We've all said it: "It would have been an amazing round except for those few holes!" Buy why does that keep happening? In this episode, Lou brings data from fellow Arccos data maestro Michael Hutch, and he and Mark talk about what causes double bogeys at each skill level. You'll learn where you're dropping shots, and where you can focus your practice to drop your handicap. The charts and data from this episode are in this newsletter from Lou: https://newsletter.loustagnergolf.com/p/where-your-do...
Oct 20, 2025•23 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. Ah, the dread half-wedge. In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg about the distance at which a scratch, 10, and 20 index golfer breaks even for Strokes Gained from 50 yards in the fairway. What is the baseline for a good shot for those skills? And how can we all improve those touch shots? 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 ...
Oct 18, 2025•12 min
It's that time: Mark needs to work on his body. In this episode, Mark talks with Greg and Lou about his early steps in evaluating his strength and fitness and what he's working on to improve his strength and make better gains with an already-optimized swing. Want your own free golf performance assessment from Par 4 Success Golf? Click here: https://go.par4success.com/mark-crossfield Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on...
Oct 16, 2025•26 min
Among the hats worn by our resident Stat Guy is Assistant Coach of the Princeton Tigers golf team. In today's episode, he and Mark discuss an event (beginning today!) that the Princeton golfers will be playing at St. Andrews. Lou and Mark talk about what Lou hopes to see and do in St. Andrews, Mark's thoughts on the Old Course, and how the weather might (or might not) be a factor in the tournament. The event is being broadcast on the Golf Channel and Sky Sports, so tune in to see if Lou makes an...
Oct 13, 2025•21 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. How far do golfers really hit their drives? Yes, increasing distance might help, but knowing the typical driver distance for your target index is really helpful. In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg how far a 5, 15, and 25 handicap golfer hits their drivers, and then they discuss the value of realism in your distances. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting golf stat. We will...
Oct 11, 2025•14 min
Today's episode is a grab bag of topics. Mark first asks Lou and Greg about how the rest of the world perceives the USA/European Ryder Cup. Then they each offer their favorite highlight from the 2025 major season. They conclude by previewing what each of them are working toward this off-season. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter: https://twitter.com/4golfonline Mark Crossfield on YouTube: https://www.youtube....
Oct 09, 2025•20 min
Now that the dust has settled a bit, Mark, Lou, and Greg gather to talk through their thoughts following the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. In this episode, they offer their takes on the course setup, the pairings, the crowd, the captains, the envelope rule, and the furious but unfinished comeback attempt in the singles matches on Sunday. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter: https://twitter.com/4golfonline ...
Oct 06, 2025•50 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. You're a single-figure index—a good golfer. And you're 250 out, in the fairway, on a par 5. How often will you birdie this hole? And how often will you make bogey or worse? Lou, Mark, and Greg discuss this and give instruction to help you find your best scores on the long holes. 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 import...
Oct 04, 2025•16 min
A multiple major winner recently offered another suggestion to solve golf's "distance problem." In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg discuss what would happen if tees were banned and wedge loft was limited. Mark gets a little hot here, both about the responsibilities of golf media and about the actual proposal itself. Would Tour pros be able to figure out new ways to optimize their performance under these restrictions? Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfield...
Oct 02, 2025•26 min
A good listener question for today's episode: how do you handle the streaks of a golf round? It often feels like you get hit for several holes, and then suddenly, you are on a run of birdies. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk through mental game and on-course strategies to get off the bogey train while stringing together more of those solid holes. To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan - go to nordvpn.com/hackitout . Our link will also give you 4 extra months on t...
Sep 29, 2025•28 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. Three putts are frustrating. But they do happen—how often? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg about 35-foot putts, and how often Tour players, scratch golfers, and 20 indexes will three putt. The answers will likely surprise you—and show a major way to shave a few strokes from your scores. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting golf stat. We will discuss what you can learn,...
Sep 27, 2025•15 min
A simple two-question podcast today from Lou, Mark, and Greg. The first question: what golf swing tip do you wish you'd learned earlier? Hindsight being 20/20, this is an opportunity to focus now on real improvement. The second question: what makes golf fun ? Is the fun in keeping score and competing, or in something else? The guys offer their answers: you can reply with yours to @hackitoutgolf on X. To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan - go to nordvpn.com/hackitout . Our...
Sep 25, 2025•31 min
It's Ryder Cup week! In previous years, the Ryder Cup represented not just a clash of continents, but a clash of Tours: the PGA Tour and (what is now) the DP World Tour. But this year, almost no one on Team Europe plays regularly in Europe. Does this matter? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg address this question. Is it just nostalgia to want a strong European Tour? Would Greg have left Australia if he could have played there for the same purses? Is the rivalry weaker with a Tour element? To ...
Sep 22, 2025•28 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. It's a real problem: handicap golfers hit their approach shots short—a lot. But how often? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg how often, from 175 yards, golfers of different abilities will manage to hit their shots at least 90% of the target distance. After sorting through their (very different) answers, Mark and Greg give their best advice for getting the ball to the target more regularly. Each of these will be ...
Sep 20, 2025•13 min
If you listen to this podcast, you probably know a number of benchmark stats. One well-known one: Tour pros make half their putts from 8 feet. But what if you're better than that? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg try to bring some perspective to the use of statistics and expectation management—one in which you have lofty goals and reasonable expectations. To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan - go to nordvpn.com/hackitout . Our link will also give you 4 extra months on the...
Sep 18, 2025•23 min
It's hard to get better if you don't know what's wrong. In today's episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg expand on a recent tweet/post from Lou, in which he implores golfers to stop counting putts. They'll talk about the usefulness of total putts, the ways in can mislead, and a better way to measure if you're getting better on the greens. To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan - go to nordvpn.com/hackitout . Our link will also give you 4 extra months on the 2-year plan. There's no risk wi...
Sep 15, 2025•25 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. Among the sweetest words in the English language: short par 4. But does that phrase set expectations too high? In this episode, Lou asks Greg and Lou what golfers of different skills average on a 325 yard par 4. From there, the guys talk about the best way to make the most of these holes—and compare their own games. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting golf stat. We will discu...
Sep 13, 2025•15 min
You've been playing rounds with your friends just for fun, but you've improved, and now you want to try your hand at a serious round of golf. What do you need to know? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg offer their advice to a golfer planning to start playing in more serious competitions. From rules advice (both official and unwritten) to music(?) to mindset, this will help any golfer post better results. To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan - go to nordvpn.com/hackitout . Our ...
Sep 11, 2025•25 min
When the going gets tough, golfers sometimes look for a less tough option. In most episodes, Mark, Lou, and Greg try to get us to focus on things that really work to improve our golf. But in today's episode, they point out some of the things that golfers try that don't help. From unrelated superstitions to bad advice to gimmicky gadgets and clubs, here are some things to be on guard against if you want to shoot your best scores. To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan - go to nordvpn.co...
Sep 08, 2025•26 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. One of the simplest—but most insightful—traditional stats is Greens In Regulation. In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg how many greens golfers of differing skills typically hit per round. After settling the scores, the guys give tips that will help you hit more greens and play better golf. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting golf stat. We will discuss what you can learn, ...
Sep 06, 2025•14 min
Pro golfers are really good. But what happens when a player turns professional, can't make a career of golf, and takes another path in life? Once professional, always professional? Or should there be a path back to amateur status? In this episode, Mark, Greg, and Lou discuss—and solid points are raised by both sides. To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan - go to nordvpn.com/hackitout . Our link will also give you 4 extra months on the 2-year plan. There's no risk with Nord’s 30-day mo...
Sep 04, 2025•26 min
The picks for Team USA are in, and on release day for this episode, Europe will announce its team roster for the 2025 Ryder Cup. Mark, Lou, and Greg debate whether Keegan should have chosen himself (or been chosen as captain at all), how to assemble and roster and make pairings, the importance of data vs feels, and the potential for the course—and the local fans—to make this an intense Ryder Cup. To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan - go to nordvpn.com/hackitout . Our link will also gi...
Sep 01, 2025•31 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. This one is a doozy. Lou puts a pretty straightforward question to Greg and Mark: how often will golfers of different skill levels miss the green from a greenside bunker? The answer is likely to surprise you. But after a few tips for improving your bunker play, things go a little off the rails. Golfers are competitive. Always. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting golf stat. We...
Aug 30, 2025•16 min
Once you get beyond "I just don't want to hit a giant slice," you might reach a point at which you want to settle on hitting one particular shape. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about changing your shot shape: factors that might influence your decision and practical steps to engrain a new pattern—and take it to the course. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter: https://twitter.com/4golfonline Mark Cro...
Aug 28, 2025•19 min
Bad training aids can be worse that useless. But a good training aid can really accelerate golf improvement. In this episode, Mark and Lou talk about some of their favorite tools to use and to recommend from a coaching perspective. There are tools to help deliver the club better, lots of solid home launch monitor options, and a really great tool to monitor your ground strike—even indoors. ProSENDR: http://prosendrgolf.com/crossfieldmark HackMotion: http://www.hackmotion.com/markcrossfield Stack ...
Aug 25, 2025•32 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. Today's question is one of the most basic for lowering scores: three-putt avoidance. How often do various handicap levels three-putt? Lou puts that question to Mark and Greg, and after sorting out the answers, the guys give their best advice for not wasting shots on the green. 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 importan...
Aug 23, 2025•11 min
As the end of the PGA Tour season draws near, there have been no shortage of interesting issues to discuss. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about the upcoming Ryder Cup rosters, Tommy Fleetwood's failure to close out the BMW (and whether it tells us something about his ability to handle pressure), and the fact that Rickie qualified for the Top 50 largely on the strength of sponsor's invitations into high-point signature events. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: htt...
Aug 21, 2025•33 min
We all know that hitting drives further is an important way to lower our scores. And while speed training and better strength make a difference, there are gains to be had at your current swing speed. In this episode, Mark and Lou talk through some of the basic adjustments you can make to your equipment, setup, and swing that gain two clubs off the tee without swinging faster. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitte...
Aug 18, 2025•19 min
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. Tour pros are good, for sure, but how good? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg about the chances that a Tour pro will hit the green from various fairway distances. These are great numbers to manage expectations for those of us who are not close to that level. 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 ...
Aug 16, 2025•14 min
The Gregulators got a shock while scoreboard watching this past Sunday: Greg was DQ'd?! What happened? In this episode, Greg joins Mark and Lou to explain what happened. This provokes a discussion of the rules of golf and their enforcement: should there be a larger roll for making judgment calls when there's no advantage gained? Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter: https://twitter.com/4golfonline Mark Crossfie...
Aug 14, 2025•29 min
