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

[Shorty]

Currently? Too short for him to feel comfortable posting it, apparently, if you go by the omission in the recently posted table.

And short enough for Lihu to suggest that it will be harder for him to reduce his handicap by playing short courses.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pretzel

Currently? Too short for him to feel comfortable posting it, apparently, if you go by the omission in the recently posted table.

And short enough for Lihu to suggest that it will be harder for him to reduce his handicap by playing short courses.

In context, I was only suggesting that making pars all day on a short course is a lot harder than making a mixture of pars bogeys on a longer course as long as you have the distance.

The thing that sticks in my mind is that he dunked a ball on the 180-185 yard forced carry in the video. I haven't met any single digit handicap underestimate by that much. It's not like the green was a short front to back with hazards on the back.

[b101]

In context, I was only suggesting that making pars all day on a short course is a lot harder than making a mixture of pars bogeys on a longer course as long as you have the distance.

The thing that sticks in my mind is that he dunked a ball on the 180-185 yard forced carry in the video. I haven't met any single digit handicap underestimate by that much. It's not like the green was a short front to back with hazards on the back.

I would argue that the worst part of that was that he mishit the ball that significantly - I don't think it was an underestimation really.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

In context, I was only suggesting that making pars all day on a short course is a lot harder than making a mixture of pars bogeys on a longer course as long as you have the distance.

The thing that sticks in my mind is that he dunked a ball on the 180-185 yard forced carry in the video. I haven't met any single digit handicap underestimate by that much. It's not like the green was a short front to back with hazards on the back.

I would argue that the worst part of that was that he mishit the ball that significantly - I don't think it was an underestimation really.

I just upped the volume and listened to the weak "clack" sound in the video. Is that what you mean?

[Dave2512]

At his level he's going to hit some clankers.

[Lihu]

At his level he's going to hit some clankers.

Do you think he's not even a high single digit handicap?

Now that I listen to it more carefully, it sounds a tiny bit "fat"? Honestly, I haven't been playing long enough to know by the sound. These are very interesting comments, and maybe someday I'll be able to tell. . .

[b101]

Do you think he's not even a high single digit handicap?

Now that I listen to it more carefully, it sounds a tiny bit "fat"? Honestly, I haven't been playing long enough to know by the sound. These are very interesting comments, and maybe someday I'll be able to tell. . .

Well I'm off roughly the same handicap as you and wasn't doing it by the sound so much - although you're right, it does sound a bit fat. I just thought that having seen the other two go first, and knowing his rough distances (it won't have been the first hole, so surely he must have a rough idea of how long he is compared to them), it's far more likely that he mishit it than over-estimated his length.

Edit: Oh, and the huge divot

[Dave2512]

Third day in a row I can't quote so maybe Lihu will see this or not. I do think Dan is a single digit golfer. Pretty sure everyone here that is also would say they hit a clanker more often than they would like. It's not elite golf or anything.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

Do you think he's not even a high single digit handicap?

Now that I listen to it more carefully, it sounds a tiny bit "fat"? Honestly, I haven't been playing long enough to know by the sound. These are very interesting comments, and maybe someday I'll be able to tell. . .

Well I'm off roughly the same handicap as you and wasn't doing it by the sound so much - although you're right, it does sound a bit fat. I just thought that having seen the other two go first, and knowing his rough distances (it won't have been the first hole, so surely he must have a rough idea of how long he is compared to them), it's far more likely that he mishit it than over-estimated his length.

Probably true, but off a tee it seems very unlikely to mishit an iron by that much? Especially something like a 5i or 6i?

If I use myself as an example, let's start off with the assumption that most of my shots are mishit. Given this I hit my 9i roughly 135 to 145 yards depending upon the conditions. I wouldn't even begin to be able to actually compensate for wind or terrain to hit close to the pin. I would guess. So, if I am aiming at a pin 140 yards away, I would expect to at least make 130 yards? Likewise goes for 8i (145-155), 7i (155-165), and 6i (165-175). So, for my current skill level a 170 yard pin is realistically the maximum distance I can hit into a par 3.

Extrapolating to Dan's handicap, we can assume that his mishits will be similar, but that he can hit longer clubs more reliably. I would not expect him to mishit so much that he would fall 20 yards short of the pin?

This is my take on it, but obviously I made quite a few assumptions.

Third day in a row I can't quote so maybe Lihu will see this or not. I do think Dan is a single digit golfer. Pretty sure everyone here that is also would say they hit a clanker more often than they would like. It's not elite golf or anything.

I would not expect the "clanker" to lose 20 yards at this level am I correct?

[b101]

Probably true, but off a tee it seems very unlikely to mishit an iron. Especially something like a 5i or 6i?

If I use myself as an example, let's start off with the assumption that most of my shots are mishit. Given this I hit my 9i roughly 135 to 145 yards depending upon the conditions. I wouldn't even begin to be able to actually compensate for wind or terrain to hit close to the pin. I would guess. So, if I am aiming at a pin 140 yards away, I would expect to at least make 130 yards? Likewise goes for 8i (145-155), 7i (155-165), and 6i (165-175). So, for my current skill level a 170 yard pin is realistically the maximum distance I can hit into a par 3.

Extrapolating to Dan's handicap, we can assume that his mishits will be similar, but that he can hit longer clubs more reliably. I would not expect him to mishit so much that he would fall 20 yards short of the pin?

This is my take on it, but obviously I made quite a few assumptions.

I would not expect the "clanker" to lose 20 yards at this level am I correct?

Pretty certain he played it off the ground actually - he certainly did on a par 3 earlier in the video. I wouldn't disagree with you on the mishits, but it looks like he caught it pretty fat in the video.

[Golfingdad]

[QUOTE name="Lihu" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/2490_30#post_1095371"]   Probably true, but off a tee it seems very unlikely to mishit an iron. Especially something like a 5i or 6i? If I use myself as an example, let's start off with the assumption that most of my shots are mishit. Given this I hit my 9i roughly 135 to 145 yards depending upon the conditions. I wouldn't even begin to be able to actually compensate for wind or terrain to hit close to the pin. I would guess. So, if I am aiming at a pin 140 yards away, I would expect to at least make 130 yards? Likewise goes for 8i (145-155), 7i (155-165), and 6i (165-175). So, for my current skill level a 170 yard pin is realistically the maximum distance I can hit into a par 3. Extrapolating to Dan's handicap, we can assume that his mishits will be similar, but that he can hit longer clubs more reliably. I would not expect him to mishit so much that he would fall 20 yards short of the pin? This is my take on it, but obviously I made quite a few assumptions. I would not expect the "clanker" to lose 20 yards at this level am I correct? [/QUOTE] No, you're not correct.  Lihu, tour pros still sometimes mishit balls and leave it 20 yards short.  It's not common, but it still happens.  And Dan's what?  A 6 or 7 handicap?  I didn't think I'd get to use this so soon, but check this out: That is the lob wedge of a 5 handicap.  Not a 5 or 6 iron, but a lob wedge!  Amateurs are, by and large, shitty ball strikers who mishit balls ALL OF THE TIME.

No more often than half the shots I hit every time I play. :P

[Dave2512]

All of the time isn't an exaggeration either.

[Lihu]

Oh man, what a let down. . .

Still, I don't expect any of you to mishit a 200 yard ball and lose 20 yards?

BTW, he must have hit it only 170-175 yards to dunk it.

[Golfingdad]

Still, I don't expect any of you to mishit a 200 yard ball and lose 20 yards?

Then you VASTLY overestimate our skill levels.  VASTLY.

The last round that I played bettered my handicap by 0.3 strokes and that was including 3 shots off decent lies (one off the tee) with longer clubs that came up short by 20 or more yards.  And that's during a GOOD round.  When I play like doo-doo there are even more.

[Pretzel]

Still, I don't expect any of you to mishit a 200 yard ball and lose 20 yards?

It's pretty uncommon for me, but it still happens. My more common mishit with my 200 yard club is teeing it slightly too high and hitting it up on the face, but I've laid the sod over a shot of only 80 yards before.

The possibility of that happening never goes away as you get better, it just gets less and less likely as you go. It's a continuum that doesn't really have an end to it.

Referencing the feeling of hitting a clanker, I'd say that you get tougher on yourself about it as you go. I still feel like I hit the same number of shots with poor contact as I did when I was a 5 or an 8, but those shots have better contact now than they did when I was playing to a 5 or an 8. If I were being completely honest, I would categorize about 75-80% of my shots as having poor contact just because they didn't feel centered enough, then 20% of them with decent contact that felt reasonably centered, and only about 0-5% as excellent contact that feel just right.

[cipher]

It's pretty uncommon for me, but it still happens. My more common mishit with my 200 yard club is teeing it slightly too high and hitting it up on the face, but I've laid the sod over a shot of only 80 yards before. The possibility of that happening never goes away as you get better, it just gets less and less likely as you go. It's a continuum that doesn't really have an end to it.

Yeah it happens. I only have 5 approach shots recorded on GG with my 4 iron and I left 3 of them well short due to bad strikes.

[RFKFREAK]

It's interesting, contrasting this versus golf…

I really liked the song that went along with this video. :)

[golf-noob-bruce]

@RFKFREAK I also liked the song. It's "Fifteen" by Goldroom.