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

[ztexz]

1. That's not really true. High 80's rounds should not be common for a 4-capper, but they definitely occur. One of my buddies hovers between a 3.5-5 index. Whenever I sneak a peek at his last 20 rounds, it's rare that I won't find at least one or two "blowup" rounds in the mix.

2. Even if you doubt Dan is a legit 4, it's quite a leap to go from that to doubting he's a single digit at all. Just about anyone who can shoot in the 70's more than 10% of their rounds on a moderately challenging course will have a legit single digit index.

Yeah, those are fair points.

[Osmond]

Dan's original instructor is Chris(topher) Smith. Who… is lecturing for two days at PGA Level 2 seminars right now. Must… resist… urge… to… ask… about… practicing… tap-ins… for… weeks… :-)

To be blunt: what an idiot this instructor was. Nothing can justify a decision so stupid.

[dsc123]

His latest blog talks about this. But more importantly, we learn that he uses @iacas 's analyzr software. At first glance I thought it might be an evolvr lesson and that @iacas and @mvmac were keeping it a secret! http://thedanplan.com/first-tourney-of-the-year-swing-update-and-all-sorts-of-new-stuff/

[nevets88]

His latest blog talks about this. But more importantly, we learn that he uses @iacas's analyzr software.

At first glance I thought it might be an evolvr lesson and that @iacas and @mvmac were keeping it a secret!

http://thedanplan.com/first-tourney-of-the-year-swing-update-and-all-sorts-of-new-stuff/

It looks like the person who made the video using analyzr is an instructor, not Dan Plan. Looks like a TGM guy. Here's his site:

http://www.theswingengineer.com/.

Minor point about the video that I am being super duper nitpicky about, but I would have flipped either Donald or Dan Plan horizontally so they were both hitting from the same side. Makes it a little easier to compare. But he did turn angles off.

Seems to be based in UK and I like the minimalist design of the website and some of the explanations of TGM concepts.

[nevets88]

Current swing on R, 1 yr ago L. Camera placement different. Not using tripod? Should get at least budget $15 tripod to get more consistent angles. I know my own placement can be dodgy sometimes, but looks like camera could be a tad more to the right, closer, and pointing up more?  Still don't see much hip turn.

[b101]

At least his instructor's picked up on that awful takeaway - I think I'd find it really hard to even replicate that movement.

[shortstop20]

At least his instructor's picked up on that awful takeaway - I think I'd find it really hard to even replicate that movement.

Looks to me like he went from one horrible takeaway to another horrible takeaway. :-\ [VIDEO]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u85tLvcrpo[/VIDEO]

[Pretzel]

Dear Dan, Please realize that once the swing is at its end, you cannot add more power to the shot. Sincerely, Everyone who thinks that final twitch is weird

[Lihu]

Dear Dan,

Please realize that once the swing is at its end, you cannot add more power to the shot.

Sincerely,

Everyone who thinks that final twitch is weird

"Everyone" will suffice. . .

He should probably think about other parts of his swing that might have extraneous movements?

I suppose the main difference between what many of us do here and what the Dan plan does is that we try to document what makes our swings quirky, and he didn't do enough of that to really improve. Maybe that pictures changed?

[Shorty]

Open the link, he's not there to play, he's there as a fan to cover it from a fan's perspective... (argghhh)

But he is playing the course. It says so.

[Shorty]

Looks to me like he went from one horrible takeaway to another horrible takeaway.

It's just horrific, isn't it?

The absolute opposite of what he should be doing. He's totally outside the ball.

He has no idea at all.

But then, it's all about publicity and column inches now, not golf.

The man is a complete fool. And it just gets worse and worse.

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by b101

At least his instructor's picked up on that awful takeaway - I think I'd find it really hard to even replicate that movement.

Looks to me like he went from one horrible takeaway to another horrible takeaway.

This is my assessment, and I probably the worst person on this site to assess his (or anyone's) swing.

He uses too much wrist, he cups his lead wrist a little too much; has too little shoulder turn; his hips turn but not enough. He seems to initiate his swing from the arms and not the legs.

I'm also curious what his Fightscopre results show, and even more curious as to why he doesn't use it at every practice session?

[nevets88]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shortstop20

Quote:

Originally Posted by b101

At least his instructor's picked up on that awful takeaway - I think I'd find it really hard to even replicate that movement.

Looks to me like he went from one horrible takeaway to another horrible takeaway.

This is my assessment, and I probably the worst person on this site to assess his (or anyone's) swing.

He uses too much wrist, he cups his lead wrist a little too much; has too little shoulder turn; his hips turn but not enough. He seems to initiate his swing from the arms and not the legs.

I'm also curious what his Fightscopre results show, and even more curious as to why he doesn't use it at every practice session?

IMHO, in general, I think it's overkill to use a FS all the time if you're practicing outside and have a camera at your disposal. Kind of a hassle to set up as well. I get he only has it a limited amount of time, but there's only so much you can do with it.

Does it matter whether he's playing or not? It's just a casual round. It is what it is. I would not turn down a chance to play PB on the house but it think events like these prove what I said previously, that it's really time consuming to market yourself.

[b101]

Looks to me like he went from one horrible takeaway to another horrible takeaway.

Sorry - that's what I'd meant. Pretty sure the instructor had told him that was what he needed to sort - you're right, it's hideous...

[Lihu]

[QUOTE name="Lihu" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/2600_40#post_1103568"]   [QUOTE name="shortstop20" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/2592#post_1103508"]   [QUOTE name="b101" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/2592#post_1103041"] At least his instructor's picked up on that awful takeaway - I think I'd find it really hard to even replicate that movement.[/QUOTE] Looks to me like he went from one horrible takeaway to another horrible takeaway. :-\ [/QUOTE] This is my assessment, and I probably the worst person on this site to assess his (or anyone's) swing. He uses too much wrist, he cups his lead wrist a little too much; has too little shoulder turn; his hips turn but not enough. He seems to initiate his swing from the arms and not the legs. I'm also curious what his Fightscopre results show, and even more curious as to why he doesn't use it at every practice session? [/QUOTE] IMHO, in general, I think it's overkill to use a FS all the time if you're practicing outside and have a camera at your disposal. Kind of a hassle to set up as well. I get he only has it a limited amount of time, but there's only so much you can do with it. Does it matter whether he's playing or not? It's just a casual round. It is what it is. I would not turn down a chance to play PB on the house but it think events like these prove what I said previously, that it's really time consuming to market yourself.

If I had one at my disposal, I would at least use it some of the time if not all. What a waste of a flightscope.

[billchao]

If I had one at my disposal, I would at least use it some of the time if not all. What a waste of a flightscope.

I have no issues with Dan not using his Flightscope because I don't believe it's necessary, or even recommended to use a launch monitor for every range session. Remember, when you're trying to change the picture, you may end up hitting some pretty bad shots. You don't want impact conditions to cloud your practice, and you don't want to get fixated on the numbers, either.

[RandallT]

I just don't understand why the takeaway is that hard. From what I recall, nearly every lesson he has posted has mentioned that this is a red flag for him. I think one or two lessons by Chris Smith he said something to the effect, "We've talked about your takeaway, and it's in bad shape. Must be fixed. Too much hands, then arms, then finally shoulders and waist.  Do it as one piece to start. Drag the club back. In fact, we've talked about this extensively."

Yet I can see zero progress here.  Dan's hands and club go out and up as he starts the swing. Luke's hands go in and back. Dan's lead arm is not connected with his body, but Luke's lead arm stays close to his body.

Luke's club goes right through those same red circles that his hands do. Dan's club doesn't at all. Could be camera angles?

Regardless, I still see no "sweeping" action that he was encouraged to do. The club just comes right up as he starts a wrist cock. Doesn't fixing the takeaway take a few hours of mirror work? Just do it in slow motion. Then reinforced with full swings and camera. We are years into this plan, and any instructor would still instantly see a problem with the takeaway, I think.

Oh well- he still scores better than I do, and the takeaway is not a "key," so maybe it's not that important. I don't know. I am not skilled enough to know how badly this impacts Dan's position at the top of the backswing. Does he get to a similar position despite the inversion of the takeaway?

Anyway, as I see it, in the big picture one need 3 things to get to a high level:

1. raw talent,

2. good fundamentals (via instruction typically),

3. lots of focused practice and experience.

You might rank the pros as: 9 or 10 in talent, 9 or 10 in fundamentals, and 9 or 10 in practice time.  Dan would seem to rank low in talent, low to medium in fundamentals, but fairly high in practice time.

Dan likely admits he doesn't have raw talent, so he had better damn sure have 10's in the other areas to compete at all. You can't blame a guy for not having innate ability, but if he can't match the fundamentals he needs, then it makes the practice time and experience somewhat off track. He will need to just get lucky if he has neither the innate talent or the classic fundamentals.

[nevets88]

Snapshots at the 4th circle in the hand takeaway:

I just don't understand why the takeaway is that hard. From what I recall, nearly every lesson he has posted has mentioned that this is a red flag for him. I think one or two lessons by Chris Smith he said something to the effect, "We've talked about your takeaway, and it's in bad shape. Must be fixed. Too much hands, then arms, then finally shoulders and waist.  Do it as one piece to start. Drag the club back. In fact, we've talked about this extensively."

Yet I can see zero progress here.  Dan's hands and club go out and up as he starts the swing. Luke's hands go in and back. Dan's lead arm is not connected with his body, but Luke's lead arm stays close to his body.

Luke's club goes right through those same red circles that his hands do. Dan's club doesn't at all. Could be camera angles?

Regardless, I still see no "sweeping" action that he was encouraged to do. The club just comes right up as he starts a wrist cock. Doesn't fixing the takeaway take a few hours of mirror work? Just do it in slow motion. Then reinforced with full swings and camera. We are years into this plan, and any instructor would still instantly see a problem with the takeaway, I think.

Oh well- he still scores better than I do, and the takeaway is not a "key," so maybe it's not that important. I don't know. I am not skilled enough to know how badly this impacts Dan's position at the top of the backswing. Does he get to a similar position despite the inversion of the takeaway?

Anyway, as I see it, in the big picture one need 3 things to get to a high level:

1. raw talent,

2. good fundamentals (via instruction typically),

3. lots of focused practice and experience.

You might rank the pros as: 9 or 10 in talent, 9 or 10 in fundamentals, and 9 or 10 in practice time.  Dan would seem to rank low in talent, low to medium in fundamentals, but fairly high in practice time.

Dan likely admits he doesn't have raw talent, so he had better damn sure have 10's in the other areas to compete at all. You can't blame a guy for not having innate ability, but if he can't match the fundamentals he needs, then it makes the practice time and experience somewhat off track. He will need to just get lucky if he has neither the innate talent or the classic fundamentals.

Somewhere he said he didn't think top golfers had any kind of distinguishable talent. I wonder if he ever backtracked on that statement. I mean, you can't see a high level of coordination like you do a 4 foot vertical, 4.3 40 yard dash or a quick first step, but imho, I do think you can tell to a certain extent.