly, they are shocked by the 5' answer—and they offer some great advice, not only for putting, but for your expectations on the greens. Each...

Heel Lift, X-Factor, and Golf Instruction Trends

Golf instruction, like a lot of things, can be trendy. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg look back at the past couple of decades of golf instruction. Repeatedly, there are fads in golf instruction—and not all of them were likely to have made golfers better. This is an episode that matters for amateur golfers, a reminder to recognize that we need to welcome new information, without always assuming that the new thing is the best thing. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: ht...

Improving Your Fairway Bunker Play

Mark leads off this episode with a plea: just listen to this episode! The reality is that few golfers ever practice fairway bunker shots, and when they occur in rounds, they're costly (Lou brings the numbers). In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg give real advice about how to play fairway bunker shots and how to practice the skills needed to keep them from adding big numbers to your round. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Cro...

SMS - Driving Distance of 255 and 225, How Many Are 15 Index or Worse

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. Imagine a driving range with 100 golfers: every golfer on that range hits his drives about 225 yards. And then there is a second range, in which all the golfers are driving their balls about 255 yards. What percentage of the golfers on each of those ranges would have a handicap index of 15 or higher? Lou puts this question to Mark and Greg, and after sorting the scoring, we see another solid data point that distance m...

Jay Makes What?!

Recent news published the compensational package for PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. In this episode, Mark, Greg, and Lou take the opportunity, not just to talk about the commissioner's salary, but to consider the job he's done with the Tour, with the rise of LIV, and even more now, with the rising popularity of golf on other social media tools. It remains an interesting time to be a fan of golf. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe...

Home Golf Simulators

'Tis the season to suggest golf gifts! In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about setting up your own home practice bay. From a simple mat and net, to a full-fledged projector screen and high end launch monitor, to accessories like pressure mats, wrist sensors, and cameras, the guys bring their years of expertise to bear to give you advice on what to look for as you build a place to practice. For SkyTrak: https://skytrakgolf.com/ Use code MARKCROSSFIELD For FlightScope: https://flightsco...

SMS - Scoring Average, 120 in FW, Tour Pro vs 15 Index

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. You're 120 away, in the fairway. This is a prime scoring opportunity. How many more shots do you expect to take? In this episode, Lou brings that scenario to Mark and Greg, comparing a Tour Pro to a 15 handicap golfer. After comparing their scoring differences, the guys weigh in with advice that will help all golfers make better scores when these scoring opportunities arise. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-1...

The Doug Episode

Is this the most anticipated guest in the history of the podcast? In today's episode, we're joined by Doug, Greg's caddie. Lou has been openly candidating for Doug's job, so in this episode, the guys get Doug's story on how he got into caddying, some of the not-Greg players for whom he's caddied, and what it's been like working with Greg this past season. The episode is capped with a high stakes quiz: Greg puts some caddie questions to Lou and Doug, and the winner gets Greg's bag for next season...

Learning From Tour Pro Swings: Shoulder Turn

In today's episode, Mark brings data about how Tour players turn in the backswing. In particular: how far do they turn their shoulders vs their rib cage turn? Confused as to the difference? You weren't alone. Greg and Lou register their guesses, and then Mark explains the difference—and the difference it can make to your swing. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter: https://twitter.com/4golfonline Mark Cross...

SMS - 155 FW, Five Shots or More to Hole Out, Scratch and 20

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. From 155 in the fairway, most golfers would expect to be in a good position to shoot a reasonable score. In today's episode, a scratch golfer and a 20 index are in that position: what percent of the time would each golfer take 5 or more shots to finish the hole? Lou puts the question to Mark and Greg, and they discuss ways to save shots when you're in a position to score. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 m...

PGA Tour Fall Season, Top 125, and Sponsor Exemptions

The highest levels of professional golf promise more money than ever before—but the drop-off from the top level to the next level down might also be steeper than ever before. In this episode, Lou, Mark, and Greg talk about the conclusion of the Fall Series on the PGA Tour, where the top 125 players secured their cards for the upcoming season. But a couple of those right on the bubble, including some who got their cards, had also received sponsor invites to no-cut events which guaranteed them poi...

Learning From Tour Pro Swings: Dynamic Driver Loft

In today's episode, Mark brings data about how Tour pros deliver the driver. Most golfers are familiar with the loft of their clubs, but dynamic loft is also extraordinarily important: not just the loft of the club, but the actual loft delivered at impact. Greg and Lou register their guesses, and then a thoughtful discussion arises about how to interpret data gathered from Tour pros—and what factors might not be the most relevant to your own improvement. For the best price on the HackMotion sen...