Episodes

In today's episode, Mark again is analyzing motion capture data from elite players—this episode features Brooks Koepka. Today, Mark quizzes Lou and Greg (who, as always, loves making random guesses) about Koepka's hip turn in his swing. In the discussion that follows, the guys talk about the massive effects that hip turn can have on your swing—including things that Greg himself is working on in his pursuit of continued good results on the Champions Tour. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's wee...

Senior Open Championship Preview

Greg Champions Tour major schedule takes him to the other side of the Atlantic, where he's headed to Carnoustie to play the Senior Open Championship. In this episode, he joins Lou and Mark to talk about the upcoming major, including his thoughts on the course and his history playing there, his preparation, and also his take on Rolexes and haggis. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter: https://twitter.com/4gol...

SMS - 10 Index, SG:Putting when Good and Poor Iron Play

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. We know that the traditional putts per round stat is very dependent on approach play: in general, the better your approach play, the more putts you are likely to have. But what about Strokes Gained:Putting? In this episode, Lou asks Greg and Mark what happens to a 10-index golfer's SG:Putting number on good approach rounds vs poor approach rounds, and then they have a lengthy conversation about what might cause the di...

Learning from Tour Player Swings, Part 5 (Turn)

In today's episode, Mark again is analyzing motion capture data from elite players—this time, Jon Rahm. Jon is famous for having a relatively "short" backswing, even with driver. The question today for Lou and Greg: how much does Rahm turn his upper body? And as always, the discussion turns from Rahm's swing to how we can learn how to improve our own golf through a better understanding of body movements—and the swing characteristics that they tend to produce. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield'...

Lou's Visit to the Titleist Performance Institute

In today's episode, Lou joins Mark and Greg to talk about his recent visit to a golf Mecca: the Titleist Performance Institute. There, Lou experienced a body screening that measured his mobility and strength, got fitted for some of Titleist's newest products, and saw some of their future plans. Listen in and learn how TPI (and there are TPI-certified instructors around the world) can help you maximize your golf game. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfield...

SMS - Approach Shots Coming Up Way Short

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. The topic today: megaduffs. How often do you hit your approach shot and come up short 30% or more of your distance to the target? In today's episode, Lou, Mark, and Greg talk about that number for both scratch and 20-index golfers, and the answer might surprise you. The biggest takeaway: all of us need to get better at striking the ball. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting g...

Learning from Tour Player Swings, Part 4 (Sway)

In today's episode, Mark compares motion capture data from two elite players—this time, Jon Rahm and Rickie Fowler. The point of comparison: how much do they move their center away from or toward the target at different points in the swing. Lou and Greg make their best guesses, but then the discussion turns to how "sway" in the swing affects other swing characteristics, and how that might be relevant to your game and helping you improve. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: h...

Putts Per Round and Other Traditional Stats

You want to get better at golf, so you start tracking some stats in your game in addition to score alone. Are those stats going to give you useful information that you can use to shape your practice plan? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about traditional golf stats like putts per round or fairways per round, and the ways that those numbers might even mislead a golfer to practice things that she might already be very proficient at. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter...

SMS - Scratch Players, Scoring Average, Easy vs Hard Courses

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. The course rating system for handicap purposes is a mystery to many golfers, even some avid ones. What happens to the scoring of a scratch golfer when he plays a course that, by rating, is relatively versus a round on a course with a much higher rating? In this episode, Lou poses that question to Mark and Greg, and then they talk about handicaps, how courses are rated, and how the courses and tees you play might affec...

US Senior Open Recap

Greg Chalmers just completed his second major on the Champions Tour: the US Senior Open! In this episode, he, Mark, and Lou talk through his week at Newport Country Club. He talks about the course and club, the challenges of the late/early tee times that week, the one hole that gave him fits, and the impact his finish has on his season and his Champions Tour career. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter: http...

Are Golfers Peaking Earlier?

This past week, Miles Russell played in a PGA Tour event at age 15. Although he didn't make the cut, he did shoot even par for two rounds and beat dozens of established professionals. Earlier this season, Nick Dunlap won a PGA Tour event as a amateur, the first time that had happened in over two decades. In this episode of the podcast, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about the rising tide of incredibly talented, incredibly young golfers. They discuss what's causing it, what its effects might be, and wh...

SMS - Greenside Bunkers vs Rough, 10 yards, Scratch and 20 Index

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. Greenside bunkers—higher handicappers often dread them, while better players sometimes favor them over being next to the green in the rough. What do the stats say? How much is of a penalty is a bunker over the rough for a scratch player? And for a 20-index? The answers might surprise you, as they certainly surprised Mark and Greg in this episode. Find out where the stats say your game can improve! Each of these will ...

US Open Recap