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

[RandallT]

If he continues to take advice like that from Koto where he asks him what should I work on long game or short game and Koto says short game for sure, then this guy is heading in the wrong direction still.

You're right! At the 15:15 mark of that video, Dan actually says... "So for me to get from where I am playing off a "2" to get where you are, about 6 or 7 strokes ahead, you think that I need to get back to grinding on that short game?"  The reply was basically "yes."  Wow.

Maybe Andrew was hoping that Dan would understand how much better Kota was than he during the interview in the end? The final score was something like: Kota 15, Dan 2, Andrew 1 with Kota just missing a couple eagles. That kid is only aspiring to be on the PGA tour, and Dan does not seem to understand how much better Kota is than he?

Funny that Dan thinks he's only about 6 or 7 strokes from Kota, yet it sounds like Kota cleaned up convincingly, perhaps by well over 10 strokes. When Dan enters his tournaments, he is typically about 18 strokes per day behind the leaders of those tournaments.  Dan keeps trying to frame it as he only needs to get a few strokes better, when reality suggests he needs to be well over 10 strokes better per round. Those 10 strokes will likely not be made up from short game improvement.

Purely speculative and I could be wrong but I don't think he truly enjoys it, as much of a positive attitude he puts forward.

Judging by the web site, the fun is gone. He holds on enough of his positive attitude in these videos here to stay alive, but compared to the early writings and the nicely produced "Dan Plan" regular videos on Vimeo, the thrill is gone (as BB King would say). Kenny Rogers is likely next up with advice for him...

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

Maybe Andrew was hoping that Dan would understand how much better Kota was than he during the interview in the end? The final score was something like: Kota 15, Dan 2, Andrew 1 with Kota just missing a couple eagles. That kid is only aspiring to be on the PGA tour, and Dan does not seem to understand how much better Kota is than he?

Funny that Dan thinks he's only about 6 or 7 strokes from Kota, yet it sounds like Kota cleaned up convincingly, perhaps by well over 10 strokes. When Dan enters his tournaments, he is typically about 18 strokes per day behind the leaders of those tournaments.  Dan keeps trying to frame it as he only needs to get a few strokes better, when reality suggests he needs to be well over 10 strokes better per round. Those 10 strokes will likely not be made up from short game improvement.

The word "clueless" comes to mind. He probably needs to be 12-13 strokes better if we really think he plays to a 7-8 handicap.

[garybbq]

What I find so strange is that even when Dan plays along side + players and in this case someone who is going to turn pro he doesn't seem to comprehend how much worse he is........ thoughts?

[DrvFrShow]

I think Kota is making an assumption that the distance game is a given. Unfortunately this advice gets given to about everyone on how to get better scores. "Work on your short game." I got the same advice when I was 33 handicap. Yes it helped, but I'm still a 24 handicapper.

I think Dan knows how much worse he is, but he's putting on a good face for the camera. He has no choice at this point in time.

Becoming a successful touring pro is a rarity. When you consider how many excellent golfers there are who don't make it on the tour, what exactly are Dan's chances?

It's the same with any sport such as football, basketball, and making it in one of the pro leagues. What are the chances? You have to be really really good. You can even break all sorts of NCAA records (due to the quality of your graduating class) yet only end up a sub in the pros.

[Lihu]

I think Kota is making an assumption that the distance game is a given. Unfortunately this advice gets given to about everyone on how to get better scores. "Work on your short game." I got the same advice when I was 33 handicap. Yes it helped, but I'm still a 24 handicapper.

I think Dan knows how much worse he is, but he's putting on a good face for the camera. He has no choice at this point in time.

Becoming a successful touring pro is a rarity. When you consider how many excellent golfers there are who don't make it on the tour, what exactly are Dan's chances?

It's the same with any sport such as football, basketball, and making it in one of the pro leagues. What are the chances? You have to be really really good. You can even break all sorts of NCAA records (due to the quality of your graduating class) yet only end up a sub in the pros.

Kota was probably assuming that Dan was really a 2 handicap player, at that point in time they did not play a round together. That advice might make more sense to someone who hits greens or near the greens almost every time like a real 2 handicap. Kota's expression after the round didn't seem like that of someone who worked hard to beat his competition, as I suppose he might have expected if Dan were really a 2 handicap?

[RFKFREAK]

Kota was probably assuming that Dan was really a 2 handicap player, at that point in time they did not play a round together. That advice might make more sense to someone who hits greens or near the greens almost every time like a real 2 handicap. Kota's expression after the round didn't seem like that of someone who worked hard to beat his competition, as I suppose he might have expected if Dan were really a 2 handicap?

I don't think even against a legit 2hC he would have worked hard because it didn't seem like they were doing a competition.

I think Kota was just out there doing his thing and probably realized at some point as he was dusting Andrew and Dan that Dan was not being very honest with his HC.

[Pretzel]

This was something interesting to me, but it looks almost like he treats the club as a floppy noodle on his follow through. He just doesn't look comfortable swinging the club really to me.

[nevets88]

What I find so strange is that even when Dan plays along side + players and in this case someone who is going to turn pro he doesn't seem to comprehend how much worse he is........ thoughts?

The more people tell you you can't do something... ya'll know how the rest goes. Or maybe it's a comfortable living, got into a groove. Doesn't make his goal, what's the worse that can happen? Who knows. This is sort of like a TV show I started and the quality has declined rapidly but for some reason, I'm causally keeping an eye out to see how it turns out. No, it's not Lost. Lost was more entertaining. :-)

[Abu3baid]

The more people tell you you can't do something... ya'll know how the rest goes. Or maybe it's a comfortable living, got into a groove. Doesn't make his goal, what's the worse that can happen? Who knows. This is sort of like a TV show I started and the quality has declined rapidly but for some reason, I'm causally keeping an eye out to see how it turns out. No, it's not Lost. Lost was more entertaining. :-)

I think you are doing a little more than casually keeping an eye out ;) You are obsessed my friend! ;)

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

Kota was probably assuming that Dan was really a 2 handicap player, at that point in time they did not play a round together. That advice might make more sense to someone who hits greens or near the greens almost every time like a real 2 handicap. Kota's expression after the round didn't seem like that of someone who worked hard to beat his competition, as I suppose he might have expected if Dan were really a 2 handicap?

I don't think even against a legit 2hC he would have worked hard because it didn't seem like they were doing a competition.

I think Kota was just out there doing his thing and probably realized at some point as he was dusting Andrew and Dan that Dan was not being very honest with his HC.

This is match play and not stroke play, so I would think that Kota could lose at least 4-5 holes to Dan rather than 2? I remember there being some statistics on this site somewhere?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

His swing looks a little bit more aggressive, he just has that funny stretching twitch thing going on at the end of the follow through as if to show everyone that he is "young and flexible" rather than approaching middle age?

This was something interesting to me, but it looks almost like he treats the club as a floppy noodle on his follow through. He just doesn't look comfortable swinging the club really to me.

I don't know enough to analyze his swing, but it does still looks a bit "weak" and floppy?

[nevets88]

[quote name="nevets88" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/2360_10#post_1092180"] The more people tell you you can't do something... ya'll know how the rest goes. Or maybe it's a comfortable living, got into a groove. Doesn't make his goal, what's the worse that can happen? Who knows. This is sort of like a TV show I started and the quality has declined rapidly but for some reason, I'm causally keeping an eye out to see how it turns out. No, it's not Lost. Lost was more entertaining. :-)

I think you are doing a little more than casually keeping an eye out ;) You are obsessed my friend! ;)[/quote] Ha ha. Maybe. Not only are there golf aspects to this, but also psychology, marketing, media and tech aspects as well.

[RFKFREAK]

This is match play and not stroke play, so I would think that Kota could lose at least 4-5 holes to Dan rather than 2? I remember there being some statistics on this site somewhere?

My point was that I don't think they were playing for anything more than pride which translates at times to people not competing as hard.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

This is match play and not stroke play, so I would think that Kota could lose at least 4-5 holes to Dan rather than 2? I remember there being some statistics on this site somewhere?

My point was that I don't think they were playing for anything more than pride which translates at times to people not competing as hard.

Agree, but to some people this is more important than money.

[RFKFREAK]

Agree, but to some people this is more important than money.

True.

Never quite understood that myself since pride doesn't pay the bills.

[flopster]

;)

Well according to Dan He's only a step behind Kota, it's just one hell of a step.

[RFKFREAK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RFKFREAK

Well, you know, Dan's playing off a 2HC and Kota is like a +5 and a prodigy but gosh darnit, Dan is confident he's going to get to the PGA so that's all that matters!

;)

Well according to Dan He's only a step behind Kota, it's just one hell of a step.

Seriously, haha.

I have to give Kota credit, he had to know Dan wasn't a 2 and just played along.

Kind of wish he were outed publicly, though.

[flopster]

Even if Dan was a 2 he still shows his lack of knowledge of the game, a 2 marker is way more than 6 or 7 strokes off a +5, handicap is based off potential and we all know a+5 players scores are going to be a lot more consistent to that +5 than a supposed 2 marker. In reality that 2 is more like 10 strokes behind when all rounds are averaged because this is stroke not net. Dan took him on straight up and got all out spanked and in reality he's more like a 6 or 7 so he's easily 15 strokes behind when everything is averaged out, this is what makes me laugh when Dan says he's just a step behind someone like Kota.In match play a 2 marker will make plenty of pars so the +5 player will probably only win 5 holes or even less cause a 2 will have a birdie here or there also, as expected Dan is way out of his element when teeing it up against guys like Kota and part of me thinks the show may have set him up for this.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flopster

Quote:

Originally Posted by RFKFREAK

Well, you know, Dan's playing off a 2HC and Kota is like a +5 and a prodigy but gosh darnit, Dan is confident he's going to get to the PGA so that's all that matters!

;)

Well according to Dan He's only a step behind Kota, it's just one hell of a step.

Seriously, haha.

I have to give Kota credit, he had to know Dan wasn't a 2 and just played along.

Kind of wish he were outed publicly, though.

I felt this to be the case towards the last hole they played together. The first par 3 Dan dunked with something like a 185 yard carry probably gave some of that away too.