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.
As the editor-in-chief of this website and an observer of the GolfWRX forums and other online golf equipment discourse for over a decade, I’m pretty well attuned to the grunts and grumbles of a significant portion of the golf equipment purchasing spectrum. And before you accuse me of lording above all in some digital ivory tower, I’d like to offer that I worked at golf courses (public and private) for years prior to picking up my pen, so I’m well-versed in the non-degenerate golf equipment consumers out there. I touched (green)grass (retail)!
Complaints about the ills of and related to the OEMs usually follow some version of: Product cycles are too short for real innovation, tour equipment isn’t the same as retail (which is largely not true, by the way), too much is invested in marketing and not enough in R&D, top staffer X hasn’t even put the new driver in play, so it’s obviously not superior to the previous generation, prices are too high, and on and on.
Without digging into the merits of any of these claims, which I believe are mostly red herrings, I’d like to bring into view of our rangefinder what I believe to be the two primary difficulties golf equipment companies face.
One: As Terry Koehler, back when he was the CEO of Ben Hogan, told me at the time of the Ft Worth irons launch, if you can’t regularly hit the golf ball in a coin-sized area in the middle of the face, there’s not a ton that iron technology can do for you. Now, this is less true now with respect to irons than when he said it, and is less and less true by degrees as the clubs get larger (utilities, fairways, hybrids, drivers), but there remains a great deal of golf equipment truth in that statement. Think about it — which is to say, in TL;DR fashion, get lessons from a qualified instructor who will teach you about the fundamentals of repeatable impact and how the golf swing works, not just offer band-aid fixes. If you can’t repeatably deliver the golf club to the golf ball in something resembling the manner it was designed for, how can you expect to be getting the most out of the club — put another way, the maximum value from your investment?
Similarly, game improvement equipment can only improve your game if you game it. In other words, get fit for the clubs you ought to be playing rather than filling the bag with the ones you wish you could hit or used to be able to hit. Of course, don’t do this if you don’t care about performance and just want to hit a forged blade while playing off an 18 handicap. That’s absolutely fine. There were plenty of members in clubs back in the day playing Hogan Apex or Mizuno MP-32 irons who had no business doing so from a ballstriking standpoint, but they enjoyed their look, feel, and complementary qualities to their Gatsby hats and cashmere sweaters. Do what brings you a measure of joy in this maddening game.
Now, the second issue. This is not a plea for non-conforming equipment; rather, it is a statement of fact. USGA/R&A limits on every facet of golf equipment are detrimental to golf equipment manufacturers. Sure, you know this, but do you think about it as it applies to almost every element of equipment? A 500cc driver would be inherently more forgiving than a 460cc, as one with a COR measurement in excess of 0.83. 50-inch shafts. Box grooves. And on and on.
Would fewer regulations be objectively bad for the game? Would this erode its soul? Fortunately, that’s beside the point of this exercise, which is merely to point out the facts. The fact, in this case, is that equipment restrictions and regulations are the slaughterbench of an abundance of innovation in the golf equipment space. Is this for the best? Well, now I’ve asked the question twice and might as well give a partial response, I guess my answer to that would be, “It depends on what type of golf you’re playing and who you’re playing it with.”
For my part, I don’t mind embarrassing myself with vintage blades and persimmons chasing after the quasi-spiritual elevation of a well-struck shot, but that’s just me. Plenty of folks don’t give a damn if their grooves are conforming. Plenty of folks think the folks in Liberty Corner ought to add a prison to the museum for such offences. And those are just a few of the considerations for the amateur game — which doesn’t get inside the gallery ropes of the pro game…
Different strokes in the game of golf, in my humble opinion.
Anyway, I believe equipment company engineers are genuinely trying to build better equipment year over year. The marketing departments are trying to find ways to make this equipment appeal to the broadest segment of the golf market possible. All of this against (1) the backdrop of — at least for now — firm product cycles. And golfers who, with their ~15 average handicap (men), for the most part, are not striping the golf ball like Tiger in his prime and seem to have less and less time year over year to practice and improve. (2) Regulations that massively restrict what they’re able to do…
That’s the landscape as I see it and the real headwinds for golf equipment companies. No doubt, there’s more I haven’t considered, but I think the previous is a better — and better faith — point of departure when formulating any serious commentary on the golf equipment world than some of the more cynical and conspiratorial takes I hear.
Agree? Disagree? Think I’m worthy of an Adam Hadwin-esque security guard tackle? Let me know in the comments.
@golfoncbs The infamous Adam Hadwin tackle ? #golf #fyp #canada #pgatour #adamhadwin ? Ghibli-style nostalgic waltz – MaSssuguMusic
Episode #16 brings us Cliff McKinney. Cliff is the founder of Old Charlie Golf Club, a new club, and concept, to be built in the Florida panhandle. The model is quite interesting and aims to make great, private golf more affordable. We hope you enjoy the show!
Last week, I came across a reel from BBC Sport on Instagram featuring Scottie Scheffler speaking to the media ahead of The Open at Royal Portrush. In it, he shared that he often wonders what the point is of wanting to win tournaments so badly — especially when he knows, deep down, that it doesn’t lead to a truly fulfilling life.
View this post on Instagram
“Is it great to be able to win tournaments and to accomplish the things I have in the game of golf? Yeah, it brings tears to my eyes just to think about it because I’ve literally worked my entire life to be good at this sport,” Scheffler said. “To have that kind of sense of accomplishment, I think, is a pretty cool feeling. To get to live out your dreams is very special, but at the end of the day, I’m not out here to inspire the next generation of golfers. I’m not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world, because what’s the point?”
Ironically — or perhaps perfectly — he went on to win the claret jug.
That question — what’s the point of winning? — cuts straight to the heart of the human journey.
As someone who’s spent over two decades in the trenches of professional golf, and in deep study of the mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of the game, I see Scottie’s inner conflict as a sign of soul evolution in motion.
I came to golf late. I wasn’t a junior standout or college All-American. At 27, I left a steady corporate job to see if I could be on the PGA Tour starting as a 14-handicap, average-length hitter. Over the years, my journey has been defined less by trophies and more by the relentless effort to navigate the deeply inequitable and gated system of professional golf — an effort that ultimately turned inward and helped me evolve as both a golfer and a person.
One perspective that helped me make sense of this inner dissonance around competition and our culture’s tendency to overvalue winning is the idea of soul evolution.
The University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies has done extensive research on reincarnation, and Netflix’s Surviving Death (Episode 6) explores the topic, too. Whether you take it literally or metaphorically, the idea that we’re on a long arc of growth — from beginner to sage elder — offers a profound perspective.
If you accept the premise literally, then terms like “young soul” and “old soul” start to hold meaning. However, even if we set the word “soul” aside, it’s easy to see that different levels of life experience produce different worldviews.
Newer souls — or people in earlier stages of their development — may be curious and kind but still lack discernment or depth. There is a naivety, and they don’t yet question as deeply, tending to see things in black and white, partly because certainty feels safer than confronting the unknown.
As we gain more experience, we begin to experiment. We test limits. We chase extreme external goals — sometimes at the expense of health, relationships, or inner peace — still operating from hunger, ambition, and the fragility of the ego.
It’s a necessary stage, but often a turbulent and unfulfilling one.
David Duval fell off the map after reaching World No. 1. Bubba Watson had his own “Is this it?” moment with his caddie, Ted Scott, after winning the Masters.
In Aaron Rodgers: Enigma, reflecting on his 2011 Super Bowl win, Rodgers said:
“Now I’ve accomplished the only thing that I really, really wanted to do in my life. Now what? I was like, ‘Did I aim at the wrong thing? Did I spend too much time thinking about stuff that ultimately doesn’t give you true happiness?’”
Jim Carrey once said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.”
Eventually, though, something shifts.
We begin to see in shades of gray. Winning, dominating, accumulating—these pursuits lose their shine. The rewards feel more fleeting. Living in a constant state of fight-or-flight makes us feel alive, yes, but not happy and joyful.
Compassion begins to replace ambition. Love, presence, and gratitude become more fulfilling than status, profits, or trophies. We crave balance over burnout. Collaboration over competition. Meaning over metrics.
Interestingly, if we zoom out, we can apply this same model to nations and cultures. Countries, like people, have a collective “soul stage” made up of the individuals within them.
Take the United States, for example. I’d place it as a mid-level soul: highly competitive and deeply driven, but still learning emotional maturity. Still uncomfortable with nuance. Still believing that more is always better. Despite its global wins, the U.S. currently ranks just 23rd in happiness (as of 2025). You might liken it to a gifted teenager—bold, eager, and ambitious, but angsty and still figuring out how to live well and in balance. As much as a parent wants to protect their child, sometimes the child has to make their own mistakes to truly grow.
So when Scottie Scheffler wonders what the point of winning is, I don’t see someone losing strength.
I see someone evolving.
He’s beginning to look beyond the leaderboard. Beyond metrics of success that carry a lower vibration. And yet, in a poetic twist, Scheffler did go on to win The Open. But that only reinforces the point: even at the pinnacle, the question remains. And if more of us in the golf and sports world — and in U.S. culture at large — started asking similar questions, we might discover that the more meaningful trophy isn’t about accumulating or beating others at all costs.
It’s about awakening and evolving to something more than winning could ever promise.
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!