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

[nevets88]

Superstar? Don't get ahead of yourself.

[Nosevi]

It is really the first month of golf season so scores go up a little bit. I started playing off a 6 handicap and after the rust is off I am 8 over on my last 45 holes. Last 45 have averaged 73.2 scoring wise and am back to playing off my handicap. Give him a month.

I see where you're coming from and that would apply in some places but is that the case in Portland? Dan has been playing throughout the winter judging by his blog. I've been on the course rarely due the the weather here in the UK where we don't have that luxury but my scoring average has continued to drop when I have got out, mostly due to the fact I've been hitting balls on a launch monitor for hours each day when I can't get on the course or practice short game due to frozen ground. Added to which, historically Dan hasn't crept up handicap wise over the winter / beginning of spring, in fact quite the opposite. His target is a line going down but his scoring average is a line going up and away from it right now. Put simply his scoring average is basically what it was 2 years ago. I think even Dan would struggle to find a positive in that particular fact.

Don't get me wrong, I very much hope he sorts it out and gets back on track. I think he will but he needs to change something about how he's going about his plan and he needs to do it now. Personally I wish him luck.

[DrvFrShow]

If he's hitting his local courses now the conditions are still soggy for another month. We don't really dry out and get nice conditions here until mid May. Another couple weeks in Oregon.

[Nosevi]

If he's hitting his local courses now the conditions are still soggy for another month. We don't really dry out and get nice conditions here until mid May. Another couple weeks in Oregon.

Do you guys not have 'preferred lies' over the winter? Whether you do or not, conditions being soggy doesn't really account for scoring the same now as 24 months ago having played golf full time, does it? Not shooting below 79 in 16 consecutive GHIN rounds...... I was out in 5 degrees C and winds gusting to 45mph a few weeks back - one of our par 4s which is 450 yards and was playing straight into wind was a hoot. Still didn't manage to shoot 79.

I don't think it has anything to do with weather or course conditions, I just think he needs to make some fundamental changes about how he's going about trying to get better. I hope he makes those changes and sooner rather than later. Personally I'd like to see him turn the whole thing around and start making rapid progress.

[Pretzel]

Superstar? Don't get ahead of yourself.

I call a big fat load of bs. You don't do a photoshoot and then "not realize" you were on the cover of a magazine...

[RandallT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nevets88

I call a big fat load of bs. You don't do a photoshoot and then "not realize" you were on the cover of a magazine...

Is it just me, or does he always look a tad slovenly in these publicity photos? His hair looks unkempt, his physique is not particularly athletic, his clothes don't look like they fit quite right, often untucked. His clothing style seems to be that of a golf-outsider. Nothing wrong with that, but it has become part of his branding to me. Always that look of a newbie somehow. I'm not a style-officianado (I dress pretty casually myself), but he just doesn't ever have the appearance of someone who is a "golf guy," whatever that is. Hard to put my finger on what I mean, but in the back of my mind, he just doesn't look the part.

[RFKFREAK]

I call a big fat load of bs. You don't do a photoshoot and then "not realize" you were on the cover of a magazine...

Yah, see it's statements posts, tweets, and statements like this which makes me dislike him. He just seems very fake and disingenuous to me. [quote name="RandallT" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/2800_100#post_1122344"] Is it just me, or does he always look a tad slovenly in these publicity photos? His hair looks unkempt, his physique is not particularly athletic, his clothes don't look like they fit quite right, often untucked. His clothing style seems to be that of a golf-outsider. Nothing wrong with that, but it has become part of his branding to me. Always that look of a newbie somehow. I'm not a style-officianado (I dress pretty casually myself), but he just doesn't ever have the appearance of someone who is a "golf guy," whatever that is. Hard to put my finger on what I mean, but in the back of my mind, he just doesn't look the part.  [/quote] Yah, I think part of his "branding" is to not look like what we perceive an athlete to look like. For this cover, I think he's doing everything he can to emphasise this point. Then again, he might just be a guy who doesn't care much about his wardrobe.

[Lihu]

Is it just me, or does he always look a tad slovenly in these publicity photos? His hair looks unkempt, his physique is not particularly athletic, his clothes don't look like they fit quite right, often untucked. His clothing style seems to be that of a golf-outsider. Nothing wrong with that, but it has become part of his branding to me. Always that look of a newbie somehow. I'm not a style-officianado (I dress pretty casually myself), but he just doesn't ever have the appearance of someone who is a "golf guy," whatever that is. Hard to put my finger on what I mean, but in the back of my mind, he just doesn't look the part.

The pose in the picture doesn't really make me think of golf for some reason. . .

[nevets88]

I have no opinion fashionwise, and these articles are PR basically so there's repetiton obviously, but I bet it'll read just like the 5 previous magazine/blog pieces. As someone who is committed full time to deliberate practice and getting access to free clinics, books, instructor advice you'd figure a blogger would try and consolidate all he/she learned and say something interesting or enlightening. It's just so... bland.

[iacas]

If Dan McLaughlin wants to move to Chautauqua, NY for the summer, I will work with him - free - for four to eight hours per week.

He would be responsible for everything else (including any fees to play the courses there), but he'd have access to me, high-speed video, a SAM PuttLab, a FlightScope, a SwingCatalyst force plate system, and a great practice facility either at Chautauqua and at Golf Evolution in Erie, PA.

Dan cannot afford instruction, seemingly, and this would help him quite a bit with that when he arguably needs it most. I don't want promotion on his blog or site (or in interviews, etc.). I would require that I can use photos and video to discuss what we're working on here on TST.

[mchepp]

Is it just me, or does he always look a tad slovenly in these publicity photos? His hair looks unkempt, his physique is not particularly athletic, his clothes don't look like they fit quite right, often untucked. His clothing style seems to be that of a golf-outsider. Nothing wrong with that, but it has become part of his branding to me. Always that look of a newbie somehow. I'm not a style-officianado (I dress pretty casually myself), but he just doesn't ever have the appearance of someone who is a "golf guy," whatever that is. Hard to put my finger on what I mean, but in the back of my mind, he just doesn't look the part.

I take it you haven't been to Portland much. He looks like an average guy you'd meet walking in Portland. Actually he needs to not shave then he would completely fit the mold. Add to this he is not a golfer for very long. Less than 2 years so he is not yet acting the part.

[fr0sty]

If Dan McLaughlin wants to move to Chautauqua, NY for the summer, I will work with him - free - for four to eight hours per week.

I wonder how successful a 'go fund me' campaign would be for this? Would enough of his fans shell out $10 go send him to summer camp? Would that put him afoul of the rules of amateur status?

[RFKFREAK]

If Dan McLaughlin wants to move to Chautauqua, NY for the summer, I will work with him - free - for four to eight hours per week. He would be responsible for everything else (including any fees to play the courses there), but he'd have access to me, high-speed video, a SAM PuttLab, a FlightScope, a SwingCatalyst force plate system, and a great practice facility either at Chautauqua and at Golf Evolution in Erie, PA. Dan cannot afford instruction, seemingly, and this would help him quite a bit with that when he arguably needs it most. I don't want promotion on his blog or site (or in interviews, etc.). I would require that I can use photos and video to discuss what we're working on here on TST.

Wow. Sick deal.

[DrvFrShow]

Dan's goal is to turn pro and play on the pro tour. He isn't even playing in his club championship. So does his amateur status really matter at this point? Or is this once a pro, always a pro? Or if one doesn't compete for X period of time one loses their card and returns to amateur status.

BTW, Erik, that's a sick deal. Dan should take it.

[nevets88]

If Dan McLaughlin wants to move to Chautauqua, NY for the summer, I will work with him - free - for four to eight hours per week.

He would be responsible for everything else (including any fees to play the courses there), but he'd have access to me, high-speed video, a SAM PuttLab, a FlightScope, a SwingCatalyst force plate system, and a great practice facility either at Chautauqua and at Golf Evolution in Erie, PA.

Dan cannot afford instruction, seemingly, and this would help him quite a bit with that when he arguably needs it most. I don't want promotion on his blog or site (or in interviews, etc.). I would require that I can use photos and video to discuss what we're working on here on TST.

This calls for a "Godfather" quote:

[tdiii]

And a smooth 84 (10.8 stroke differential) yesterday for Dan to officially remove his 73 from the handicap calculation. . . .10 straight rounds in the 80s. . .

[Nosevi]

And a smooth 84 (10.8 stroke differential) yesterday for Dan to officially remove his 73 from the handicap calculation. . . .10 straight rounds in the 80s. . .

My maths is rubbish but if his average of the best 10 loses the 73 he shot on a 73.0 rated course (differential 0.0) and picks up the next lowest differential which is 8.9 wouldn't that raise his handicap by 1/10th of that differential putting it up at around 6.4? That's more or less where it was mid 2012.

Genuinely - what's going on?!?!

Has he been in touch yet, Erik? :)

[DrvFrShow]

Erik, post your offer on his blog!

He could lease his place for the summer, then rent some cheap apartment for the summer in whatever that place is in NY.