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

[Lihu]

So. . .you're saying he made the goal of becoming a pro golfer within 10,000 hours?

[Pretzel]

So. . .you're saying he made the goal of becoming a pro golfer within 10,000 hours?

Yes, just not in the way he planned it to happen.

It also makes me wonder what the ramifications are for him playing in USGA sanctioned events claiming amateur status when he had clearly violated the rules of amateur status. Are there any sanctions for doing so? Even if he didn't know it, he lied to USGA officials about his amateur status in order to play in an amateur tournament organized by the USGA.

[Nosevi]

So. . .you're saying he made the goal of becoming a pro golfer within 10,000 hours?

Possibly by accident :-) Over here to begome a professional golfer you just need to declare yourself a professional golfer, basically say "I'll accept financial reward for playing or teaching golf." By doing that you revoke your amateur status and are by default a professional golfer. Not the same over there ?

[Nosevi]

[QUOTE name="Lihu" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/3564#post_1204817"]   So. . .you're saying he made the goal of becoming a pro golfer within 10,000 hours? [/QUOTE] Yes, just not in the way he planned it to happen.  It also makes me wonder what the ramifications are for him playing in USGA sanctioned events claiming amateur status when he had clearly violated the rules of amateur status. Are there any sanctions for doing so? Even if he didn't know it, he lied to USGA officials about his amateur status in order to play in an amateur tournament organized by the USGA.

It says it only applies to Amateur golfers "of golf skill or reputation." I think he'll get away with it. Sorry, couldn't resist :-)

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pretzel

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lihu

So. . .you're saying he made the goal of becoming a pro golfer within 10,000 hours?

Yes, just not in the way he planned it to happen.

It also makes me wonder what the ramifications are for him playing in USGA sanctioned events claiming amateur status when he had clearly violated the rules of amateur status. Are there any sanctions for doing so? Even if he didn't know it, he lied to USGA officials about his amateur status in order to play in an amateur tournament organized by the USGA.

It says it only applies to Amateur golfers "of golf skill or reputation." I think he'll get away with it.

Sorry, couldn't resist

Ouch!

[Pretzel]

It never said they had to have a positive reputation...

[Nosevi]

It never said they had to have a positive reputation...

Harsh :-)

[RandallT]

If he had played well in, or won, any of his Oregon amateur tournaments last year I would be willing to bet that he would've been stripped of his title pretty quickly when his opponents looked into him. If Dan attempts to play in further Oregon amateur events, I should hope that someone contacts the organizing body for the event and notifies them of Dan's breach of the rules of amateur status. If you want to make it to the tour, you have to follow the same rules as everybody else. You are not allowed to ignore them simply because you're a guy writing a blog with a "plan".

That's a compelling case (I deleted most of it in the quote block due to the length). This issue pops up from time to time in the thread, and I've not seen the case laid out as clearly as this before- but I could've missed it.

I don't compete, so forgive the ignorance in this question: when you sign up for local tournaments, do they typically require amateur status? Would Dan even be barred from the tournaments that you typically compete in, for example, (which he needs experience in!), if it came to be known of what appear to be black&white; violations of the USGA rules on maintaining amateur status.

Or are amateur events a special subset of tournaments that would be available to him (if he were actually an amateur)?

[Pretzel]

That's a compelling case (I deleted most of it in the quote block due to the length). This issue pops up from time to time in the thread, and I've not seen the case laid out as clearly as this before- but I could've missed it. I don't compete, so forgive the ignorance in this question: when you sign up for local tournaments, do they typically require amateur status? Would Dan even be barred from the tournaments that you typically compete in, for example, (which he needs experience in!), if it came to be known of what appear to be black&white; violations of the USGA rules on maintaining amateur status.   Or are amateur events a special subset of tournaments that would be available to him (if he were actually an amateur)?

He competed in the Oregon State Amateur (it was either the stroke play or a qualifier) last year, which is a tournament only open to amateur competitors. A majority of tournaments that I play in, through the Rocky Mountain Junior Golf Tour, do not have an amateur stipulation as far as I know. I know Colorado Junior Golf Association tournaments are "junior amateur tournaments" and require amateur status. As to your specific question, amateur tournaments are a specific subset. Many tournaments, such as scrambles or your run of the mill charity tournament, are open tournaments for all to enter. There are also the mini tours that provide professional tournaments. The advantage of amateur tournaments is that they generally have a higher level of competition than most open tournaments while being cheaper than professional tournaments (no prize pool to contribute to). Club championships or similar course organized tournaments are generally open tournaments with lower entry fees that Dan could participate in. I know many places also have a city championship, which can be an open tournament or can be an amateur tournament (my city doesn't prohibit professionals explicitly to my knowledge, but they are discouraged). Dan is treading on thin ice, legally speaking. He is most definitely a professional golfer, from a breach of one rule or another, in the eyes of the USGA. That makes it impossible for him to compete in the highest levels of competition that are still economically feasible for him, which would be USGA amateur events such as state or national amateurs (along with the public links championship etc.). He can so play mini tours or open tournaments to get experience.

[Nosevi]

Over here when you turn pro 3 things happen: Firstly the number of tournaments you can enter is reduced by a factor of 10. You can't go into any club competitions let alone any amateur events further afield. Secondly you invariably have to pay quite a bit more to play in any tournaments, about 10 times as much as a rule. Thirdly you'd better be quite good - you need to qualify for most of the tours out there and if/when you do you'll find everyone's pretty good at golf. The course setups are a tad different from the country club or muni you may be used to and the players are expecting to go under par anyway. He's not ready for that just yet. Best he gets on the phone to Titleist and cancels that lucrative sponsorship deal......

[Nosevi]

Btw, I know I'm being a tad flippant @Pretzel and you're right - you've got to have the same rule for all. But it's not as if he's blazing a trail through the amateur ranks right now. About the only guys that could be pissed are any alternates that couldn't get in because he was there. If he wins anything it'll be a different matter.

[Pretzel]

It's too late, he's already breached the rules of amateur status. He is, in the eyes of the USGA, a professional golfer until he meets the conditions to apply for reinstatement of his amateur status, which means that he needs to abide by the rules regulating amateur status for at least one calendar year then submit an application for reinstatement, which costs an additional $150.

Btw, I know I'm being a tad flippant @Pretzel and you're right - you've got to have the same rule for all. But it's not as if he's blazing a trail through the amateur ranks right now. About the only guys that could be pissed are any alternates that couldn't get in because he was there. If he wins anything it'll be a different matter.

This is all true, but the big part is that he needs to follow the rules. He ignored procedure and registered for tournaments as an amateur, which is a breach of procedure that would not be tolerated in other professions. Why should it be tolerated in golf just because the guy happens to have a blog and a "plan"?

I'm personally fine with him embarrassing himself further in amateur tournaments, but if I were competing against him you bet I'd call up a rules official immediately and have him disqualified. It's unfair to his competitors to have someone who believes himself to be above the rules in the field.

[Nosevi]

[QUOTE name="Nosevi" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/3564#post_1204884"] He's not ready for that just yet. Best he gets on the phone to Titleist and cancels that lucrative sponsorship deal......[/QUOTE] It's too late, he's already breached the rules of amateur status. He is, in the eyes of the USGA, a professional golfer until he meets the conditions to apply for reinstatement of his amateur status, which means that he needs to abide by the rules regulating amateur status for at least one calendar year then submit an application for reinstatement, which costs an additional $150. [QUOTE name="Nosevi" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/3564#post_1204888"] Btw, I know I'm being a tad flippant [@=/u/48354/Pretzel]@Pretzel[/@] and you're right - you've got to have the same rule for all. But it's not as if he's blazing a trail through the amateur ranks right now. About the only guys that could be pissed are any alternates that couldn't get in because he was there. If he wins anything it'll be a different matter.[/QUOTE] This is all true, but the big part is that he needs to follow the rules. He ignored procedure and registered for tournaments as an amateur, which is a breach of procedure that would not be tolerated in other professions. Why should it be tolerated in golf just because the guy happens to have a blog and a "plan"? I'm personally fine with him embarrassing himself further in amateur tournaments, but if I were competing against him you bet I'd call up a rules official immediately and have him disqualified. It's unfair to his competitors to have someone who believes himself to be above the rules in the field.

He doesn't have a plan. But I digress...... Not really arguing with you, in fact I agree that you can't be sponsored in any way (including travel for appearances etc) as an amateur golfer. I'm not sure it bothers me all that much but there again it doesn't effect me either. Certainly if the field was full in an Amateur tournament and I couldn't get in because someone was there that wasn't really entitled to be there, that would hack me off.

[DrvFrShow]

But I still don't see Dan making it even to the mini-tours. I know way too many golfers in my immediate area who are amateurs whom I meet at the range and just shot a 68. The guy behind the register is an amateur and shot a 65 at one of my favorite dog tracks. Granted the course is rated 68.5/116 from the blues, but still a 65 is still a 65. That's 3.5 under scratch rating. Dan hasn't come close.

He was 30 years old at the start. He's 35 now. The window has closed for any tour.

But he lived the dream for a while. Had one good year where his handicap  dropped, but is about a 5 HC.

The other thing is that he doesn't have the money to enter the more prestigious amateur championships. And I don't think he could qualify for the national level - he's not good enough.

[Pretzel]

Hence the quotes around "plan".

[Nosevi]

[CONTENTEMBED=/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/3564#post_1204888 layout=inline]Quote:[/CONTENTEMBED] [QUOTE name="Nosevi" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/3564#post_1204899"] He doesn't have a plan. But I digress......[/QUOTE] Hence the quotes around "plan".

In which case it should be 'plan' rather than "plan". You see when you put " " around a word it means....... I'm just messing with you. Get the point :-)

[Shorty]

But I still don't see Dan making it even to the mini-tours.

???????

He's not making it to the final 16 of a club championship.

[Lihu]

5 hc would make the top 80.