Hack It Out Golf

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 change, has the Open gotten too baked out? Should links golf subject its competitors to more cold and rain? And how much luck is too much?

If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/

Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/

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.com/user/4golfonline

Lou Stagner's weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.loustagnergolf.com/subscribe

Lou Stagner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouStagner

Greg Chalmers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregChalmersPGA

The Hack It Out Golf Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HackItOutGolf

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 surprise you by how much—and light a fire to practice the things that will actually help you avoid wasting shots on the greens.

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 golf course to lower your scores and lower your handicap. Listen on your drive to the golf course or over your Saturday morning coffee!

Data is sourced from Arccos Golf. They have over 1 BILLION shots in their database. Check them out at: https://www.arccosgolf.com/ 

Use code DATALOU15 for 15% off!

If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/

Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/

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.com/user/4golfonline

Lou Stagner's weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.loustagnergolf.com/subscribe

Lou Stagner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouStagner

Greg Chalmers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregChalmersPGA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 after the last conversation? Is there are fair line that can be drawn?

If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/

Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/

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.com/user/4golfonline

Lou Stagner's weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.loustagnergolf.com/subscribe

Lou Stagner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouStagner

Greg Chalmers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregChalmersPGA

The Hack It Out Golf Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HackItOutGolf

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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: https://www.theopen.com/tickets-and-hospitality/spectator-code-of-conduct

If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/

Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/

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.com/user/4golfonline

Lou Stagner's weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.loustagnergolf.com/subscribe

Lou Stagner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouStagner

Greg Chalmers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregChalmersPGA

The Hack It Out Golf Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HackItOutGolf

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 reasonable expectations. Let's see if you can recall these answers from episodes on putting and driving, while enjoying some of the best moments in Stat history!

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 golf course to lower your scores and lower your handicap. Listen on your drive to the golf course or over your Saturday morning coffee!

Data is sourced from Arccos Golf. They have over 1 BILLION shots in their database. Check them out at: https://www.arccosgolf.com/ 

Use code MARK15 for 15% off!

If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/

Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/

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.com/user/4golfonline

Lou Stagner's weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.loustagnergolf.com/subscribe

Lou Stagner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouStagner

Greg Chalmers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregChalmersPGA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 Greg offer practice games and (even contrasting) ways to think about these delicate shots to get the ball closer to the hole more frequently.

If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/

Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/

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.com/user/4golfonline

Lou Stagner's weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.loustagnergolf.com/subscribe

Lou Stagner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouStagner

Greg Chalmers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregChalmersPGA

The Hack It Out Golf Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HackItOutGolf

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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? Are strokes or fines a better way to handle these situations? And what are Greg and Mark's worst tournament scores?

If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/

Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/

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.com/user/4golfonline

Lou Stagner's weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.loustagnergolf.com/subscribe

Lou Stagner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouStagner

Greg Chalmers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregChalmersPGA

The Hack It Out Golf Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HackItOutGolf

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 surprise you.

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 golf course to lower your scores and lower your handicap. Listen on your drive to the golf course or over your Saturday morning coffee!

Data is sourced from Arccos Golf. They have over 1 BILLION shots in their database. Check them out at: https://www.arccosgolf.com/ 

Use code DATALOU15 for 15% off!

If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/

Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/

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.com/user/4golfonline

Lou Stagner's weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.loustagnergolf.com/subscribe

Lou Stagner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouStagner

Greg Chalmers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregChalmersPGA

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/

Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/

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.com/user/4golfonline

Lou Stagner's weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.loustagnergolf.com/subscribe

Lou Stagner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouStagner

Greg Chalmers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregChalmersPGA

The Hack It Out Golf Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HackItOutGolf

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 creative. Is it just the same thing the Tour had before LIV showed up? Are the Challenger Series events nothing but glorified Korn Ferry tournaments?

If you have a question you want covered on the pod, please submit here: https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/contact/

Listeners can also leave us a voicemail! https://www.hackitoutgolf.com/voicemail/

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.com/user/4golfonline

Lou Stagner's weekly newsletter: https://newsletter.loustagnergolf.com/subscribe

Lou Stagner on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LouStagner

Greg Chalmers on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GregChalmersPGA

The Hack It Out Golf Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HackItOutGolf

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.