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

[Pretzel]

I still clear my hips and drop the club "into the slot" when I aim to hit a fade. The only difference is I feel like I'm following through tighter to my body to produce an out to in swing path, versus my usual in to out swing path. If my swing is ever an "over the top arm swing", something has gone seriously wrong or I'm in an awkward location that requires it.

[nevets88]

Has plenty of time to video swing and show differences. If he's not, how does he even know he's doing what he thinks he's doing. Maybe his MO is to be cagey, withhold information and let people speculate.

[DrvFrShow]

IMO he needs to put the golf clubs away and get a real diagnosis as to what's wrong with his spine before continuing. He'll need to do some physical therapy before continuing. Unfortunately this costs money.

[Vinsk]

It's also so difficult to manage pain. Especially those who simply have a very low tolerance (which I wonder is Dan's case). I played college football and did MMA for years and understand pain and sports. It takes quite a bit of an injury to keep me off the course. There are just types of people who every sprain is a fracture, headaches are migraines and colds are upper respiratory infections. Aside from all that I 100% agree with the other posts regarding Dans inactive media updates.

[Pretzel]

It's also so difficult to manage pain. Especially those who simply have a very low tolerance (which I wonder is Dan's case). I played college football and did MMA for years and understand pain and sports. It takes quite a bit of an injury to keep me off the course. There are just types of people who every sprain is a fracture, headaches are migraines and colds are upper respiratory infections. Aside from all that I 100% agree with the other posts regarding Dans inactive media updates.

I would agree pain tolerance is a big factor. I've played in a tournament with someone who broke his leg and was still in a cast, as well as having played myself with a broken finger (I highly recommend against this, I had to quit early) and a broken toe (this one worked out okay), but I've also seen people withdraw after hitting a rock or something and having a bit of a sore wrist.

[Vinsk]

Lol....true...but hey ...he also played and won with a tore ACL. What I really would like to know is how Dan's progress would compare if he started day one with Dave,Erik or Mike.

[nevets88]

Take 6 months off. Get a job. Fill the coffers.

[Vinsk]

Take 6 months off. Get a job. Fill the coffers.

LOL.....nice.

[Nosevi]

Take 6 months off. Get a job. Fill the coffers.

He's kind of done 1/3 of your plan.........

Harsh. I have no idea what he's been up to. Putting and chipping maybe? I don't know but I'd be lethal around the green by now. But like I said before, I have no real clue what he's been up to day to day for the last couple of years (other than one Trackman combine obviously )

[natureboy]

Zach Johnson has significant talent it's just lacking when you compare him to some of the top players.  The fact Zach is on the Tour and won two Majors is proof he has superior talent to all but a select few he plays with on Tour.  Even at the highest of levels, there are disparities in talent, effort and good fortune.

If Dan possesses the talent required to play on a professional tour he's yet to showcase it.  At this point I see a lack of talent, effort and actual plan as the causes for his failure.

I agree.

You may be right, but all Zac had to show at a similar time commitment to developing his skill (or more) was mid-ranker on his small college golf team. Yes?

He developed his 'talent' as much as he discovered it - or more.

[newtogolf]

You may be right, but all Zac had to show at a similar time commitment to developing his skill (or more) was mid-ranker on his small college golf team. Yes?

He developed his 'talent' as much as he discovered it - or more.

I doubt Dan could make a H.S. team at this point.

[RandallT]

You may be right, but all Zac had to show at a similar time commitment to developing his skill (or more) was mid-ranker on his small college golf team. Yes?

He developed his 'talent' as much as he discovered it - or more.

Congrats! You've identified the exit strategy that will be used to market his motivational speaking tour with companion books/audio inspiration for commuters: Dan started from zero experience, and got himself to a similar position as Zach Johnson, who later went on to be a two-time Major winner. The 10,000 hour theory has been vindicated! The sky is the limit. Start your own plan today.

[Vinsk]

Congrats! You've identified the exit strategy that will be used to market his motivational speaking tour with companion books/audio inspiration for commuters: Dan started from zero experience, and got himself to a similar position as Zach Johnson, who later went on to be a two-time Major winner. The 10,000 hour theory has been vindicated! The sky is the limit. Start your own plan today.

Similar to Zach Johnson? 2 time major winner? What's similar?

[RandallT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandallT

Congrats! You've identified the exit strategy that will be used to market his motivational speaking tour with companion books/audio inspiration for commuters: Dan started from zero experience, and got himself to a similar position as Zach Johnson, who later went on to be a two-time Major winner. The 10,000 hour theory has been vindicated! The sky is the limit. Start your own plan today.

Similar to Zach Johnson? 2 time major winner? What's similar?

Bad joke- playing off NatureBoy saying where Zach was in his career after a similar amount of effort.

[Lihu]

[QUOTE name="natureboy" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/3360_30#post_1178011"]   You may be right, but all Zac had to show at a similar time commitment to developing his skill (or more) was mid-ranker on his small college golf team. Yes? He developed his 'talent' as much as he discovered it - or more. [/QUOTE] I doubt Dan could make a H.S. team at this point.

He'd make the team, but just not compete.

[natureboy]

Congrats! You've identified the exit strategy that will be used to market his motivational speaking tour with companion books/audio inspiration for commuters: Dan started from zero experience, and got himself to a similar position as Zach Johnson, who later went on to be a two-time Major winner. The 10,000 hour theory has been vindicated! The sky is the limit. Start your own plan today.

Similar to Zach Johnson? 2 time major winner? What's similar?

In case this is my leg you're pulling, all I am saying is that at a similarly early time in Zac's journey to likely HOF at the end of a very long arc. No golf expert would have given him even a 1% chance based on his demonstrated golf talent at the time.

Clearly he had the effective combination of talents to pull off a very rare career. Not saying that Dan has Zac's talent. But for the college Zac played for, he was probably closer as a HS player to Dan than the +2 HCPs who were recruited to top 20 DI school. He is also blocked by the time window (his age) he's in. If he didn't show relative talent at the time, how did Zac surpass most of those +2 HCPs who were better golfers in college?

One important thing Zac did have as a foundation was a multi-sport background in HS and college.

I think Zac's path shows it's very hard to gauge individual potential with certainty. Average odds and milestones / benchmarks are another thing.

[natureboy]

Congrats! You've identified the exit strategy that will be used to market his motivational speaking tour with companion books/audio inspiration for commuters: Dan started from zero experience, and got himself to a similar position as Zach Johnson, who later went on to be a two-time Major winner. The 10,000 hour theory has been vindicated! The sky is the limit. Start your own plan today.

Similar to Zach Johnson? 2 time major winner? What's similar?

Bad joke- playing off NatureBoy saying where Zach was in his career after a similar amount of effort.

Thanks for getting it. Their leg-pulling is good for my tight hamstrings.

I think that while average milestones and benchmarks are often roughly predictive, Zac's example shows that an individual's potential is very hard to peg with certainty, particularly early in their journey. People have breakthroughs and breakdowns.

Zac was probably closer in HS to Dan than the +2 HCPs who were recruited to the top 20 D I schools. How many of those top-ranked players of his college era have put together a HOF career like Zac?

[newtogolf]

I think that while average milestones and benchmarks are often roughly predictive, Zac's example shows that an individual's potential is very hard to peg with certainty, particularly early in their journey. People have breakthroughs and breakdowns.

Zac was probably closer in HS to Dan than the +2 HCPs who were recruited to the top 20 D I schools. How many of those top-ranked players of his college era have put together a HOF career like Zac?

Talent is only part of the equation, one has to be willing to put in the time to do something special with the talent they were born with.  Anthony Kim and John Daly are two individuals that come to mind who had great talent and couldn't stay focused and lacked the work ethic to maximize it.

Zach Johnson is the opposite, he probably doesn't have the talent level of the very top players but he outworks many of them and whether you like it or not his spiritual beliefs probably help keep him grounded and focused.