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

[newtogolf]

"I'm 4 years into it, so I'm getting to a point where I kinda understand the swing and I can do it on my own with my FlightScope here."

I read this as, I can't afford a swing coach and no one has offered to do it for free so I'm going to do it on my own.

[b101]

I read this as, I can't afford a swing coach and no one has offered to do it for free so I'm going to do it on my own.

Agreed - surely he could afford at least a couple of lessons though? Given that he has a Flightscope, any decent instructor could set him some goals to work towards. I'm still intrigued as to how he hasn't noticed/won't notice that pretty much every PGA tour player bar Bubba has their own coach...

[DrvFrShow]

I noticed something in Dan's handicap reporting.... while in 2013 he shows revisions in Feb meaning he played elsewhere than in Oregon. Oregon's reporting season is almost the same as ours. Mar 1 - Nov 30. Ours ends on Nov 15. And last year I noticed that his HC dropped to 2.6 to 6/1/14 then went to 4.1 for the following revision. We're playing winter rules in this area until June 1 due to fairway conditions. September 20 winter rules apply again. Notice his HC dropped. Dan is about a 4-5 handicapper with summer rules; a 3 handicapper with winter rules.

We're seeing his HC rise during summer rules and fall during winter rules. He does seem to be improving.

There has to be a good instructor in the Portland area who can work with him on his swing. He just may not be a big name swing coach. How complicated is the golf swing? He bought the Flightscope, and how many sessions could he have had with a competent instructor for that?

[Lihu]

[QUOTE name="newtogolf" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/2628#post_1105628"]   I read this as, I can't afford a swing coach and no one has offered to do it for free so I'm going to do it on my own. [/QUOTE] Agreed - surely he could afford at least a couple of lessons though? Given that he has a Flightscope, any decent instructor could set him some goals to work towards. I'm still intrigued as to how he hasn't noticed/won't notice that pretty much every PGA tour player bar Bubba has their own coach...

I just wish he would record more sessions with the fight scope. . . What a waste of a Flightscope.

[nevets88]

Quote:

"I'm 4 years into it, so I'm getting to a point where I kinda understand the swing and I can do it on my own with my FlightScope here."

I read this as, I can't afford a swing coach and no one has offered to do it for free so I'm going to do it on my own.

I'm guessing no one's offering because at this point, I don't see much of an upside for the pro. If you were an instructor, there are probably other ways to get exposure with more ROI.

Quote:

Originally Posted by b101

Quote:

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I read this as, I can't afford a swing coach and no one has offered to do it for free so I'm going to do it on my own.

Agreed - surely he could afford at least a couple of lessons though? Given that he has a Flightscope, any decent instructor could set him some goals to work towards. I'm still intrigued as to how he hasn't noticed/won't notice that pretty much every PGA tour player bar Bubba has their own coach...

I just wish he would record more sessions with the fight scope. . . What a waste of a Flightscope.

Or just not making data public.

[newtogolf]

I'm guessing no one's offering because at this point, I don't see much of an upside for the pro. If you were an instructor, there are probably other ways to get exposure with more ROI.

I agree, no one knows for certain where Dan is at right now.  I question the integrity of his handicap, as it's much lower than his scores in tournaments when he's accountable for every shot and has to post his score regardless of what it is.

A swing coach would have to completely evaluate where Dan is before even considering it and then have to determine how hard Dan will work to improve.  I'd stay away.

[Lihu]

[QUOTE name="nevets88" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/2610_30#post_1105729"]   I'm guessing no one's offering because at this point, I don't see much of an upside for the pro. If you were an instructor, there are probably other ways to get exposure with more ROI. [/QUOTE] I agree, no one knows for certain where Dan is at right now.  I question the integrity of his handicap, as it's much lower than his scores in tournaments when he's accountable for every shot and has to post his score regardless of what it is. A swing coach would have to completely evaluate where Dan is before even considering it and then have to determine how hard Dan will work to improve.  I'd stay away.

The main thing is his swing. I doubt a swing like his can consistently shoot in the low to mid 70s. He might get one or two low rounds which lowers his handicap to 6 or 8? Not really believable that he's a 3, though.

[DrvFrShow]

The main thing is his swing. I doubt a swing like his can consistently shoot in the low to mid 70s. He might get one or two low rounds which lowers his handicap to 6 or 8? Not really believable that he's a 3, though.

That's a 3 with preferred lies. I looked at the dates of his revisions. There's a sudden drop as soon as this region goes out of summer rules. It's low in the spring, then goes up in the summer. There's handicap reporting but all the courses go to preferred lies as the local rule. I don't think you do that in So. Cal. He can tee up the ball on a clump of grass within a 6" radius in the fairway for his second shot on par 4s and second and third shots (or anywhere except in a bunker) on par 5s. It gives an artificially low handicap. A lot of people see their HCs rise when summer rules take effect in June, and you can't do that anymore.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

The main thing is his swing. I doubt a swing like his can consistently shoot in the low to mid 70s. He might get one or two low rounds which lowers his handicap to 6 or 8? Not really believable that he's a 3, though.

That's a 3 with preferred lies. I looked at the dates of his revisions. There's a sudden drop as soon as this region goes out of summer rules. It's low in the spring, then goes up in the summer. There's handicap reporting but all the courses go to preferred lies as the local rule. I don't think you do that in So. Cal. He can tee up the ball on a clump of grass within a 6" radius in the fairway for his second shot on par 4s and second and third shots (or anywhere except in a bunker) on par 5s. It gives an artificially low handicap. A lot of people see their HCs rise when summer rules take effect in June, and you can't do that anymore.

We have winter rules here too, but I don't like to use them. Feels too much like cheating. . .

[RandallT]

That's pretty cool! Dan will play Pebble Beach in a couple hours, with same tees and pin placements as yesterday's final round. That's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Talk about a decent benchmark to compare yourself against- this should be a decent way to evaluate where he stands today (admittedly rusty from the winter though). Think we'll get a score from it? Maybe he'll turn on his Game Golf module , or track it via his GolfShot app . We can hope.

[Lancer78]

CR 74.7 Slope 143 6,828 yrds.  If Dan's HC is accurate, he should shoot somewhere around 80.

[iacas]

That's a 3 with preferred lies. I looked at the dates of his revisions. There's a sudden drop as soon as this region goes out of summer rules. It's low in the spring, then goes up in the summer. There's handicap reporting but all the courses go to preferred lies as the local rule. I don't think you do that in So. Cal. He can tee up the ball on a clump of grass within a 6" radius in the fairway for his second shot on par 4s and second and third shots (or anywhere except in a bunker) on par 5s. It gives an artificially low handicap. A lot of people see their HCs rise when summer rules take effect in June, and you can't do that anymore.

That's a fairly serious allegation.

Our season ends October 15. You are not supposed to post rounds, even if you play them under strict Rules of Golf (not winter rules, I mean), within that jurisdiction.

If you travel to FL where they're in season, though, you post those rounds.

Is Dan is posting rounds played on out-of-season courses? It should be fairly easy to look up.

[David in FL]

That's a fairly serious allegation.

Our season ends October 15. You are not supposed to post rounds, even if you play them under strict Rules of Golf (not winter rules, I mean), within that jurisdiction.

If you travel to FL where they're in season, though, you post those rounds.

Is Dan is posting rounds played on out-of-season courses? It should be fairly easy to look up.

Just took a look.  He's only posted 3 rounds since 15 October.  One home course round in Nov and 2 away rounds in January.  Differentials of 9.0, 11.3, and 13.0.

I'd say the allegation is unfounded.

[Shorty]

That's pretty cool! Dan will play Pebble Beach in a couple hours, with same tees and pin placements as yesterday's final round. That's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Talk about a decent benchmark to compare yourself against- this should be a decent way to evaluate where he stands today (admittedly rusty from the winter though). Think we'll get a score from it? Maybe he'll turn on his Game Golf module, or track it via his GolfShot app. We can hope.

If he has 99 he'll still think he's on track.

[DrvFrShow]

That's a fairly serious allegation.

Our season ends October 15. You are not supposed to post rounds, even if you play them under strict Rules of Golf (not winter rules, I mean), within that jurisdiction.

If you travel to FL where they're in season, though, you post those rounds.

Is Dan is posting rounds played on out-of-season courses? It should be fairly easy to look up.

No. I'm not making that allegation about posting out of season rounds. I was looking on his web site HC postings between September 15 and Nov 30 2014. The official reporting season ends on Nov 30 in Oregon , but it starts raining, the courses start doing maintenance and winter rules are put in place. They aerate the greens and fairways. Fairway conditions aren't the best so preferred lies. You have a clump of mud on your ball from maintenance work. Lift and clean. We do this up here in the PNW. It starts raining, I'm not making an allegation that he's cheating. I just noticed a coincidental drop in HC on the next revision after 9/15 which is when winter rules take effect. And I saw a pattern in the spring going into summer. That's all. No allegations.

A more detailed lookup on GHIN shows he's playing his home course which he knows quite well, sometimes he plays blue at 133 slope and sometimes white at 131 slope. Blue course is 6700 yds, and White is 6400 yds. It looks like a course that requires control over distance. It's a very nice looking course.

And you can't report a round played on your home course during off season because the computer will kick it out. It won't be accepted. Away scores from areas that are still in season will be accepted.

[iacas]

And you can't report a round played on your home course during off season because the computer will kick it out. It won't be accepted. Away scores from areas that are still in season will be accepted.

You can online, last time I had a handicap.

[Golfingdad]

If he has 99 he'll still think he's on track.

Well, he will have had the same amount of digits in his score as all of the pros - so I'd have to agree with him!

[newtogolf]

CR 74.7 Slope 143 6,828 yrds.  If Dan's HC is accurate, he should shoot somewhere around 80.

Is he playing from the pro's tees or the celebrities?