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

[Pretzel]

I remember Kelzzy a while ago. He was an interesting case.

[Lihu]

As if we need more examples of how difficult it is to keep up a public blog about your golf progress... here's a trip down memory lane with these two efforts. Fair to say they were both crash and burns in the end.

Just looked through the threads. I remember thinking that shooting 82 was a phenomenal feat, and that he must be getting close to scratch.

I remember Kelzzy a while ago. He was an interesting case.

Yeah, I wonder how he's doing now?

[iacas]

I'm surprised some independently wealthy guy hasn't done this, at least in social media public. Like the guy in TIm's Vermeer - who although could sit back and relax, looked like he worked pretty hard.

Perhaps the situation is simply that more of the independently wealthy guys are older. This begged for a 22-year-old to do it*.

* It would have been no more or less scientifically (in)valid, of course. Just that a 22-year-old would have had a better chance of getting better than Dan.

[DrvFrShow]

For five months, I will have 390 hrs. of practice. There are limitations. That's 3 hrs/day, six days/wk. If I did this 52 weeks I'd have 936 hrs/yr. Over the next three years, that would be about 2800 hrs. That's a lot of hours of practice even for someone a lot younger than me.

Someone starting at age 10 and practicing like this would have about 10,000 hrs by age 20. By age 30, 20,000 hrs.

Practicing 7 - 8 hrs/day doesn't leave any time for life, and one must leave time for that. Also the golf swing is a repeated motion, and RSIs can occur.

[Lihu]

For five months, I will have 390 hrs. of practice. There are limitations. That's 3 hrs/day, six days/wk. If I did this 52 weeks I'd have 936 hrs/yr. Over the next three years, that would be about 2800 hrs. That's a lot of hours of practice even for someone a lot younger than me.

Someone starting at age 10 and practicing like this would have about 10,000 hrs by age 20. By age 30, 20,000 hrs.

Practicing 7 - 8 hrs/day doesn't leave any time for life, and one must leave time for that. Also the golf swing is a repeated motion, and RSIs can occur.

This is a good idea for me as well. I am thinking of breaking up my time to two 1.5 hour sessions or a 2 hour and 1 hour session.

I count the practice rounds as practice time, though.

[GHIN0011458]

[Lihu]

There are so many factors with doing something like this. The bottom line is that if you are good enough to make it, I think that success at lower levels would come within the first 5000 hours. If you were to start after the age of 22-25 I would think this is maybe how you would have to progress.

2000- developing golf swing foundation

3000- start tournaments

4000- win local amateur events/club championships

5000- win these events again and qualify for some USGA events or almost qualify; get a World Amateur Golf Ranking

6000- Top 5 in State Open's, Qualify for USGA Events, Make match play in these events.

7000- Win a state open, turn pro, start mini tours

8000- Learn Mini-tour golf, make cuts

9000- Win Mini Tour event, State Open, etc

10000+ - Maybe qualify for web.com event on a Monday, continue winning on a mini tour platform, get through us open qualifying, etc. then MAYBE you might make it on tour.

For most, we all peak at some point due to having restricted resources such as time, money, weather to where this process would take so long that we would be past our prime.. which I think is like 31-34. If Dan isn't progressing at rapid speed to start with, then the talent isn't there IMO.

I agree with your conclusion, but am curious as to what fills the training times between 3000 and 10000 hours. What sort of things does one do?

[GHIN0011458]

I agree with your conclusion, but am curious as to what fills the training times between 3000 and 10000 hours. What sort of things does one do?

I think you work on your weaknesses, make them strengths, then do it again. The key that I have found is that you cannot work on more than one very small change to a swing at a time.  I think you sharpen your skills with distance control and you really learn how to manage your round. You learn the mental game and you get to see what other good players are doing and it pushes you to do better. You learn to play percentage shots. You learn how to miss. You learn SO much playing a tournament where every stroke counts so much.

[Lihu]

I think you work on your weaknesses, make them strengths, then do it again. The key that I have found is that you cannot work on more than one very small change to a swing at a time.  I think you sharpen your skills with distance control and you really learn how to manage your round. You learn the mental game and you get to see what other good players are doing and it pushes you to do better. You learn to play percentage shots. You learn how to miss. You learn SO much playing a tournament where every stroke counts so much.

Yeah, I see. Dan really puts himself into a vacuum, and doesn't spend a lot of time playing against other people. I suppose you are suggesting that playing against other players is one of the training methods to get used to actual tournament play?

It seems like if he was really a 2-3 handicap, he could have a field day making money playing stakes rather than begging for money on the internet.

[GHIN0011458]

Yeah, I see. Dan really puts himself into a vacuum, and doesn't spend a lot of time playing against other people. I suppose you are suggesting that playing against other players is one of the training methods to get used to actual tournament play?

It seems like if he was really a 2-3 handicap, he could have a field day making money playing stakes rather than begging for money on the internet.

not necessarily.. it is very hard to find people to actually play straight up for enough cash to matter. Then you are using it to keep a public plan going which could effect your amateur status since it isn't necessarily under the radar cash. Then you have guys who want strokes and sandbag or you get guys who are scratch or better who are going to play you for enough money. This kind of money I have only seen exchange hands at country clubs where 300-500 bucks is no big deal..

[Lihu]

not necessarily.. it is very hard to find people to actually play straight up for enough cash to matter. Then you are using it to keep a public plan going which could effect your amateur status since it isn't necessarily under the radar cash. Then you have guys who want strokes and sandbag or you get guys who are scratch or better who are going to play you for enough money. This kind of money I have only seen exchange hands at country clubs where 300-500 bucks is no big deal..

True, I guess there's a difference between playing for your round cost and making a "living" off of it.

Even Cochran in the criminal thread couldn't make a living playing golf, even though he is probably skilled enough to win the Michigan open.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/78131/golfing-con-man-arrested-after-his-mothers-funeral#post_1074915

[jamo]

Was it signed - Love mom?   Otherwise it was clearly one of Dan's people trying to help him out.

Does Dan even have "people" anymore? I assume he's got a family member or two that help him or occasionally with the website, but The Dan Plan doesn't seen like a huge operation, especially given his budgetary concerns. [quote name="nevets88" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/2010#post_1074814"]Interesting list of other folks doing something similar. Many are not very active. [URL=https://twitter.com/golfprogress/lists/fellow-dreamers/members]https://twitter.com/golfprogress/lists/fellow-dreamers/members[/URL] [COLOR=292F33] [COLOR=292F33] SCRATCH IN A YEAR [/COLOR] @scratchin1year [/COLOR] [COLOR=292F33]I picked up a golf club for the 1st time in 15 years in Sep 2013. My challenge is to play a scratch round of golf within one year, by 11.05.2015.[/COLOR] [COLOR=292F33] [COLOR=292F33] #TourQuest [/COLOR] @TeamTourQuest [/COLOR] [COLOR=292F33] [COLOR=66B5D2]#[/COLOR]TourQuest is: 5 guys, one dream, to make it on the PGA Tour. Follow us as we travel the country on our quest.[/COLOR] [COLOR=292F33] [COLOR=292F33] Steven Carey [/COLOR] @StevenCareyGolf [/COLOR] [COLOR=292F33]On a challenge to go from an unfit, scrappy golfer to 5 H`cap or under and get on a leading UK amateur tour. Please support me and visit my website.[/COLOR] [COLOR=292F33] [COLOR=292F33] stephen grant [/COLOR] @soccer2golf [/COLOR] [COLOR=292F33]x pro soccer player trying to make it as a two sport professional by getting my card on a major world golf tour(TOUGH TASK)SHAMROCK ROVERS[/COLOR] [COLOR=292F33] [COLOR=292F33] Chris Cooper [/COLOR] @GolfUnderRepair [/COLOR] [COLOR=292F33]Journey of a 7 handicapper working to Open Qualification under top tuition. View lessons, top tips and all things golf related.[/COLOR] [COLOR=292F33] [COLOR=292F33] Brian Phillips [/COLOR] @PGABoundBrian [/COLOR] [COLOR=292F33]I'm trying to chase my dream and with a little help from a lot of people, I'm gonna make it happen! Please visit my site for donations, even $1 helps![/COLOR] [/quote] We see it here on the forum constantly. No pros yet, as far as I can tell. [quote name="Pretzel" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/2010#post_1074871"]I remember Kelzzy a while ago. He was an interesting case. [/quote] "Interesting" is one way to put it. "Crazy, vindictive troll" is probably more accurate.

[nevets88]

I wonder if Dan Plan counts a practice round as 4-5 hours or ~10 minutes. Because while you're out there for 4-5 hours, you spend a fraction of that time actually hitting a ball.

[Pretzel]

I wonder if Dan Plan counts a practice round as 4-5 hours or ~10 minutes. Because while you're out there for 4-5 hours, you spend a fraction of that time actually hitting a ball.

I guarantee it's the former. Not that it's necessarily wrong to do so. I know I would count it for that long because, while he may not be hitting the ball, he's practicing for tournaments. Or at least I hope he's practicing like he's in a tournament.

[newtogolf]

Yeah, I see. Dan really puts himself into a vacuum, and doesn't spend a lot of time playing against other people. I suppose you are suggesting that playing against other players is one of the training methods to get used to actual tournament play?

It seems like if he was really a 2-3 handicap, he could have a field day making money playing stakes rather than begging for money on the internet.

Dan has a vanity cap so he's not going to take money from anyone that has a legit handicap.   First rule of gambling is don't put money at risk you can't afford to lose.  Based on his level of online panhandling I'd say he doesn't have much money he can afford to lose.

[GHIN0011458]

I guarantee it's the former. Not that it's necessarily wrong to do so. I know I would count it for that long because, while he may not be hitting the ball, he's practicing for tournaments. Or at least I hope he's practicing like he's in a tournament.

Dan has played in like 6 tournaments in however many years.. its a joke. Play in tournaments or don't plan on going to the PGA tour. I highly doubt there are many true scratch golfers who have never played at least one or two full seasons of tournament golf.

[flopster]

[QUOTE name="Lihu" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/2016#post_1074875"]   Just looked through the threads. I remember thinking that shooting 82 was a phenomenal feat, and that he must be getting close to scratch. :-D Yeah, I wonder how he's doing now? [/QUOTE] Not tearing up the junior circuit like he said he was going to do, I guess when people here all ganged up on his fragile ego he couldn't keep that focus alive from the dead of winter into summer, he was the one that told us how easy golf was if you worked hard and he's just "wired" for the game of course. The best part was when he said he could hit his drives with 325 yards carry consistently. [URL=http://jganc.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/jganc14/event/jganc149/contest/71/profile/kmcnanie/tresults.htm]http://jganc.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/jganc14/event/jganc149/contest/71/profile/kmcnanie/tresults.htm[/URL]

[RandallT]

http://thedanplan.com/an-early-winter/

... I have been thinking lately about how to realistically keep this journey moving forward.  There are a lot of options out there and I just need to figure out what makes the most sense. ...

...Today I started a process of looking for part time work.  For ages I’ve been thinking about how to gain sponsorship for the project so that I can solely focussing on practice, but the longer I get into the 10,000 hours the less likely that becomes, as Steven Levitt told me a couple of years ago.  From his point of view the longer I went unsponsored the less likely I would find a sponsor because the focus of the story transitions from the journey to outcomes.  At this point I need to win a tournament of some repute in order to gain credibility in the golfing world.  While that is definitely something that can and will happen, I do not currently have the funds to enter a series of these events which is a somewhat self-defeating cycle....

...I love what I do and will continue it however possible; it’s just time for some small changes to alleviate specific stresses and allow for a more wholehearted pursuit during the time where that is the focus.  Things don’t always work out exactly as planned, but if we are willing to be flexible along the way the potential for success exponentially increases.

Is this the start of the project wind-down?

He realizes he needs to start winning tournaments, so that's good. He's still hopeful that's possible, so his optimism remains. I guess that's good.

It looks to me like he is also saying (rationalizing to himself?) that this new flexibility in his plan of finding some work and putting golf on the back-burner a bit for the winter will make his potential for success rise "exponentially."  Doubt it rises exponentially (as in y=x^2), but whatever it takes to keep yourself motivated!