Recorded before last week's Senior PGA Championship, this episode features discussion with Greg, Mark, and Lou and Greg prepares for his first Champions Tour major. We know, with the benefit of hindsight, that Greg played really well, finishing third. Here, we'll listen to how Greg got ready for the tournament, tweaking some of his equipment (especially his putter), honing his practice, and getting some competitive reps before the Major Championship. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's...

What used to be the exclusive property of fitting studios, high-end coaches, and touring professionals is now accessible for the amateur golfer. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk home launch monitors. What kinds of options should you consider? What benefit could such a device be to your game? And what might the future hold for this golf improvement technology? Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter:...

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. How long is 267 yards? Not in distance, of course: but where would a male golfer whose median drive is 267 rank among his peers? Today, Lou poses that question (and also 284 yards) to Mark and Greg, and the answer will probably surprise you. Expectation management, for the win yet again. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting golf stat. We will discuss what you can learn,...

Practice swings: useful? Necessary? Time-waster? What are your practice swings for? What about practice swings when you're practicing? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about practice. Should you take a practice swing? If so, for what reason? What should you be trying to accomplish? Here is practical advice to maximize your practice time and get you in the best position to hit your best shots on the course. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter:...

Today's topic: team golf. This discussion is wide-ranging. Mark, Lou, and Greg discuss their own experiences playing team golf, and how it differs for them from playing individually. But then the discussion shifts to team golf at the collegiate and professional levels, and whether the team component helps—or hinders—the enjoyment of being a golf fan and spectator. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter:...

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. On this major weekend, we have a special episode: this week, Mark asks the questions! Mark has some trivia—even Greggie-related trivia—from the history of the PGA Championship, and this week pits Lou vs. Greg in answering the questions. 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 the...

It's one of the basics of golf etiquette: repair your pitch marks. And yet, almost universally, golfers complain that the other guys don't do it. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg tackle the topic of pitch marks. They float some theories as to why there are so many unrepaired craters in the greens and why the normal campaigns to get more people fixing their ball marks don't seem to be working. There might be more to this than you expected. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly...

How do you get ready for a round? Is your warm-up the sprint from the car to the first tee? Or do you have a scripted-to-the-minute routine, complete with a full physio, range session, short game practice, and a putting schedule? (Looking at you, Lou.) In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg give pointers from their own experience on Tour, coaching, and playing as to the best ways to get the most out of your pre-round warm-ups, so that you put yourself in the very best position to play your best...

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. In today's episode, the shot under consideration is the obvious green light: the chance to get up and down from about 100 yards away. How often does a scratch player actually accomplish that? What about a 15-handicap? In this episode, Lou brings the numbers for Mark and Greg, and then the guys talk about the proper expectations for this shot—including something too far from many amateurs' minds: avoiding the big...

How much golf have you been watching? In this episode, Greg brings the numbers (Lou is impressed) on this season's steep decline in TV viewership of the Tour. Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about the factors that might be contributing to this downturn, including the play, the product, and the switch to streaming instead of TV. They also discuss the link—if there is any—between golf viewership on TV and golf participation at your local course. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter:...

How do you get around the golf course? Do you walk and carry your bag? Or do you push a pushcart/trolley? Or do you typically ride a cart/buggy? [Also, could we please get an the English speakers around the world to adopt one language?] In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about how they prefer their golf commute. Lou talks about the effect of walking vs carting on scoring, and Greg talks about removing regulators, but not Gregulators. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly...

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. In this week's stat, an ordinary golfer is 20 yards from the hole with a reasonable amount of green to work with. Should he use his LW or PW? Lou quizzes Mark and Greg on this question, and the three of them have a great discussion that might well help you make choices on the course that will save you fractional strokes—fractional strokes that become full strokes off your score by the end of the round. Each of...

Caddies have long been part of professional golf—some have achieved remarkable, sustained success. In this episode, Mark and Greg talk about the role of a caddie in professional golf: how they are chosen, what their responsibilities are, the boundaries of on- and off-course friendships, and the challenge of changing a caddie. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter: https://twitter.com/4golfonline Mark...

A slump. A setback. A downturn in form. A funk. A run of bad play. Whatever you want to call it, anyone who plays golf for any length of time will have a period in which their standard of play isn't meeting the standard that they've already established. How do you turn things around? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg give their advice for shaking off a period of bad golf and getting back to having fun on the course (and it might mean that having fun is how you break the slump). Where to...

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. This week's stat is simple: greens in regulation, the "traditional" stat that has the greatest correlation with handicap and scoring. In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg to guess the average GIRs of a scratch golfer and of a 15-index player. After, they give advice to help with your approaches to the green—and your approach to golf. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an interesting...

With Lou out for this episode, Mark and Greg sit down to talk ground forces. Perhaps you caught Mark's video about the lesson Greg had about ground forces (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eay0xd61fyY). In today's show, they talk about what it means to use the ground (hint: you are), how to use the ground well, and how wise use of technology can lead to big changes in your swing and improvements in ball flight—sometimes without thinking about how you're swinging at all. Where to find...

Project Lou returns! In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about Lou's current progress, including a recent driver lesson in which Lou learned that he was re-gripping his hands on his driver swing. The guys talk about the importance of lessons—continued lessons—and maybe make some plans for another in-person meeting in the future. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter:...

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. This week's episode takes us to a greenside bunker, where we're joined by a scratch golfer and a 15 index. How many shots, on average, will it take each of them to hole out? In our episode this week, Greg and Mark each take a crack at answering Lou's question, and then they talk about growing in bunker play skill and having reasonable expectations from the sand traps. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15...

Scottie dons a second green jacket at the 2024 Masters! In this episode, Lou, Mark, and Greg offer their opinions on the recently-concluded major, from the course setup, the app experience, whether dominance is boring, Tiger's performance—and more. Join us as we revisit the highlights of one of the best events of the season. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter: https://twitter.com/4golfonline Mark...

In this episode of the Hack It Out Golf podcast, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk coaching—and when to consider changing coaches. With some big name Tour players either changing coaches or making headlines from seeing new coaches, it's a good time to consider the reasons that you might find benefit in a different instructor. Greg will talk about his own experience with coaching on a Tour level, Mark brings his experience with years of coaching, and Lou has had a handful of coaches (including...

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. Following up on last week's episode, this week we're sitting on the tee of a 500 yard par 5 with a scratch golfer and a 20 handicap. On average, how many shots will it take each of them to finish the hole? Lou poses this question to Mark and Greg, and after sorting through the answers, they consider how these averages should shape our expectations as we head to the course. Each of these will be a mini-episode...

The advice to lay up to your favorite yardage simply refuses to go away, and people who really ought to know better continue to advocate for a strategy that is objectively unsound. In this episode, Mark and Lou (minus Greg, who was out owning the Champions Tour) attack this myth again. They also give important clarification: in rejecting "laying up to a preferred yardage," are they advocating attacking every green? (No.) This episode is an important refresher of the data-driven reasons to get...

It's the first major of the year! In this episode, Mark, Greg, and Lou talk about the 2024 Masters, offering their projections for winners, notable missed cuts, and what Tiger Woods might do this year. Along the way, they talk about their own experiences at Augusta. Settle in for a great intro to one of the best week's in the golf year. Where to find us: Mark Crossfield's weekly newsletter: https://www.crossfieldgolf.com/subscribe Mark Crossfield on Twitter:...

Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. In this episode, we're sitting on the tee of a 400 yard par 4 with a scratch golfer and a 20 handicap. On average, how many shots will it take each of them to finish the hole? Lou poses this question to Mark and Greg, and after sorting through the answers, they consider how these averages should shape our expectations as we head to the course. Each of these will be a mini-episode (10-15 minutes long) about an...

Last week, Hack It Out co-host Greg Chalmers continued his first season on the Champions Tour by qualifying for the Galleri Classic. Once again, he needed to play very well to continue to earn spots in upcoming Champions Tour events. In this episode, he's joined by Lou Stagner and Mark Crossfield as he recaps the week, from the Tuesday Qualifier, to playing the pro-am with a Hack It Out listener, to regaining a round after a disastrous hole. Come along on Greg's Champions Tour journey! Where...