News

Floor Talk: A Conversation with Mark Crossfield

BY MyGolfSpy
Feb 14th 2019
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One of the things we wanted to accomplish at this years’ PGA Show was to record genuine conversations. Most of the videos that come out of The Show can be summed up as “We stuck a microphone in a guy’s face and listened as he repeated the same thing he said 5 minutes ago when somebody else stuck a microphone in his face.”

Fascinating.

Rather than add to the pile of meh, we sought to capture authentic conversations. No mics in faces, our cameras lurking as inconspicuously as possible in the background.

That’s exactly how things went down when we ran into Mark Crossfield inside the Titleist booth. The conversation was free-flowing, to say the least, but it’s easy to see how so much can be learned through a simple exchange of ideas. We hope Mark will take us up on our invitation to stop by the MyGolfSpy test facility and continue the conversation. There’s plenty more we can learn from each other.

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Our mission is #ConsumerFirst. We are here to help educate and empower golfers. We want you to get the most out of your money, time and performance. That means providing you with equipment reviews you can trust, as well as honest reporting on the latest issues affecting the game today. #PowerToThePlayer

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Driver Ping G30	Hybrids PXG 0317
3/4 IRON PXG 0311XF	5-GW Srixon Z 565
SW PXG 0317	LW PXG 0311
Putter EVNROLL

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comments

Join The Discussion

Andrew Han

5 years ago

Truefit Mark and his crew. Would love to see a truly blind shaft and club testing. Shift the weights around and what not.

Also, see if you can collab with TXG. Not sure how that will work since I they may be exclusive to GolfWRX, but they seem to know their stuff.

Kyle

5 years ago

Used to check in on crossfield often. I recently discoved “no laying up” line of videos on youtube. They are absolutely captivating around the game of golf. Highly suggest checking them out (strapped) series is awesome. The collab between crossfield and MGS would be pretty cool to see as well.

scott

5 years ago

As tester of golf clubs on video I’m a Rick Shields fan, Crossfield is actor playing the role of a life time as a golf club tester …He doesn’t give you much feed back about the product but he’s all about the drama ..1 out of 5 stars

Sietse

5 years ago

Totally disagree. I learn way more from Crossfield than Shiels. Shiels is entertainment and markets his channel very well but he never told me anything that made me understand the bigger picture and why things work or not.

Joey5Picks

5 years ago

That’s because there’s nothing new under the sun. He carries driver 262 no matter what driver it is. All that new money people spend on clubs is probably better spent on lessons.

Peter

5 years ago

The more club reviews I watch the less interested I am in purchasing new equipment.

You can thank Mark Crossfield ,My Golf Spy etc al for reinforcing this belief.

Make the shaft longer ,of course you will hit the driver further.

Stronger lofts in irons ? I simply don’t get it!

An interesting club is the 3 wood.This club has not really changed at all.Why? Making the shaft longer is not viable and the lofts are where they should be.

So,no wonder Mark Crossfield says he is a coach!

I can’t wait for some manufacturer to bring back the irons Jack Nicklaus used to be the world’s best ever golfer.

BUT

Then again we will continue to look for the holy grail in innovation.

That is human nature!

Bob

5 years ago

You are like so many people on here that give golf clubs a bad rap. Like everyone else who complains about golf equipment companies, you likely upgrade your phone, car, clothes, and countless other things that don’t offer you any performance benefits over what you have. Or if they do they are marginally better. At the end of the day golf equipment is not a need, it’s a want. So relax and enjoy this great game in whatever capacity you wish. Let the club junkies be club junkies, the range rats be range rats, and so on. Many of us who work for equipment companies are just trying to make an honest living doing what we love around a game we love.

Michael

5 years ago

I’m with you, Bob. Far too many people with no credibility who feel the need to cut down any tall poppy they find. It’s the twenty first century version of old fart’s “letters to the editor”.

DB

5 years ago

Looks like Mark had already had a few pints when they ran into him. Used to watch a lot of his videos because when I started playing regularly he was one of the first to have a lot of content on YouTube. Over the years he has begun to grate on me, and with all the other sources out there I simply just skip his reviews on most things. A lot of his videos now are just him rambling and trying to be funny, with no real data involved. Actually I sort of chuckled when I saw the email said PGA “Coach” Mark Crossfield… I could never take a lesson from that guy since I just cannot take him seriously anymore.

As far as a collaboration between MGS and MC, I think it could certainly add some credibility to both sides and could generate some better testing methods and context, but I hope the MGS guys are up for it because I imagine that guy could get really, really annoying after a few hours. And you may have to tie his hands to his side when having a discussion so you don’t lose an eye.

Brian

5 years ago

What is it about him that you can’t take seriously? It can’t be his lack of knowledge of the golf swing, because of anyone I’ve seen online, he knows how to diagnose a problem nearly immediately. And if you’re saying he doesn’t need to present data, it’s because his shtick is that he already knows the club is going to give him the exact performance he expects, which is what he continually reinforces: Golf clubs just haven’t changed much in the last decade.

If it’s his personality, then that’s all subjective. I’d love to play a round with the guy.

Joro

5 years ago

Lets face it, clubs have improved a bit, but not a lot and so have shafts, but was have not is the player and ability and marketing is convincing them that it is the club and not the Player. The new ad for Epic says it is the club, not the player and so we buy the club but are no better, how come.

Bill Freeman

5 years ago

Will be fascinating to see what would come out of this collaboration, l believe that you guys are both doing similar things, but come at it from different directions. Can’t wait.

Jim

5 years ago

Completely agree. I think this would be the best reviews out there based on honest thoughts and figures. Please get this done.

Rob C

5 years ago

That was a great exchange between two of the most popular golf media around. Would be very interested in what Crossfield visit to MGS HQ would produce.

Emery

5 years ago

Worst video EVER. Keep it up and can’t wait for the next!

Gary Goetz

5 years ago

I really like Mark Crossfield.Glad to see him in this video.I watch his video’s on YouTube all the time.Love the way he adds humor to his comments.He’s like no other.I really love your website.It’s like you guys tell it like it is.Hope you have more video’s with Mark.

Thanks,Gary

saveva

5 years ago

The issue I have with Mark is I believe he tests with a prenotion of what he believes will be his conclusion. He then uses certain data points amongst a lot of data points to prove his hypothesis. He’s done so many tests that carries that baggage with him for future tests. He clearly doesn’t like marketing and doesn’t understand why people fall for the placebo effect because his brain operates on a higher level than us average humans. (I got mad at 6:03 and jumped to the comments section to comment.)

Rob

5 years ago

I agree. I’ve stopped watching Mark more and more over the last few years. I get tired of his holier than thou attitude and constant dismissal of tech in equipment. Yes, a lot is marketing and hype but some really works well for people. He’s not shaft sensitive so he preaches that shafts don’t make any difference assuming that everyone else is just like him. I definitely don’t want someone that just praises everything but your credibility goes out of the window when you get sponsored (Titleist). He’s never once said any of their tech is pointless and has never put out a bad review of their equipment.

Brad

5 years ago

I think a lot of people miss the point of what Crossfield is trying to say about equipment and his disdain for the marketing claims about various “tech” in golf clubs. The main point – there is no holy grail in golf clubs for drivers, putters, training aides, etc. Some specific equipment will work better for “some” people, and for others the worst performing for person A may be the best performing for person B. Does that mean A is good and B is bad, or B is good and A is bad? All that means is that one club fit a player better in looks, feel, lie angle, swingweight, total weight, overall balance, etc. None of that is “tech”, it is aesthetics and fitting. That’s Mark’s point. If someone hits a driver 20 yards further than another driver, it is highly unlike that was due to the driver itself. Something about the configuration of the driver optimised that players performance, simple as that,.

Everyone one comes with some preconceptions of what they like the look and feel of, or are convinced by some aspect of the club. If you believe that you can only hit your driver well with a HZRDUS shaft, then you have a bias that will likely affect your testing of all other shafts. Robot testing is the only way to “prove” one bit of “tecH works better than another, but both MyGolfSpy and most manufacturers test and decide on what products come to market based on n humans testing, not robot testing. They do this because they know it is more about the man than the equipment. Most often, products win the “Most Wanted” whatever because the manufacturer has found a combination of looks, feel, balance, length, and weight for their club that suits a bigger percentage of golfers off the shelf than another product. It doesn’t mean it has better “tech”.

HDTVMAN

5 years ago

I always go to Mark Crossfield’s video’s when new products are released, especially for his comparisons. It would be great to see Mark and MGS review some products together under the same roof.

kevin

5 years ago

Any time you have a positive exchange of ideas golfers benefit.

rmk

5 years ago

My favorite golf equip website and videologropher (sp?) people at the same place/time. I am an infrequent commenter on web content in general but very picky about the sites I frequent. I spend most of my time working and golfing but my limited screen time is spent on mygolfspy and Marks terrific videologs. Keep up the good work fellas and I’ll keep an eye out for future collaborations. .

Bandit

5 years ago

Ummmm, Crossfield on MyGolfSpy? Only if you promise to kidnap him!
He has the be the most annoying presenter on YouTube!!

ComeOnSense

5 years ago

This is awesome, thanks for sharing.

McLovin

5 years ago

MyGolfSpy gets in the “Cross hairs’ with Mark Crossfield. Love it. Make it happen boys.

ChristopherKee

5 years ago

That was fun to watch. Always enjoy a good candid conversation.

TR1PTIK

5 years ago

Still watching on my phone, but I love this. Do more of it! It’s great to hear honest conversation from content creators/educators. I hope we see something in the near future with Crossfield at MGS HQ. Thanks for sharing!

Steve S

5 years ago

Interesting conversation at the end about “comments”. I’m not sure anyone who does what you folks do should EVER “feel bad” about what’s written in the comments. Most of what you write and do is based on testing and trials which by definition aren’t perfect. They are designed by humans and inherently can’t be “perfect”. But by pushing the conversation towards facts not fantasy the “truth” about golf equipment slowly emerges. If folks can’t handle the truth then they have a personality flaw that renders whatever they write near useless, except for entertainment value. Nitpicking does have some use however, if it points out flaws in testing which then can be fixed in the future.

Mark

5 years ago

What they ought to do is not go back and forth with people who comment and act like little baby’s and tell people to leave the forum if they disagree with them.. Seen that a bunch on here. No doubt they could be a bit more professional but maybe that is why they are as popular as they are. As a society we have lost all civility in our discussions.

TR1PTIK

5 years ago

Not sure where you’re getting all of this from. I joined (and frequent) the MGS forums precisely because of the amount of civil discussion going on. Perhaps you’re referencing the people who have openly attacked the authors of MGS articles (and MGS as a whole) because they didn’t have the mental fortitude to accept data-supported information that was contrary to their own personal beliefs and opinions. Not trying to argue. Just trying to say that I don’t see it.

BenSeattle

5 years ago

Interesting take; both nonsensical and fascist. What you’re saying is, in order to come to a website (one based largely on opinions) you must consent IN ADVANCE to agree with the presenters, whether you really do or not. That’s pathetic. If you’re a dictator in a banana republic, determined to control the media and bend all to your will, this might be an effective technique but not here, ostensibly an Open Forum. SO WHAT if posters disagree with the tests, the presenters and the owners; isn’t debating what I like and what you like half the fun of being a fan of golf equipment in general? There are plenty of websites where the owner-moderators insist that any criticism results in a ban; may MyGolfSpy never be one of them.

TR1PTIK

5 years ago

Wow Ben. Perfectly logical and well thought response. Clearly that’s what I was saying (sarcasm). I don’t care whether or not anyone agrees with MGS articles, but they shouldn’t come to pick a fight against the only people who back what they say with hard data. When I said people don’t have “the mental fortitude to accept data-supported information”, I meant precisely that. They can’t ACCEPT the data as something viable for whatever reason, and attack the test/author/site/etc.,etc. yet they never seem to present any of their own data. You can accept something and not believe it as your own – that is fine and perfectly within the realm of possibility (for most people). You can even see this in the video when Crossfield practically winces after Tony says that some drivers are “generally” longer than others with enough data (1 minute mark). He clearly doesn’t believe that based on his own testing, but at least he’s willing to bring his own data, experience, and knowledge to the table and have a real discussion.

Cody reeder

5 years ago

Love your stuff. I think it would be great to see you guys collaborate with some of these other YouTubers.

Scott King

5 years ago

As the two most digital media I digest. MGS and Crossfield banging heads and sharing thoughts is so good for the game from my perspective.

JeffW

5 years ago

This is a positive comment. Keep it up.

Bob The Golfer

5 years ago

Look back over all the history of MyGOLFSPY, and you will not see one comment from me. Not one. But I liked this video so much I just had to say something. I get more “Useable” golf information from you guys than a hundred from guys like Mark Crossfield or Rick Shiels, etc… And I actually listen to em. But when I buy my clubs (14 handicap after only 4 years of play, starting at age 60) I did it by watching MYGOLFSPY and knowing they had MY best interest at heart, not their SPONSOR’s. You guys mean a lot to me and help me make a decision based on facts, not “fancy” or “looks”. Keep it up!!

MyGolfSpy

5 years ago

Now THIS is why I come to work. Thanks Bob. – Adam

ryebread

5 years ago

Bob the Golfer absolutely nailed it.

I watch Crossfield (and like him a lot) as well as Sheils. I like the guys up in Canada as well. It’s fun watching people way better than me hit the ball who are focused on showing some data. The reality is though that’s not my swing. I wish it were. I wish I had Crossfield’s short and mental game and Shiel’s distance. But I don’t, and neither do most golfers.

What they’re telling you in the “tech” is typically nothing more than anyone who reads the marketing glossy will find out. They’re kind of club porn and are good for some light of thought filler before sleeping. It’s good click bait and like many “influencers” they figure out how to turn this into a living. It’s entertainment.

MGS actually gives me something I can use to influence buying decisions. I’ve not bought a single club because Crossfield, Shiels, etc. recommended it. I do use MGS to change my buying behavior, or build my short list of what I am going to shop. I appreciate that there’s behind the scenes information. I appreciate that there’s actual consumable data published.

I recognize that doing this right takes a lot of time and effort. I will say that the SGI iron buyer’s guide is about the best I’ve seen anywhere recently. It balanced data with subjective elements and reminded me of those great MGS driver/FW tests of 5-6 years ago (but with better analytics).

Keep it up!

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Floor Talk: A Conversation with Mark Crossfield

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comments

Andrew Han

Kyle

scott

Sietse

Joey5Picks

Peter

Bob

Michael

DB

Brian

Joro

Bill Freeman

Jim

Rob C

Emery

Gary Goetz

saveva

Rob

Brad

HDTVMAN

kevin

rmk

Bandit

ComeOnSense

McLovin

ChristopherKee

TR1PTIK

Steve S

Mark

TR1PTIK

BenSeattle

TR1PTIK

Cody reeder

Scott King

JeffW

Bob The Golfer

MyGolfSpy

ryebread

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Apr 12, 2024

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