PODCAST · sports
Hack It Out Golf
by Golf Swing Productions by Mark Crossfield Greg Chalmers and Lou Stagner
We dive deep into golf, sharing expert insights to help you improve your golf swing and lower your scores. Renowned golf coach Mark Crossfield, stats expert Lou Stagner, and PGA Tour player Greg Chalmers join forces to bring you an engaging, informative, and entertaining show dedicated to all things golf. Your game will improve, and you will have a lot of laughs along the way listening to the banter of these three friends. Whether you're a seasoned pro or beginner golfer, this podcast is your ultimate resource for enhancing your skills and unlocking your full potential on the golf course. Join Mark Crossfield, a highly respected and sought-after golf coach, as he shares his extensive knowledge and experience in the sport having given many thousands of golf lessons to golfers of every skill level. Through in-depth discussions and engaging anecdotes, Mark guides you through the intricacies of the golf swing, unraveling the mysteries and helping you understand the nuan
Episodes
-
Those Pesky Partial Wedges
Is there a time to lay up? In this episode, a longtime friend of pod sends a question about laying back to full wedge distance—advice given from a prominent tour coach. Lou, Mark, and Greg take a crack at answering the question, and attempt to show that while the numbers are crystal clear in the...
-
When You Lose Your Game During a Round
If you've played golf for any length of time, you've probably experienced it: the feel disappears, the golf club feels completely foreign, and you have no clue which way the ball is about to go. What's next? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about one of the worst feelings in golf: when…
more -
SMS -Scratch, 5, and 15, 7 Iron, Total Distance
Last week, we saw that low-index golfers are more accurate with the 7 irons, even though they are (presumably) hitting 7 iron from further away. But how far away? In this episode, Lou asks Greg and Mark about the typical total distance that scratch, 5, and 15 index golfers will hit that middle...
-
Rolling Back the Rollback?
The parameters for the pending rollback seem to have changed again. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about the newest edition of the Model Local Rule for golf ball distance. Does this latest revision make any more sense? And now they're talking about regulating shaft lengths again—does...
-
More Fairways or More Distance?
At this point, most serious golfers know that distance matters. But can it be quantified? In this episode, Lou and Mark looks at the numbers to see where the trade-off is between distance and fairways. They also discuss ways to improve distance, especially by getting stronger. And how is Lou just...
-
SMS - Scratch, 5, and 15, Median Prox, 7 Iron
We know that better golfers hit it closer from every distance. And they generally hit every club further and higher index golfers. What happens when golfers of all levels are hitting the same club? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg about the average proximity to the hole that a scratch,...
-
When Practice Just Won't Transfer to the Course
It's a common complaint: my range game doesn't transfer to the course. But what if it's not just a range session, but consistent practice in a simulator, feedback from a coach, etc., and it still isn't lowering your handicap? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg give some really honest feedback…
more -
Uphill, Downhill, Sidehill
A good and challenging listener question: what do we know—from the stats—about make rates for uphill, downhill, and sidehill putts? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg dig into the stats to see if leaving an uphill putt matters. If so, what does that mean for our strategy on the course? If you...
-
SMS - 120 in Fairway, 5 Index, Shots to Hole Out
A Greg-less Saturday Stat, but one you can take to the course. In today's episode, a good golfer has a great opportunity: 125 yards in the fairway as a 5-index. How many shots is he going to average to hole out? Lou and Mark try out their accents and Lou makes plans to heckle Dougie. Check out...
-
What Is a Good Chip?
Most golfers know the 10% rule on the greens: for a lag putt, getting it within 10% of the starting distance is generally a good result. Is there a similar rule of thumb for chipping? In this episode, Lou and Mark tackle this helpful listener question, so that we all have a baseline for…
more -
Will the USA Ever Win a Team Event Again?
It's been a streak—what does it mean? In this episode, Mark and Lou discuss the recent trend of the USA losing team golf events: men's and women's, professional and amateur. Is it a run of bad luck? Is there something in the team culture or the strategy? And how can we get more USA television…
more -
SMS - PGA Tour Birdie Rate, 75 Yards and 205 Yards
Everybody gets a bunny! In today's episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg about the world's best players: how often are they making birdie from 75 and from 205 yards? Turns out that the best players and really good, and that Mark and Greg are pretty good as well. After the dust settles, they discuss how...
-
Does Your Index Travel?
Unless you're one of those social media guys who plays all the courses—or a tour pro—you likely play a lot of your golf at one course. In this episode, a listener brings a question for Lou, Mark, and Greg about whether that home-course-heavy index will travel to other courses. Lou brings the...
-
Are Golf's Rules Sane?
Whenever the rules of golf are a point of discussion, you're almost guaranteed to find something absurd. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg highlight two rules events from the end of this season: one regarding the faintest contact with the bunker sand, and the other with the moving of a divot...
-
SMS - Distance to Average 2.75 From Rough, Scratch, 10, and 20
You're not getting up and down most of the time, but you're also not multiplying strokes: how far away are you when this happens? In today's episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg how far golfers of different skill levels will be from the hole, in the rough, to average 2.75 shots. The distances…
more -
What's the Right Stat Benchmark for Me?
A good listener question for today's episode. Many of us use Arccos or another platform to track performance on the course. What standard should we use for stat comparisons? In this episode, Mark and Lou tackle this question, and it's not as obvious as you might think. Stats don't always move in...
-
The New Tour Championship Format
Next year's Tour Championship will be much different. In today's episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg continue to discuss the roll out of the format changes for the upcoming Tour season. We've already seen the Championship vs Challenger series, but the new Tour Champion will need to win a significant,...
-
SMS - Distance to Average 2 Putts, Scratch, 10, and 20
You can learn from other people's mistakes, especially Greg and Mark's. In this episode, Lou asks about one of the very best "manage your expectations" stats to have in your mind: at what distance will golfers of differing abilities average 2 putts? While the pros mangle the numbers, you can get...
-
A Greggie Top 3!
Greggie! Greg returns (almost) triumphantly to the podcast to recap his T3 finish at the 2026 Ally Challenge. Greg and Mark and Lou talk about Greg's visit to some golf stores to tweak his driver setup, the value of equipment changes, the ability to bounce back from a bad hole, and an obvious bad...
-
That Good Good Ad
You've seen it by now: a young woman reaches for a driver in a golf bag, only to be checked to the ground and told (in a menacing way) not to touch the driver. In this episode, Mark and Lou talk about Good Good/Callaway's abandoned driver ad. How does an ad this ill-conceived get made? Was this...
-
SMS - Scratch, 125 in FW, Four or More Shots
How often does disaster strike? In this episode, it's another (Gregless) Mark win in the Stat, but Lou's question is worth the attention. From 125 in the fairway, a scratch golfer is thinking birdie. How often will this (very talented) golfer take four or more shots to finish the hole? We get a...
-
Take Swing Lessons or Work on Skills?
In recent years, a number of golf coaches have made the case that golf improvement doesn't always mean an intent to change your swing. In this episode, Mark and Lou tackle a listener question about balance: when should I focus on a swing change vs taking my current swing and focusing on skill...
-
Mark's and Greg's Favorite Courses
Over their careers, Greg and Mark have seen and played a lot of golf courses. In this episode, they recall some of their favorites. Which Open rota courses would Greg want to play for a tournament—and which for fun? And where have these guys not yet played that they still hope to get a round in?…
more -
SMS - 5 Index, Par 5, 2nd Shot 250 in FW, Bogey or Worse
The green is reachable. In this episode, missing Greg, Mark takes on Lou's newsletter audience. On a par 5, a solid 5-index golfer is sitting 250 yards out in the fairway. How often will he make bogey or worse from there. With no Greg, we get deep insight into the mind of Mark—and also insight as...
-
Lou at the US Amateur
The US Amateur is one of the iconic events of golf calendar. In this episode, Lou and Mark talk through Lou's recent opportunity to caddie at the US Am. They discuss Merion, the setup (and whether a classic course like this can hold up to young bombers, the format of the tournament, and an...
-
Greg's 2026 Season So Far
The Champions Tour season is entering its final stretch, and Greg needs to make a push to make the final 36. In this episode, Greg and Mark talk through Greg's 2026 season to this point. With a handful of events to go, Greg talks about what's worked—and what hasn't—this year. He knows where he...
-
SMS - 15 Yard Chips Finishing > 18 Feet, Scratch, 10, and 20
In today's episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg about greenside short game. How often will a chip from the rough finish outside 6 paces for scratch, 10, and 20 index golfers? After Greg incinerates the 20s again, the guys talk about how to get those chips into a more manageable range. Check out Lou's...
-
Is It Harder to Go from 3 to Scratch than from 15 to 5?
A couple of golf improvement listener questions for Mark, Lou, and Greg in today's podcast. The first: is it easier to get from a 15-index down to 5 than to get from 3 down to scratch? The guys bring their own experiences and Mark's coaching to consider the different ways that people improve.…
more -
Charley's Joke and Rory's Schedule
Mark, Lou, and Greg talk about some of the recent—ahem—"news" in the world of golf. Are we running out of actual golf stories when we focus on a joke between a player and her caddie? And is Rory getting special treatment—and if so, is that even a problem? Also, Lou makes a joke. If you have a...
-
SMS - 10 Index, Good Rounds vs Bad Rounds, FW Hit
What is a fairway worth? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg to compare the good and bad rounds of a 10-index golfer. We'd expect that when an amateur of this level scores well, he's probably hitting more fairways than he does in his bad rounds. But how many more? The answer the is revealed,...
-
Feel and Measured Data
For the avid amateur golfer, there is more measured data for swing movements, club delivery, and ball flight than ever before. Is it too much? In this episode, Mark and Lou break down how to use swing data. There are devices that can measure body part motions: how can these help—without changing...
-
Will My Swing Changes Even Help?
Lou's been working on his swing for a while now. Is it actually better? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg consider the goals of a swing change. Is a swing better when it looks better? What if the "better" move produces worse results? This is one of the enduring questions of every serious…
more -
SMS - 10 Index, Scoring with No Penalties, But Recovery Shots
You didn't lose a ball—and that's a great feeling. But what about the sideways chip-outs? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg how a 10-index scores when he has no penalty shots, but does have recovery shots. What happens to scores in rounds when you're punching out from under a tree a few...
-
Handicap Skill Tiers by the Numbers
There's nothing like numbers to show the enormous differences between the elite golfers and, you know, most of us. In this episode, Mark and Lou open up the stats database to show just how good the best golfers are, and how much the average amateur is playing almost a different game altogether.…
more -
When Your Setup Is Perfect
You step into the shot and start to settle in. How do you know when you've nailed your setup and are ready to go? In today's episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg reply to a listener question about setup. The quest for "perfect" is itself a challenge: you can make a bad swing out of a good setup and a…
more -
SMS - Scratch and 15, Holes Per Double or Worse
How many holes can you go without a double (or worse)? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg to compare to very different skills levels (scratch and 15-index) at double-bogey avoidance. After Greg gives what might be the least accurate answer in the history of the Saturday Stat, the guys get it...
-
2026 Open Championship Recap
Ryan Fox wins the Open! In this episode, Mark and Lou recap an eventful edition of the Open Championship. They discuss the (several) rules incidents, the brilliant play of Ryan Fox (and others), and Mark offers some comments on Fox's unusual, but obviously very effective, swing. If you have a...
-
Is the Open Rota Too Dependent on Weather?
The 2026 Open ended yesterday, but Mark has questions about its future. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg start with an obvious premise: the way that the Open Rota links courses play tends to be more determined by weather than is the case for the majors based in America. As weather patterns...
-
SMS - 3 Putt Percentage from 25, Tour, 5, and 15
Three-putts ruin rounds—especially when you're not that far away from the hole. In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg compare the 3-putt percentages from 25 feet of Tour players to 5-index and 15-index golfers. It turns out, Tour players and good and 15-index golfers are less good. But it might...
-
Revisiting Amateur Status
Former professional Stuart Grehan earned a spot in this year's Open Championship by winning an Amateur Championship. In this episode, Mark and Lou revisit the controversy surrounding former tour pros returning to the amateur ranks to secure major championship exemptions. Has Lou changed his mind...
-
Spectator Code of Conduct
Can golf crowds be rolled back? In this episode, Mark and Lou take up the points of the new spectator Code of Conduct for the 2026 Open Championship. Will a stated code help with fan behavior? Is it unnecessary—or perhaps worse, hypocritical? The full text can be found here:...
-
SMS: Best Of!
We've been doing Saturday Stats for 3 years now: it's time for a best of! In today's episode, we pull up two classics. The Saturday Stat episodes have become a standard because they might have the best banter and bits, but also because our regular listeners have built up a storehouse of…
more -
Games to Improve Your Chipping
Mark has been aiming to play at a serious level—and his chipping is holding him back. In this episode, Mark makes a plea for help: do Greg and Lou have any practice tips to improve his game within 30 yards? Mark isn't alone here: many amateur golfers cost themselves strokes in this range. Lou and...
-
Code of Conduct Penalties?
Golf is a maddening game—sometimes even at the highest levels. In the recent US Open, penalties were issued to a player who melted down on a hole, and they were costly. In this episode, Greg and Mark talk about the new code of conduct penalties. Is it odd that there was no video of the incident?...
-
SMS - 400 Yard Hole, Drive Length for 0SG, Scratch and 10
How far is far enough? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg about a standard drive on a typical hole. How far do you need to hit it—in the fairway—to break even on a strokes gained against your handicap peers? The answer might surprise you. But the takeaway for your own game might also…
more -
The Delay of the Rollback
Recently, the governing bodies scuttled the plan for the incremental rollout of the rollback. Why? And what's next? In the episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg continue discussing the ongoing saga. Key the whole debate: what actually is the problem? If you have a question you want covered on the pod,...
-
Is the New PGA Tour Even New?
The PGA Tour has recently released its new Championship Series/Challenger Series two track tournament format, and Rory(!) seems unimpressed. In this episode, Mark, Greg, and Lou take Rory's comments as a jumping off point to discuss how the new format might play out—and how it could have been…
more -
SMS - 10 Index, Birdies, Bogeys, Doubles Per Round
We often talk about managing expectations for particular shots. What are reasonable expectations for a full round? In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg about a 10-index golfer: in a typical 18-hole round, how many birdies, bogeys, and doubles will he make? When the dust settles, the guys give...
-
2026 US Open Recap
With the third major of the year completed, Greg and Mark offer their takeaways from Wyndham Clark's impressive victory at Shinnecock Hills. They discuss the quality of his play, the reputation that has followed him since the last US Open, the crowd behavior as he closed in on his victory, and…
more -
Can You Love a Fade?
Most beginning golfers slice, and the draw becomes an early aspiration. But should more amateurs just love their fade? In this episode, Mark, Lou, and Greg talk shot shapes. Is there an advantage hitting one shape over the other—or shaping it both ways? Should most golfers try to change their...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
We dive deep into golf, sharing expert insights to help you improve your golf swing and lower your scores. Renowned golf coach Mark Crossfield, stats expert Lou Stagner, and PGA Tour player Greg Chalmers join forces to bring you an engaging, informative, and entertaining show dedicated to all things golf. Your game will improve, and you will have a lot of laughs along the way listening to the banter of these three friends. Whether you're a seasoned pro or beginner golfer, this podcast is your ultimate resource for enhancing your skills and unlocking your full potential on the golf course.
Join Mark Crossfield, a highly respected and sought-after golf coach, as he shares his extensive knowledge and experience in the sport having given many thousands of golf lessons to golfers of every skill level. Through in-depth discussions and engaging anecdotes, Mark guides you through the intricacies of the golf swing, unraveling the mysteries and helping you understand the nuan
HOSTED BY
Golf Swing Productions by Mark Crossfield Greg Chalmers and Lou Stagner
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Hack It Out Golf have?
Hack It Out Golf currently has 718 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Hack It Out Golf about?
We dive deep into golf, sharing expert insights to help you improve your golf swing and lower your scores. Renowned golf coach Mark Crossfield, stats expert Lou Stagner, and PGA Tour player Greg Chalmers join forces to bring you an engaging, informative, and entertaining show dedicated to all...
How often does Hack It Out Golf release new episodes?
Hack It Out Golf releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 718 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to Hack It Out Golf?
You can listen to Hack It Out Golf on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Hack It Out Golf?
Hack It Out Golf is created and hosted by Golf Swing Productions by Mark Crossfield Greg Chalmers and Lou Stagner.
URL copied to clipboard!