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

[nevets88]

This was a comment in the most recent blog post:

Quote:

I can’t help it but I keep on wondering what it is that you’re working on. In your posts you talk a lot about deflattening your swing and how it is important that your clubs match your swing. You get yourself measured again, new clubs are proposed and ordered, and then after two months of trying them out you decide to revert back to your old wedges (that apparently don’t fit your new swing). So what exactly have the last months brought you in terms of progress and where is your focus?

Without disrespect, but it seems to me that you’ve been standing still for a long time when it comes to the main idea of becoming a better golfer: getting a swing that you trust and that you can reproduce in all circumstances. Instead of focusing on your swing mechanics (perhaps also because you don’t have the funds to work with a coach regularly anymore) you seem to switch towards the mental side of the game (Vision54) and towards new gear. Important, but it’s not going to fix the fundamental flaws in your game.

To be frankly honest: your statistics in terms of fairways hit (almost 10% worse than the worst player on the PGA tour), GIR and your handicap combined with what you describe (I do not understand that a handicap 3 seems to be very regularly struggling to break 80) do not suggest that you will ever make your goal if you keep on proceeding the way that you’re doing. That leaves you, in my opinion, with two choices: the first is to guarantee new funds and to start working with a good coach again several days a week and focus on fixing your swing. The second is to call it quits and come to terms with the fact that golf isn’t a game you can become great in by just having the determination to practice for 10.000 hours.

Again, I do not mean to disrespect you and the tremendous effort you’re putting in, but it really seems to me you’re not in any way on the right track to becoming the golfer you want to be.

The reply:

Hi Leon,

I appreciate the thoughts and agree that more coaching is the next step, especially with my short game. My coach is out of town for 6 months out of the year and I have been looking for someone new who is hear year around. I have it down to a couple of people and once I pinpoint the right person I will most definitely post about it.

In my mind the swing changes and new fitting gear align well with each other. Only reason I went back to the old wedges is that I think that part of the game is all about feel and after 8 weeks with the heavier shafts I never found a good feel with them. The older ones fit like a glove. But, I am thinking about either putting the new wedges on the old shafts or bending the old wedges flat to align with the fitting I had. It’s just a work in progress and I love tinkering with gear to find things that feel right.

At any rate, yes for more coaching and thank you again for the comment,

Dan

[Shorty]

If he's got an excuse - for example, dialling in new wedges, "testing" shafts or bad weather, he has an excuse. Nut jobs like this see that as progress.

It's all about focusing on the fringes and avoiding the central issue of becoming so good he is capable of playing alongside the top 100 odd players in the world. It's so laughable it's barely funny any more.

[Lihu]

If he's got an excuse - for example, dialling in new wedges, "testing" shafts or bad weather, he has an excuse. Nut jobs like this see that as progress.

It's all about focusing on the fringes and avoiding the central issue of becoming so good he is capable of playing alongside the top 100 odd players in the world. It's so laughable it's barely funny any more.

Yeah, this seems odd. It takes something like a day to get used to the wedges. Of course, I have no idea how close he hits them.

I might take a look at his blogs again at lunch.

[Lihu]

Hey, I did not know that Dan spent time at Mangrove Bay!

http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/man-with-the-dan-plan-has-7600-hours-to-meet-goal-of-becoming-a-golf-pro/1212662

Strange that he would use those greens for his practice!

[Pretzel]

It takes all of 15 minutes to get used to a new wedge for chip shots. The dude is delusional at this point if he still thinks they're to blame. I picked up a new wedge after a high school tournament since I had $150 in clubhouse credit at the course (and my old wedge had a gave that was starting to become a bit concave). I had another tournament the next day and shot two strokes better than the previous day with identical scrambling percentages. If Dan can't "get used" to his wedges within a week the problem is most certainly him.

[Lihu]

It takes all of 15 minutes to get used to a new wedge for chip shots. The dude is delusional at this point if he still thinks they're to blame.

I picked up a new wedge after a high school tournament since I had $150 in clubhouse credit at the course (and my old wedge had a gave that was starting to become a bit concave). I had another tournament the next day and shot two strokes better than the previous day with identical scrambling percentages. If Dan can't "get used" to his wedges within a week the problem is most certainly him.

This seemed odd to me too. I picked up a new wedge (56 degree) and was using it pretty well within a day or so. OTOH, I don't hit them within 3 yards all the time, either.

[Pretzel]

This seemed odd to me too. I picked up a new wedge (56 degree) and was using it pretty well within a day or so. OTOH, I don't hit them within 3 yards all the time, either.

Trust me when I say that Dan has never done that. Top pros aren't capable of it, so I'd feel very comfortable betting the farm, the inheritance, and the car that he was never able to do that.

[DutchLeon]

Hi!

That's me posting the comment on Dan's blog. I've just thanked him for the time and effort to answer my question, because his answer didn't really leave any room to start discussing more specifics aspects of his game. Besides, as a handicap 32, who am I to criticize?

Anyways, I'm a newbie here, from The Netherlands. Also active on the golfchat.nl forum of which a group challenged you to several matches in Florida over the last two years. Hope to be able to join one day!

[nevets88]

Hi! That's me posting the comment on Dan's blog. I've just thanked him for the time and effort to answer my question, because his answer didn't really leave any room to start discussing more specifics aspects of his game. Besides, as a handicap 32, who am I to criticize? Anyways, I'm a newbie here, from The Netherlands. Also active on the golfchat.nl forum of which a group challenged you to several matches in Florida over the last two years. Hope to be able to join one day!

Welcome to the site Leon. Your comment was well written and expressed exactly what I was thinking and I'm sure others on TST too. Hope you take some time to browse the instruction, tour and golf forums, here. I think you'll find there's lots of fun stuff to read and watch here, follow the pros, shoot the breeze and improve your game.

[golfbarefoot]

Hi! To be frankly honest: your statistics in terms of fairways hit (almost 10% worse than the worst player on the PGA tour), GIR and your handicap combined with what you describe (I do not understand that a handicap 3 seems to be very regularly struggling to break 80) do not suggest that you will ever make your goal if you keep on proceeding the way that you’re doing. That leaves you, in my opinion, with two choices: the first is to guarantee new funds and to start working with a good coach again several days a week and focus on fixing your swing. The second is to call it quits That's me posting the comment on Dan's blog. I've just thanked him for the time and effort to answer my question, because his answer didn't really leave any room to start discussing more specifics aspects of his game. Besides, as a handicap 32, who am I to criticize? Anyways, I'm a newbie here, from The Netherlands. Also active on the golfchat.nl forum of which a group challenged you to several matches in Florida over the last two years. Hope to be able to join one day!

32? Really? This is just sad, from all angles.

[DutchLeon]

32? Really?

This is just sad, from all angles.

Please explain. The fact that I don't have the time or funds at the moment to improve my game to the level where I think it could be and where I'd like it to be (around 18) now means that I'm not able to criticize what Dan is doing? I'm not criticizing his swing or the way he practices, I'm criticizing the approach that he's taking and using statistics to express my views that he won't make his goals if he continues the way he's doing now.

What on earth is sad about that, from all angles?

What you just did, that is sad, from all angles. Disregard someone's opinion on the basis of his handicap.

[RandallT]

Hi!

That's me posting the comment on Dan's blog. I've just thanked him for the time and effort to answer my question, because his answer didn't really leave any room to start discussing more specifics aspects of his game. Besides, as a handicap 32, who am I to criticize?

Anyways, I'm a newbie here, from The Netherlands. Also active on the golfchat.nl forum of which a group challenged you to several matches in Florida over the last two years. Hope to be able to join one day!

Welcome, Leon!  I've seen that thread on the Florida matches. Looks like a lot of fun. I believe that was with @David in FL . Hope you stick around.

[Lihu]

[QUOTE name="golfbarefoot" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/2556#post_1101810"] 32? Really? This is just sad, from all angles.[/QUOTE] Please explain. The fact that I don't have the time or funds at the moment to improve my game to the level where I think it could be and where I'd like it to be (around 18) now means that I'm not able to criticize what Dan is doing? I'm not criticizing his swing or the way he practices, I'm criticizing the approach that he's taking and using statistics to express my views that he won't make his goals if he continues the way he's doing now. What on earth is sad about that, from all angles? What you just did, that is sad, from all angles. Disregard someone's opinion on the basis of his handicap.

What you stated makes sense to me. I'm struggling to break 80, but my handicap is currently around 10-13. I also don't appear to have the same difficulties that Dan has at the moment. Nothing wrong with what you stated.

[golfbarefoot]

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. -President T. Roosevelt

32... Lol!!

[DutchLeon]

32... Lol!!

Good on you, you made your point. I'm just assuming now that you have no critical opinion whatsoever on other people doing stuff better than yourself.

What you stated makes sense to me. I'm struggling to break 80, but my handicap is currently around 10-13. I also don't appear to have the same difficulties that Dan has at the moment.

Nothing wrong with what you stated.

Thanks for the heads up. Apparently, I'm not entitled to an opinion because I'm still a pretty sh*t player myself.

[bbwrenn]

I wouldn't worry too much about Golfbarefoot, DutchLeon. I just started playing a couple months ago, my best round is 123 after 9 rounds, 3 buckets at the driving range, and 1 lesson, and I'm sure I'm not entitled to an opinion either. But the fact that he has 522 posts and is only "off to a great start" also tells me something about the general quality of his posts. Nevertheless, all of this is ... it's just hard to resist feeding the troll when they swim right up to you from the murky depths.

So on topic, TDP continuing to compare himself to Tiger...

Anybody not on tour should know better than to compare themselves to pretty much the best golfer of all time and think it's actually some kind of legitimate thought.

I really believe that hard work makes a huge difference in your goals, and it's required every bit as much as talent is. Since he believes that's all it really is, it would be great to see TDP get off his high horse, start hitting buckets a day, stop monkeying around with equipment, get a decent coach, and get to scratch before he runs out of money. Then at least he could say "someone who's never been athletic was able to become a good golfer by dedicating themselves to it. You can be great at something too if you care that much about it." At least he'd have an accomplishment that some could appreciate.

Instead we're still going to the masters in 2018...

[nevets88]

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfbarefoot

Quote:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
-President T. Roosevelt

32... Lol!!

This reply is totally unwarranted. @DutchLeon made a balanced critique based on facts and did not disparage The Dan Plan in any way, I'm pretty sure if Theodore Roosevelt saw someone who was trying to achieve something but repeating things that weren't working, he'd say something about it.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nevets88

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfbarefoot

Quote:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
-President T. Roosevelt

32... Lol!!

This reply is totally unwarranted. @DutchLeon made a balanced critique based on facts and did not disparage The Dan Plan in any way, I'm pretty sure if Theodore Roosevelt saw someone who was trying to achieve something but repeating things that weren't working, he'd say something about it.

Sure, Dan has trouble breaking 80 which indicates that he's something like 10 strokes higher than his 3. This seems to be pretty basic math.

BTW, @DutchLeon , no need to hold back from disparaging "The Dan Plan", either.