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

[Lihu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrvFrShow

What he's proving is that someone with not very much in the way of athletic ability can get to a 4-5 handicap if they put in a hell of a lot of work.

Hell, you don't even have to work all that hard at it. What a lot of people just can't accept is that a 5 hcp just isn't that hard to achieve, and in the grand scheme, really isn't all that good.

You can tell me this if I ever get there. . .

[DrvFrShow]

Not that hard? Don't you think it has somewhat to do with time and resources, though?

It's always a matter of resources. Even one's body is a resource. Mine is not cooperating.

[David in FL]

Not that hard? Don't you think it has somewhat to do with time and resources, though?

Meaning, it doesn't take quitting your job and devoting every waking moment to it like Dan has. Nor does it take inordinate talent, though of course a there is a certain base level of talent needed. Most people, just don't try all that hard to get to really get better....

[RFKFREAK]

Meaning, it doesn't take quitting your job and devoting every waking moment to it like Dan has. Nor does it take inordinate talent, though of course a there is a certain base level of talent needed. Most people, just don't try all that hard to get to really get better....

Ahhh. Well, good to hear there's hope that one day I might get to a single digit handicap. :-)

[natureboy]

Hell, you don't even have to work all that hard at it. What a lot of people just can't accept is that a 5 hcp just isn't that hard to achieve, and in the grand scheme, really isn't all that good.

Statistics say different. At a 5 you are 90th percentile (top 10%)...among people who take golf seriously enough to obtain a handicap - not all people who golf.

Personally I think even a 10 is pretty good objectively. But maybe my standards are lower than yours

[iacas]

Meaning, it doesn't take quitting your job and devoting every waking moment to it like Dan has. Nor does it take inordinate talent, though of course a there is a certain base level of talent needed. Most people, just don't try all that hard to get to really get better....

It doesn't, @David in FL , but you're slighting the work it takes with your comments.

[divot dave]

It doesn't, @David in FL, but you're slighting the work it takes with your comments.

I second that notion...

I'm busting my ass and spending a lot more time and money than I'd care to admit to my wife -  trying to drop from bogey golf to single digits.

But... I hope @David in FL is right...

[David in FL]

It doesn't, @David in FL , but you're slighting the work it takes with your comments.

Not my intent, but the vast majority of golfers simply play a couple of times a month and think that because they want to get better, they will. It takes more than that. It takes working towards getting better , which is more than most do.

[RFKFREAK]

Not my intent, but the vast majority of golfers simply play a couple of times a month and think that because they want to get better, they will. It takes more than that. It takes working towards getting better, which is more than most do.

That, in addition to the fact that there is so much misinformation and bad instruction out there that it's tough to figure out what a good plan to get better is and what's not.

I know, for me, it's hard to imagine ever shooting in the 70's and, if you had told me when I first started that shooting in the 80's was possible, I would have thought you were on drugs, but I'm somewhat hopeful that maybe one day, that'll happen for me.  As it is, I still suck but I know that's on me and how hectic my life can be sometimes.

[iacas]

Not my intent, but the vast majority of golfers simply play a couple of times a month and think that because they want to get better, they will. It takes more than that. It takes working towards getting better, which is more than most do.

That's not what you said.

You slighted the efforts, achievements, etc. of others by saying "it doesn't take much to get to a 5." (paraphrased)

[Torres9]

Hell, you don't even have to work all that hard at it. What a lot of people just can't accept is that a 5 hcp just isn't that hard to achieve , and in the grand scheme, really isn't all that good.

Friend, I am very eager to hear why a 5 hcp really isn't all that good and easy to achieve? and you're a 6.7? I'm honestly confused at your comment. Don't have to work all that hard at it? Please think about what your saying, for one minute and explain why USGA 5 hcp is not good.

[golflovin]

I wish I had the time!

[DrvFrShow]

I wish I had the health to get to a 5 HC.

[Lihu]

I wish I had the health to get to a 5 HC.

The only thing potentially holding you back health wise is distance, which you have. So, this is not going to hold you back. I think it's possible within one season for you to get there even with an 8 degree off line drive.

[pullfade]

It's all perspective. Scratch isn't shi*t in the grand scheme of things. I picked up golf at 13 and was scratch by 16. Go to an AJGA event, thousands of kids in all age groups are scratch or better, how many of them will make to to the PGA Tour, 1% maybe? Sounds like a lot of you in this thread picked up the game later in life and have a different view than myself of how good a 5 handicapper is. You most likely don't get to see too many players that are scratch or better, which makes sense if you're a recreational player. Once you start entering the arena of high level amateur events, college golf, state opens, qualifiers, etc all you see is + players and there are TONS of them, everywhere, on virtually every part of the globe.

I totally get it, I started playing the guitar at 27, now three years into it it's embarrassing telling people I've played for that long. I can watch 8 year old kids on YouTube shred and I feel like in my entire lifetime I won't be able to obtain half the skill that they already have.

[nevets88]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David in FL

Not my intent, but the vast majority of golfers simply play a couple of times a month and think that because they want to get better, they will. It takes more than that. It takes working towards getting better, which is more than most do.

That, in addition to the fact that there is so much misinformation and bad instruction out there that it's tough to figure out what a good plan to get better is and what's not.

I know, for me, it's hard to imagine ever shooting in the 70's and, if you had told me when I first started that shooting in the 80's was possible, I would have thought you were on drugs, but I'm somewhat hopeful that maybe one day, that'll happen for me.  As it is, I still suck but I know that's on me and how hectic my life can be sometimes.

This is the gist of what I got from The Dan Plan. Especially w/limited funds, more susceptible to this.

I think there's a lot good intention to truly improve students but not knowing enough good information or thinking that one's information is correct but it isn't.

[RandallT]

This Pebble Beach thing made me realize something that was always sitting right there in front of me, but I forget from time to time (oddly and mistakenly thinking that "scratch" is somewhat near the pros): Pebble Beach blue tees are rated 74.7/143 (http://www.pebblebeach.com/golf/pebble-beach-golf-links/yardage-and-ratings) For a 5 handicap, that's a course handicap of 6. (http://www.usga.org/playing/handicaps/calculator/calculator_results.asp) Again, per the USGA, how well should a 5 handicap player play? They would AVERAGE the rating + course handicap + 3= 83.7 (http://www.usga.org/handicapping/articles_resources/How-Well-Should-You-Play-/) That's amazing, a 5 handicap player will average nearly an 84 at Pebble Beach. Extrapolating the other direction from the PGA scores to a handicap number, the median Sunday score (better players for the week, I grant you) was about a 71. That's 12.7 shots better than a 5 handicap would average, so these guys are roughly playing better than a +7 handicap level just to be a median player in a final round on tour. Again, I have seen the numbers before in different fashions, but somehow it's hitting home that these guys are good. Dan has a long way to go, and it ain't ever gonna happen. As for whether or not a 5 handicap is any good or is difficult to attain, I would say it's pretty darn good (from my perspective as roughly a 12), but I'm way closer to a 5 handicap than a 5 handicap is to a pro. WAY closer.

[pullfade]

This Pebble Beach thing made me realize something that was always sitting right there in front of me, but I forget from time to time (oddly and mistakenly thinking that "scratch" is somewhat near the pros):

Pebble Beach blue tees are rated 74.7/143 (http://www.pebblebeach.com/golf/pebble-beach-golf-links/yardage-and-ratings)

For a 5 handicap, that's a course handicap of 6. (http://www.usga.org/playing/handicaps/calculator/calculator_results.asp)

Again, per the USGA, how well should a 5 handicap player play? They would AVERAGE the rating + course handicap + 3= 83.7 (http://www.usga.org/handicapping/articles_resources/How-Well-Should-You-Play-/)

That's amazing, a 5 handicap player will average nearly an 84 at Pebble Beach.

Extrapolating the other direction from the PGA scores to a handicap number, the median Sunday score (better players for the week, I grant you) was about a 71. That's 12.7 shots better than a 5 handicap would average, so these guys are roughly playing better than a +7 handicap level just to be a median player in a final round on tour.

Again, I have seen the numbers before in different fashions, but somehow it's hitting home that these guys are good. Dan has a long way to go, and it ain't ever gonna happen.

As for whether or not a 5 handicap is any good or is difficult to attain, I would say it's pretty darn good (from my perspective as roughly a 12), but I'm way closer to a 5 handicap than a 5 handicap is to a pro. WAY closer.

Yea, and thats a +7 playing the final round in a PGA Tour event. Imagine what their caps would be if they could include casual rounds, as well as throwing out half of them.

And You're right. You are way closer to a 5 handicap than a 5 handicap is to a median pro on the PGA Tour, it's not really even comparable.