Have you ever taken a swing with a towel or headcover held in your armpit? If so, have we got an episode for you! The truth of the matter is that you need some arm lift in your backswing. In today's episode, Mark helps Lou understand how arm lift works in the backswing, while Greg offers his thoughts as well. This is useful all the time, but especially if you're working on changes to your swing in the off-season. Better arm lift will help generate easier power and also give room for a shallower ...
Jan 13, 2025•24 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. There's a certain approach to golf strategy that insists that there is a *best* angle into the green, and to get that angle, you should try to favor one side of the fairway over the other. In this episode, Lou looks at the data for 10-index golfers, on relatively wide fairways, with the hole cut definitively to one side of the green. On those holes, what do the golfers average from the good angle vs the poor angle? Ma...
Jan 11, 2025•14 min
The top of your bag, just below your driver, is probably the part of your bag where you have the greatest number of options for how your set is built. How do you know what set makeup is best for you? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about the strengths and weaknesses of long irons and hybrids. What's the longest iron you play? What advantages might you gain replacing that iron with a hybrid? This episode will help your clubs help, not hinder, your best scoring on the course. Where to fi...
Jan 09, 2025•24 min
This week is the debut of the new tech-heavy indoor team golf league headlined by Tiger and Rory, the TGL. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg break down the news reports of the anticipated format. What aspects of it seem promising, and which might flop? Will the TGL have any impact on the wider popularity of golf? And should the three of them attend a TGL event soon? Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter: http...
Jan 06, 2025•35 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. A couple of episodes ago, Lou asked Mark and Greg about bunker play; today's episode is the much-anticipated follow-up. How often do golfers (scratch and 15-index) leave a greenside bunker shot in the bunker? It's an incredibly frustrating moment on the course, and the guys give advice to minimize the chance of it happening to you, to improve your game. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about a...
Jan 04, 2025•11 min
Today's episode is a listener question. If you listen to this podcast, you know that you ought to track your stats on the course—if you're serious about improvement. In this episode, the question is: what stats and measurements should you track in the off-season if you want to improve? Mark, Lou, and Greg offer their answers and a variety of advice for making the most productive use of the winter months. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscr...
Jan 02, 2025•19 min
Today's episode is one that will likely help you hit the ball with more power but less effort: Mark talks about stretch in the swing, mostly the backswing, with Lou and Greg. What is stretch in the swing? How can someone like Rahm, with relatively little stretch the backswing, hit the ball as far as someone like Bubba Watson, who had a ton of stretch? And how can everyday golfers incorporate this idea to improve their own games? Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www....
Dec 30, 2024•25 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. In today's episode, Lou joins our 10-index player at 50, 100, and 150 yards from the hole in fairway. How many strokes, on average, will it take him to hole out from each distance? Mark and Greg offer their guesses, and what unfolds is a great discussion (with data!) about what you really cost yourself when you lay up to 100 yards instead of pushing the ball up as close to the green as possible, even if you're left wi...
Dec 28, 2024•12 min
Whether or not your playing season is determined by the weather, the turn of the calendar is a good time to look back over your play this last season. In this episode, in reply to the listener question, Lou, Mark, and Greg give their counsel about how normal golfers should go about evaluating their seasons. Key topics: setting goals and getting accurate data about how you really played. Bonus: fashion critiques and a movie recommendation. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: ht...
Dec 26, 2024•29 min
Professional golf tournaments at the highest level are huge undertakings. It is customary at these events for the tournament to rely on hundreds of volunteers. Increasingly, those volunteers are asked to pay—sometimes, quite a lot—for the privilege of volunteering. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about this practice and how defensible it really is. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter: https://twitter...
Dec 23, 2024•23 min
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 ...
Dec 21, 2024•15 min
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: http...
Dec 19, 2024•33 min
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 Crossf...
Dec 16, 2024•28 min
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...
Dec 14, 2024•9 min
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 M...
Dec 12, 2024•30 min
'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://flightscope....
Dec 09, 2024•29 min
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 (10-15...
Dec 07, 2024•13 min
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...
Dec 05, 2024•36 min
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 Crossfiel...
Dec 02, 2024•17 min
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 mi...
Nov 30, 2024•11 min
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...
Nov 29, 2024•20 min
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 sens...
Nov 25, 2024•14 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. How often do you go out and shoot (for you) and really low round? In this episode, Lou asks Greg and Mark how often really good golfers (low single figures) and really not as good as those golfers golfers (over 20 index) shoot a score 5 strokes or more less than their average score. The answers might surprise you, and should factor in to managing your expectations on the course. Each of these will be a mini-episode (1...
Nov 23, 2024•12 min
In recent days, the Tour announced policy changes on a topic that is often the source of complaint: slow play. But the changes they announced were certainly not what many hoped: indeed, they seem to be more tolerant of slow play than before. What's the purpose of these changes? Why are Tour players so slow? And how might the changes affect the viewing experience for golf fans? Greg, Lou, and mark tackle these questions in today's episode. For the best price on the HackMotion sensor, use code GOL...
Nov 21, 2024•15 min
It's almost a Project Lou! In this episode, Lou makes a discovery about his golf swing and Mark has him pull out the HackMotion sensor to confirm and work on a feel. They talk in depth about forearm rotation in the golf swing: when it should happen, which direction, how much, and why . And they discuss how measuring motion in a swing can be a game changer for correlating feel with real . Greg interjects with his own understanding of a Tour-level swing. For the best price on the HackMotion sensor...
Nov 18, 2024•26 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. Today, we have another from the "Manage Your Expectations" hall of fame. You're a 10-index on the tee of a 400-yard hole. How far do you need to hit your drive in the fairway to break even in strokes gained with the average 10-index? What about in the rough? Lou brings the data, and Greg and Mark bring the guesses—and the answered surprised them, and it will likely surprise you as well. Listen in and make smart decisi...
Nov 16, 2024•12 min
For one last time before winter, it's time for the Gregulators to mount up! In this episode, Greg recaps his full first year on the Champions tour. Beginning with no status and only two guaranteed starts, Greg finished the season in the top 36 of the Schwab Cup rankings, securing full status for next season. He recounts for Lou and Mark the highlights of his season, the challenges of adjusting to a new roster of courses, and his planned work to be even better next year. And Lou continues his end...
Nov 14, 2024•25 min
In today's episode of the podcast, we get to learn, not from Tour Pro average movements, but from the Legendary Needle himself: The Greggie! Mark pulls up Greg's motion capture data, and Greg has to beat Lou in guessing his own swing motion data. As always, the insights here help explain how different movements change the club delivery and why some numbers don't need to be bigger or smaller (but just need to match the swing). As not always, we get a history of the English language, or at least o...
Nov 11, 2024•24 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. In today's episode, the focus is on driving accuracy: for very good players and for high index players, what percentage of each category might be considered "wild" off the tee (missing the center of the fairway by more than 30 yards on at least a quarter of their drives)? The following discussion will help you understand dispersion, it's relationship to driver length, and how you can be a better player off the tee. Ea...
Nov 09, 2024•12 min
For those who want to know—and not just guess—what is happening in the golf swing, these are excited times. And there are more things to measure. One of the trickier ones has been grip pressure. In this episode, Lou, Mark, and Greg talk about a recent study presented at the World Scientific Congress of Golf by Liam Mucklow. The study measured how grip pressure changes throughout the swing in both professional and amateur golfers. There are things to learn here already, and interesting discussion...
Nov 07, 2024•25 min
