The Dan Plan - 10,000 Hours to Become a Pro Golfer (Dan McLaughlin)

[mchepp]

Originally Posted by golf55

VERY INTERESTING! I wish I found this earlier!

Sorry I didn't read all 28pages

question

1. who pays for all his stuff? quit his job so this must cost a lot of money.

He has a couple of 1-2 minute videos explaining this on his website, but in summary he is using donations and his savings.

[golf55]

Originally Posted by mchepp

He has a couple of 1-2 minute videos explaining this on his website, but in summary he is using donations and his savings.

I swear I thought I edited that post to add more questions. O.o

Did he post his training methods? 6hrs a day on the range doesn't add up. No way you can keep hitting the balls 6hrs a day daily without harming to your body. I want to make it to D1 school and practice much as possible but physically it's not possible to practice that long without your body giving up. I did practice 5hrs straight couple times but had to rest 3days to recover.

[Williamevanl]

*update Dan got his first eagle on a par 5.

I was looking at the trackman stats today his Driver carry yardages are kind of surprising. (probably because I spend to much time on the forums) :)

Driver Carry via Trackman

209

217

112      *ouch, well at least we know he's honest. :P

235

207

This is kind of interesting too (As far as carry distances)

Average 3 wood carry: 168                  total: 212

Average 3 hybrid carry: 178                 total: 207

Average 4 hybrid carry: 181                 total: 197

So he carries his 4 hybrid significantly farther than his 3 wood. (but gets a great deal of run on the 3 wood?)  I wonder what his shots look like.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Williamevanl

*update Dan got his first eagle on a par 5.

I was looking at the trackman stats today his Driver carry yardages are kind of surprising. (probably because I spend to much time on the forums) :)

Driver Carry via Trackman

209

217

112      *ouch, well at least we know he's honest. :P

235

207

Did he hole out from 150 yards or something? :P Those numbers aren't good.

[mchepp]

Those numbers aren't good.

Particularly when you consider his CHS is 106mph, or something like that. Seems he has some bad launch conditions.

[Beachcomber]

2-5-13, Dan passed over the 3,800hr mark in his quest to 10Khrs... And sits at a 5.9 handicap.

[marvin]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

2-5-13, Dan passed over the 3,800hr mark in his quest to 10Khrs... And sits at a 5.9 handicap.

Pretty much impressive, isn't it?

I envy him much. I wish I could leave all the study/works related things, and play golf everyday.

[sofingaw]

Nobody knows if he will be ultimately successful or not, but if you watch the videos on his site, and read the info there, instead of go off conjecture based only on info or opinions in this thread... It's hard to see him not at least becoming better than scratch. PGA Tour pro's are what? +5-ish?

As I understand the info on his site, within the first year, working ONLY on putting, he had gotten to PGA Tour averages for distances of 1 ft, 3 ft, 10 ft, 20 ft, and 40 ft. Obviously not the whole game, and who knows if he has maintained that, and pressure is a whole other thing. But that still seems rather impressive to me. I bet some + players don't quite do that, even in practice. Just the dedication to try that is outrageous with regard to discipline and focus.

Additionally interesting to me is a comment I heard on Feherty's show when he was talking with Chubby Chandler. Feherty mentioned that he himself went on tour (European Tour?) as "a 5 handicap".

This obviously is a different time, and a different tour, but Feherty won a few titles in his time, and CLEARLY didn't have the dedication that Dan has to his game, being an admitted drunk and all.

Dan obviously won't make it on tour as a 5 handicap. I don't dare to suggest that, so please do not misunderstand. Clearly, he will have to be better than scratch. But even as a +1 or +2, there's no reason to dismiss him and his chances on the Web.com Tour if he has been putting as well as a PGA Tour pro since his first year golfing .

I think Dan is being grossly underestimated by many. I don't know what it's like to dedicate my whole life to something. Few of us do. I have a day job, and several interests, to include golf as only one. But I think if one goes 'all in' as Dan has, and without a physical or mental disability, the odds would be greatly in his favor to succeed.

Either way, I'm rooting for him!

Good luck Dan!

[Parker0065]

Those trackman numbers????? I don't know,,,it doesn't look good,,lol! I started as a 9 year old and had better numbers by age 14 with persimmon and balata!

I was scratch by 18 and I didn't keep accurate records but I've estimated it took me somewhere between 4000-6000 hrs to reach scratch. As a 6hcp with those launch numbers after nearly 4000 hours, he might make it to scratch by 10,000 hours, but I'd bet the kitchen sink on it not happening!

Truth is I seriously doubt he's a true 5.9 with those launch numbers. Something doesn't add up!

[onephenom]

if i could quit my job and attempt this, i would spend 12 hours a day playing.

[grubby98]

I don't see how he is such a low HC with such inconsistent trackman numbers.  He must have a really good short game or he doesn't hit it very far off from the FWAY.

[Beachcomber]

His Trackman combine score of 66 (going from memory without looking it up) isn't terrible. He hits his wedges decent enough to give him looks at birdie. And as already noted in this thread, his putting was a big emphasis early in the 'plan'. And I agree while his distance and launch numbers off the tee are pretty poor. He hits his shorter sticks above average (some were sub 15ft from target). He is giving himself some legit looks at birdie on shorter holes where he has a wedge in his hand. This is a key to scoring 101. So I'd guess his handicap is pretty accurate as he would be a total moron to lie about where he is with his game, right? I mean he would be flamed by the media and golf community if it was unfounded. And he gets more and more media attention as he hits those gates getting him closer and closer to 10khrs. So I gotta believe he'd have more to lose embellishing his handicap and achievements than the average Tom, Dick, and Harry on this forum?

[Mr Mulyak]

Originally Posted by sofingaw

As I understand the info on his site, within the first year, working ONLY on putting, he had gotten to PGA Tour averages for distances of 1 ft, 3 ft, 10 ft, 20 ft, and 40 ft.

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

And as already noted in this thread, his putting was a big emphasis early in the 'plan'.

Never underestimate the power of the flat stick.

He hasn't, he started all this from 1 foot away, working towards the tee.

Utilizing the club you use most, working backwards to the club we use the least, seems to me, brilliant.

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

His Trackman combine score of 66 (going from memory without looking it up) isn't terrible. He hits his wedges decent enough to give him looks at birdie. And as already noted in this thread, his putting was a big emphasis early in the 'plan'.

And I agree while his distance and launch numbers off the tee are pretty poor. He hits his shorter sticks above average (some were sub 15ft from target). He is giving himself some legit looks at birdie on shorter holes where he has a wedge in his hand. This is a key to scoring 101.

So I'd guess his handicap is pretty accurate as he would be a total moron to lie about where he is with his game, right? I mean he would be flamed by the media and golf community if it was unfounded. And he gets more and more media attention as he hits those gates getting him closer and closer to 10khrs. So I gotta believe he'd have more to lose embellishing his handicap and achievements than the average Tom, Dick, and Harry on this forum?

I couldn't find it, but do you have his latest handicap card?  He was playing some pretty easy courses last I remember and his tournament scores were through the roof.  I wonder if that's changed.  Getting to scratch on 70.0 / 125, 6100 yd courses isn't going to get him competitive in the local county championship, let alone anything at the National level......

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Mr Mulyak

Never underestimate the power of the flat stick.

He hasn't, he started all this from 1 foot away, working towards the tee.

Utilizing the club you use most, working backwards to the club we use the least, seems to me, brilliant.

Most golfers use your driver second most. :)

I don't think he sniffs status on a tour. I don't even think he gets to scratch.

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by sofingaw

Nobody knows if he will be ultimately successful or not, but if you watch the videos on his site, and read the info there, instead of go off conjecture based only on info or opinions in this thread... It's hard to see him not at least becoming better than scratch. PGA Tour pro's are what? +5-ish?

As I understand the info on his site, within the first year, working ONLY on putting, he had gotten to PGA Tour averages for distances of 1 ft, 3 ft, 10 ft, 20 ft, and 40 ft. Obviously not the whole game, and who knows if he has maintained that, and pressure is a whole other thing. But that still seems rather impressive to me. I bet some + players don't quite do that, even in practice. Just the dedication to try that is outrageous with regard to discipline and focus.

Additionally interesting to me is a comment I heard on Feherty's show when he was talking with Chubby Chandler. Feherty mentioned that he himself went on tour (European Tour?) as "a 5 handicap".

This obviously is a different time, and a different tour, but Feherty won a few titles in his time, and CLEARLY didn't have the dedication that Dan has to his game, being an admitted drunk and all.

Dan obviously won't make it on tour as a 5 handicap. I don't dare to suggest that, so please do not misunderstand. Clearly, he will have to be better than scratch. But even as a +1 or +2, there's no reason to dismiss him and his chances on the Web.com Tour if he has been putting as well as a PGA Tour pro since his first year golfing.

I think Dan is being grossly underestimated by many. I don't know what it's like to dedicate my whole life to something. Few of us do. I have a day job, and several interests, to include golf as only one. But I think if one goes 'all in' as Dan has, and without a physical or mental disability, the odds would be greatly in his favor to succeed.

Either way, I'm rooting for him!

Good luck Dan!

Don't misunderstand.  I don't think there's a single person on this forum that wouldn't like to see him succeed.

But.....and it's a big BUT, there are a LOT of VERY experienced golfers here.  They include professionals, top amateurs, and respected instructors who have the experience and perspective to provide a lot of honest insight as to the progress he's making based on the information, data, and trends that are available.  No one is saying he won't, or can't make his goal of earning a PGA Tour card by 10,000 hours, but right now the trends and data doesn't seem to indicate he will......at least in the opinion of those who are in the best position to make that forecast.

Notice that we're following him pretty closely and have been for 2 years now.  That forecast could certainly change with time.  We'll see.......

[dsc123]

where are these trackman numbers from?

http://thedanplan.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/driver-January-7-2013.pdf

It looks like he has an average carry of 229, avg total of 246, and a SS of 105.

[indyvai]

Just found this thread... Gotta catch up on this guy. He's my official Sprout Hero of the week!