Crossfield: How to squeeze more yards out of your drives
This series of videos will be posted every Tuesday (8:30 p.m. UK time). I make them to help golfers learn and improve their golf with fun, educational and fact-based golf coaching. Let’s keep sharing this info so we can all improve together.
Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.
Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.
First, meet Min Woo Lee
Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.
Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter
The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.
Third, meet Martin Kaymer
Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.
Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler
Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.
Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger
Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!
On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.
I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.
To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.
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Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s
5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag
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Ryan
Apr 4, 2016 at 2:37 pm
Thank you, Mark. As someone who is not a scratch golf (far from it), your video was very informative. I’ve loved watching them on YouTube for a couple years and hope you continue the instructional videos. It’s nice to learn why certain things are happening and how to fix them. Thanks again!
HG Wells
Mar 31, 2016 at 11:02 am
Pretty sure this won’t end well! Mark’s whole thing is stating the obvious “just hit the ball better you stupid twits,” on a site dedicated to people obsessed with gear and swing theory, lol.
Jim H
Mar 31, 2016 at 12:30 am
I’ve been following Mark since he started producing videos on his old creeky-floored driving range. I was first attracted to him for his club reviews. But then his instructional side kicked in, followed by on-course videos with local buddies which are incredibly entertaining. He’s done more for my game in the past few years than all the golf magazines, lessons and other web sites I visit combined. What a great addition to WRX.
Barry
Mar 30, 2016 at 8:21 pm
Great stuff Mark. Forgive the trolls who have nothing better to do than hide behind their keyboards and fire off their negative crap. _That_ is what is boring and quite frankly old.
Mike
Mar 30, 2016 at 11:39 pm
Sod off mate
D'mack
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:38 pm
I’ve been a fan of Crossfield and shield for a while. I’m pumped there on WRX.
Jay
Mar 30, 2016 at 6:45 pm
Love your YouTube stuff. Looking forward to your wrx stuff!
Akim Bizati
Mar 30, 2016 at 8:09 pm
This is a good tip
golfraven
Mar 30, 2016 at 6:16 pm
Bored of the constant drive for more distance. How about more accuracy, Fairways hit and GIR and less putts per round.
kn
Mar 30, 2016 at 5:19 pm
Even though I am familiar with how and where you strike the ball affects distance and dispersion, I thought this video was full of excellent information, and could be very revealing to a lot of golfers out there seeking more distance. The numbers tell the story. Now it’s just a simple matter of delivering the club into exactly the right place, every time you swing. Simple. Guess that’s where a coach could come in handy.
Chet
Mar 30, 2016 at 4:01 pm
We’re all missing to the point here. He’s hitting a driver from 2016. I’m headed to my local golf super store. Cheers.
Chet
Mar 30, 2016 at 4:00 pm
We’re all missing to the point here. He’s hitting a driver from 2016. I’m headed to my local golf super store.
Mike Honcho
Mar 30, 2016 at 1:42 pm
:17-:18 did he say ‘long dongs’?
Mat
Mar 30, 2016 at 6:06 pm
Yep. Long Dongs.
SId
Mar 30, 2016 at 1:39 pm
Bit of an obvious first tip Mark, I hope your next isn’t how to cure a slice!
Ps i loved your round with Lee Westwood, just a pity you couldn’t get him to join in the bantz a bit more!
Good luck on Golfwrx
Brandon
Mar 30, 2016 at 2:24 am
Excellent vid. I remember reading that Nicklaus, when needing to get in the fairway, would aim left and hit the ball hard off the heel and it would start on the left side of the fairway and come back to center.
Martin
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:33 pm
Maybe that was easier to do when they all used persimmon woods?
RG
Mar 30, 2016 at 2:23 am
LET’S GET STUCK IN!!!!!
Blewis
Mar 30, 2016 at 1:37 am
Mark is refreshing in an industry that tries to obscure the reality; you need to work on your game and quit looking for gear to fix it for you. It impresses me that golfwrx has reached out to Mark and Rick. The site where shaftoids breed asking The Guru to guest lecture is brilliant.
Matto
Mar 30, 2016 at 12:22 am
Crossfield!!! Please please PLEASE post something on WRX about your opinion on driver shafts(shafts in general?)!!
I look forward to the responses!!!!!
Tbry
Mar 30, 2016 at 5:16 pm
I second this. It is amazing how the #’s change between relatively similar golf shafts.
Tom
Mar 29, 2016 at 11:00 pm
This guy is the British version of Michael Breed
Tom
Mar 29, 2016 at 10:55 pm
A game of millimeters.
Other Paul
Mar 29, 2016 at 10:40 pm
I am not surprised Mark is on here. We just need Kelvin Miyahira and i dont have to go to any other golf sites.
Jeff
Mar 29, 2016 at 8:45 pm
Mark is the best. Didn’t realize he joined golfwrx. Happy to see him onboard.
kevin
Mar 29, 2016 at 8:32 pm
you’re a legend mark! keeping on keeping on! ignore the KNUCKLEheads
Mat
Mar 29, 2016 at 6:43 pm
I have to say, this video impressed me. Why? Because it’s actual data. Crossfield is actually showing real differences, and not regurgitating marketing speak in his own unique (cough) way.
One of the things he didn’t mention, and how could you in a short video, is how that “lean back” alters the swing path. I know several guys who don’t have a “driver” swing because they’re using higher lofted drivers and a neutral AoA. If the loft is good, the dynamic angle is fine. Adding 4º of loft by leaning and moving the ball forward a later contact point. This can often lead to the banana ball.
I think the most important thing he says out of all of this is that he has “two swings”… his “pat pat” and his “long dong”. He says it… my inner-teen snickers. However, the concept of a fairway finder and full shot being two variances of style and not just tempo are important. You can’t just hit that low AoA harder and expect a lot of results in distance. You can’t hit up on a ball and keep it where you want without adjustment. Impact on the face is more important than it ever gets credit for in the 460cc age.
Andrew Olson
Mar 29, 2016 at 6:27 pm
Why is crossfield telling me how to hit the ball further when he can barely get it out there himself?
Mark Crossfield
Mar 29, 2016 at 7:27 pm
It’s a dream I have #oneday
Forsbrand
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:39 am
A very nice easy to understand video Mark, thank you! I enjoy all of your videos, especially your games with Gorilla James 😉 keep up the great work making it easy to understand this great game!
john
Mar 29, 2016 at 10:09 pm
I think if he was scaled up to say my size (6’3″) and build, he’d probably out drive me, his technique is sound, he’s just a bit wee.
KitchenTime
Mar 30, 2016 at 1:22 am
I just love that Mark responded! He has been the most fun part of golf for me over the last 3 years.
Ezra
Mar 30, 2016 at 5:08 am
You’re a funny guy! I think only 5% of the members of my golf club can drive further than 220 yards (carry distance). So for the vaste majority of us, those tips are relevant. If you want to brag about how far you can hit a ball: good for you! (but you may appear like a jerk 🙂 PD: I’m french so sorry for the bad English.
TR1PTIK
Mar 30, 2016 at 3:40 pm
Because I’d be willing to bet you can hit it further if you applied the information in his videos to your swing. Golf instructors don’t have to be tour pros or smash the driver a million miles. Your comment is full of ignorance.
Old Pappy
Apr 3, 2016 at 6:07 am
OK let me take a guess …. eeeere ……hmmmm, because Mark knows more about the golf swing than you do. Never mind it was just a guess.
4pillars
Mar 29, 2016 at 4:36 pm
I like both Shiels and Crossfield.
But why do I have to see them here.
I could go directly to their YouTube.
brian h
Mar 29, 2016 at 7:08 pm
many have no idea what you are talking about.
you dont have to see them here. It is here to help the masses that dont know about him to learn he exists.
4pillars
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:04 am
I think the masses should stay ignorant.
Jay
Mar 30, 2016 at 6:43 pm
Seems you’ve already got that covered
Nath
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:58 am
oah GOLFWRX what are you doing….
brian h
Mar 29, 2016 at 4:12 pm
Great to see you here on golfwrx. The best new stars are here. You are obviously one of them.
es
Mar 29, 2016 at 3:51 pm
Golf WRX first Shiels now Crossfield… good stuff.
Question – why aren’t there any USA based golf instructors / youtube stars. Seems like all the good golf youtube channels are all from peeps the UK…. who are now getting invited to come to the USA more and more often…
Shiels and Crossfield are hands down the 2 best golf equipment reviewers on youtube.
I watch Shiels when I want to hear affirmation on a particular club I want to buy.
I watch Crossfield when I want to buy a new club but trying to convince myself its not worth it.
🙂
Mat
Mar 29, 2016 at 6:34 pm
They’re all behind paywalls.
Brad Repplinger
Mar 29, 2016 at 9:47 pm
From content standpoint, are you more keen to product reviews/demos/data or on-course vlogs?
es
Mar 29, 2016 at 11:03 pm
i tend to watch the product reviews the most – both at the home course and when they are invited to demo days, I can say I bought the nike vrs covert tour because Crossfield like it. But now use a Ping LS Tec cause Shiels like. i like it more than golfdigest equipment review or even golfwrx equipment review. I’ve watch so many of their equipment review I feel as if I have a good understanding of how the equipment will preform for me based on what they say and what the numbers say. I like what they have to say about the looks of a club as well.
don’t really watch the instructional videos, not for me. my play similar to crossfield
watch on-course vlogs especially if they playing with tour pro and interviewing a tour pro, or if there is some type of challenge
Willy
Mar 30, 2016 at 7:07 am
Agree with this 100%. I’m addicted to this game and find myself watching all of Sheils and Crossfield’s vids on YouTube. I’m glad they are on golfWRX too though. Great stuff Mark, as always!