Episodes

A great, broadly applicable listener question today. In the past couple of decades, drivers have not only experienced increases in head size, but also in shaft length. In today's episode, Mark and Lou ask whether many amateurs might not be better off the tee with a shorter driver shaft. What are the trade-offs in shaft lengths? Is it possible that a shorter shaft might produce tighter dispersion and greater distance? And how should a typical golfer go about testing this? If you have a question ...

By this point, we know that we want to avoid short-siding ourselves. But should we think about uphill vs downhill chips? In this episode, Lou offers Mark and Greg a handful of scenarios with Tour players around the green. They have different amounts of green to work with, but some chips are uphill and others are downhill. What effect does that have on scoring? And stay turned for Lou's bonus question: it adds an unexpected wrinkle to the data. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes...

It's just bomb and gouge, right? In this episode, Mark and Lou look at the numbers to see if reality matches the common perception that Tour players almost never have long approach shots anymore. Are there still any 3-shot holes on the PGA Tour? How often does a Tour pro have a short iron left on a par 5? If there is a discussion to be had about distance, it starts with knowing what is *actually* happening on the course, and not just opinions. If you have a question you want covered on the pod,...

In this episode of Hack It Out Golf, Mark, Greg, and Lou welcome Champions Tour star Steven Alker. They explore his journey from New Zealand amateur golf through the Canada, European, Korn Ferry, and PGA Tours, to his remarkable Champions Tour career: 11 wins, a perfect 104/104 cuts made, and 76 top-10s in just 104 events. Steven shares the key shifts in his game: smarter (not harder) preparation, mental freshness, energy conservation, a simple technical blueprint with strong face stability, and...

Is it a trick question? In this episode, Lou asks about the green light scenario: 100 yards in the fairway on a par 4. How often will a scratch, a 10, and a 20-index golfer make double bogey or worse in that scenario? You'd think it wouldn't be that often—but you might be overlooking something. And if you can fix that thing, your scoring might get better here too. 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 mo...

If you have a course you play regularly, you almost certainly have one hole that gives you fits. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg give advice for troublesome holes. If a hole makes you choose between tee shot lengths, do you know which one creates a better average score for you? Do you have a 'get it in play' shot that you can rely on when there's trouble everywhere? And how do you get past the mental scars on holes like this? If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submi...

If you're listening to this podcast, there's a good chance you have a swing thought—and there's a pretty high chance that you're thinking about how some part of your body should be moving (or not) during the swing. In this episode, Mark and Greg talk about one of the most important ideas in golf improvement: you can think about something other than your body position during the swing. They discuss the meaning of internal and external focus, when each might be useful, and how an external focus ca...

Scratch is a aspiration for most amateur golfers, and it's a very good standard of play. How good? In this episode, Lou brings three different stats about scratch golfers, and Mark and Greg attempt to guess how a scratch player would perform in each. The answers might be surprising—and will absolutely contribute to all of us managing our expectations. 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 importantl...

It's hard to play effective golf with an extreme swing path. The problem: most golfers are very consistent with swing path—even when they don't want to be. In this episode, Mark and Greg talk about strategies to dislodge a less-than-optimal path and move it to a place of greater functionality. They explain that path sometimes is the result instead of the cause of the problem and the importance of both measured data and a trained eye to make the quickest progress to good golf. If you have a ques...

What's it worth? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about the recently-released price for next year's Ryder Cup at Adare Manor. Is the significant price increase warranted? Is the Ryder Cup worth attending at all? The guys give some tips for watching golf in person, discuss some of the early news about captain selections, and attempt to establish international understanding among English-speaking countries. If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://w...

From a reasonably long par 3, what scores are typical for golfers of different levels? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg about scoring averages on a 175-yard par 3. Tiny spoiler: there's a bonus question in this episode, and the answer there provides real insight into course strategy when fairway bunkers are in play. 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, how you can apply this on ...

One episode, a few professional golf topics. In this edition, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about the unfolding confirmation of the end of PIF funding for LIV and what that might mean for the future of that league—and its players. Then they shift gears to the PGA Tour, where Matt and Alex Fitzpatrick recently teamed up to win a Tour event, securing a card for Alex. (Could Scottie carry Lou to a Tour card?). And finally, they check in with Brooks Koepka, who is piecing together his first season back o...

When the best player in the world is "struggling," everyone has a solution. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about the language of the golf swing. It seems everyone talks about shallowing, but few define it. What is shallowing? Why does it matter? And shouldn't we have some idea what we're talking about before we talk? 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.hack...

Once again, we have a green light: 120 from the hole in the fairway. How different are amateurs and pros? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg how 10 and 20 index golfers compare on this shot to a Tour pro. And perhaps a lot of 10s and 20s have their expectations set by the Tour numbers, rather than reality closer to home. 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, how you can apply this ...

It's Champions Tour major season, which means it's time for Greg—and the Gregulators—to mount up! In this episode, Greg joins Mark and Lou to recap the first major of the season, the PGA Championship at The Concession Golf Club. Greg was right in the mix but cooled off late. He talks about some of the really impressive play from Cink, Alker, and the ageless Langer, his impressive hole-out eagle (no biggie!), and what he's working on for the rest of the season. If you have a question you want co...

If you could sub in a professional golfer for one shot each hole, what would it be? In this episode, Mark talks Lou and Greg through a recent video of his that tests this question. On some holes, he hit a tee shot for his friend; on others, the approach shot. Which helped more? And which might make the biggest difference in your game? Knowing this might give you an insight as to the best place to invest your practice time. Video link: https://youtu.be/S8-xjEwELR0?si=JjZjKy6l1jItbKPq If you hav...

If you listen to this podcast, you probably know that Tour pros average about 50% on their putts from 8 feet. But how does that number change for players when they finish in the top 10? Or, on the other hand, in weeks in which they miss the cut? Lou puts this question to Greg and Mark, and the answer might give some insight into how much putting contributes to the hot and cold rounds that we all have. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting golf stat. We w...

Trouble down both sides—what's your best option? In this episode, Mark, Greg, and Lou give advice for approaching a hole when neither side offers a bailout. What are the strategic considerations to take into account when neither miss is great? And what are some drills to get you ready to face the pressure to hit the demanding shot the moment it's needed? 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 ...

Do you play golf to shoot your lowest scores—or to bubble wrap your ego? In this episode, Mark and Lou take up a listener question on chipping. Most golfers get around the green and grab a wedge (often their most lofted wedge) for almost all their shots. But there are other options: from irons to hybrids to fairway woods to putter to—yes, even chippers. Is your short game a part of golf in which you lose shots for ego reasons? If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit he...

From the same yardage, better golfers are, well, better. Duh. But better golfers most often are hitting less club from the same distance. If a scratch golfer and 15-index both have a pitching wedge from the fairway, won't they hit the green at a similar rate? That's the question the Lou puts to Mark and Greg. Once they settle the winner for the weekend, they talk about the advantages of a better player, and how we all can hit more greens in our next rounds. Each of these will be a mini-episode ...

Rory retains his Green Jacket! In today's episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about the recently completed 2026 edition of the Masters. Tempers flared, the course setup offered some surprises, and multiple great players ascended the leaderboard—almost. What does Rory's win mean for his position in the history of golf? And could Mark help Rory's game? 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 voicem...

What's different in your approach to match play? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg take up a listener question about match play. In addition to any general changes in strategy, they discuss how to handle a match in which you're giving a lot of strokes to your opponent, as well as some of the pros and cons of gamesmanship in a match format. 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! h...

For many of our listeners, it's the beginning of the golf season, and those partial wedge shots are often some of the trickiest to re-find on the course. What's a good shot? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg about a 50-yard shot from the fairway. At what distances are a scratch, 10 and 20 index golfers breaking even on strokes gained? The answer is essential for having reasonable expectations on the course all year long. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an i...

Do you need to have a preferred shape on the course? Why can't straight be a shape? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg take on a listener question about that affects swing and course strategy. With so many talking about "taking one side of the course out of play," is an intentional straight ball really a bad idea? Mark weighs in from a coaching perspective, Greg as a pro, and Lou as someone who, like many of us, isn't always sure what shape shot is coming next. If you have a question you want...