SMS - Short Par 5, Scratch and 10, Birdie or Better

SMS - Short Par 5, Scratch and 10, Birdie or Better

Author: Golf Swing Productions by Mark Crossfield Greg Chalmers and Lou Stagner April 4, 2026 Duration: 12:08

Ah, the short par 5: might as well call them gimme birdies, right? Ahem. In this episode, Lou asks Mark and Greg how often solid amateur golfers of two different standards will break par on a short par 5. After the answers are sorted, they offer advice for dealing with expectations for scoring on each of the standard par holes—advice that might make you appreciate your birdies even more.


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.


For golfers looking to move beyond quick tips and understand the real mechanics and mental game behind improvement, Hack It Out Golf offers a unique blend of expertise and camaraderie. This podcast brings together the distinct perspectives of renowned coach Mark Crossfield, data and statistics expert Lou Stagner, and PGA Tour professional Greg Chalmers. Their conversations dig into the nuances of the golf swing, course strategy, and the latest in golf technology, all filtered through their combined decades of experience. Listeners get more than just instruction; they are privy to the lively, unfiltered banter between three friends who are deeply passionate about the sport. Each episode feels like a candid locker room discussion where insights on lowering scores are delivered with authenticity and humor. You will find yourself reconsidering your approach to practice, equipment, and on-course decisions. The podcast consistently balances technical depth with entertainment, making complex topics accessible and engaging. Whether dissecting a professional tournament, reviewing a new club, or debating a common golf myth, the show maintains a focus on practical takeaways that players of all levels can apply. Tune in for a genuinely informative and often hilarious deep dive into the game, where the goal is always to help you play better and enjoy the journey.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 641

Hack It Out Golf
Podcast Episodes
SMS - Tour Pro and 15 Index, How Far Away Is 3.19 Strokes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:26
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. Today's episode: how far away is 3.19 strokes? Take a Tour Pro and a 15-index and drop them both in the fairway at the point that they will,…
Collecting On Course Stats [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:36
Greg's second season on the Champions Tour is underway. This season, Greg is aiming to do more data-collection, so that he can know and not just guess what's working and what's not in his game. In today's episode, he and…
Dialing in Your Distance Control [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:14
Amateur golfers obsess over swing path and face angle, and with good reason. But golf is a game of distance and direction, and much of the test of distance is distance control: having a very clear idea, within a few yard…
SMS - 10 Index, Total Birdies in Good and Bad Rounds [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:25
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. Today's episode remains one of the most important concepts to grasp if you want to improve your scores. All golfers have a fairly wide range…
Improving Your Green Reading [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:30
In this episode, Lou and Mark begin with some competitive banter about a hole they recently played together—especially their quite differing approaches to reading putts. Both speak of what they look for on the greens, an…
Project Lou - Episode 7: Gears Data [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:44
You've waited for this: this is the episode in which Lou, Mark, and Greg recap Lou's lesson when they were together at the PGA Show. If you are a regular listener to this podcast, there some chance that the technical cha…
SMS - Tour Players, Approaches to Inside 10' From 85/120/170 Yards [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:44
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. We've been on a roll lately with episodes that are surprising. Today, Lou's question is about really good shots: how often does a Tour pro fi…
Fast Irons and Slow Driver? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:41
Mark, Greg, and Lou take a listener questioner: for this player, his 7 iron swing speed is right around Tour average, but his driver swing caps out at 105mph. Why might that be? Each of the guys offer possible reasons fo…
Project Greggy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:41
Today, the Gears shift: instead of Lou's measurements, Greg's swing gets analyzed and tweaked. When the Hack It Out team was together, Greg had his swing measured, in today's episode, Mark, Greg, and Lou discuss what the…
SMS - Median Proximity, 125 FW, Tour Pro, Soft/Medium/Hard Greens [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:02
Welcome to the "Saturday Morning Golf Stat" from the Hack it Out Golf Podcast. Today's episode brings us to new territory, as the TOUR's allows for more granular stats: how does green firmness affect how close a Tour pro…