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

[Pretzel]

So, in light of opposing the size snobbery me and the other players put up with this morning, we don't really know where the ball ends up and maybe he really is a 2 to 3? Only Dan really knows the truth.

The handicap argument has nothing to do with size, and we do know where the ball ends up. Didn't he put up a Trackman combine a while ago that showed he couldn't even carry the ball 250 yards, and with somewhat iffy accuracy?

I will just say about Dan's swing that, in the last 3 years of me playing between 10 and 20 competitive tournaments a year, I have yet to see a golfer with skill similar to mine who had a swing at all resembling Dan's. Dan just looks uncomfortable with a club in his hands. I could be incorrect about this, but I usually watch the different players on the driving range beforehand to see people's swings and I compare that to the scores I see at the end.

[Lihu]

[QUOTE name="Lihu" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-pro-golfer-dan-mclaughlin/3402#post_1192830"] So, in light of opposing the size snobbery me and the other players put up with this morning, we don't really know where the ball ends up and maybe he really is a 2 to 3? Only Dan really knows the truth. [/QUOTE] The handicap argument has nothing to do with size, and we do know where the ball ends up. Didn't he put up a Trackman combine a while ago that showed he couldn't even carry the ball 250 yards, and with somewhat iffy accuracy? I will just say about Dan's swing that, in the last 3 years of me playing between 10 and 20 competitive tournaments a year, I have yet to see a golfer with skill similar to mine who had a swing at all resembling Dan's. Dan just looks uncomfortable with a club in his hands. I could be incorrect about this, but I usually watch the different players on the driving range beforehand to see people's swings and I compare that to the scores I see at the end.

True, I'm definitely not discounting that he could be a low double digit player as well. To be fair, the Combine was 2 years ago. Who knows what he can do now?

[RFKFREAK]

Looks like a recent interview. If that's his swing w/the bad back, it looks slower, but pretty much the same.

Wow, his physical change is pretty big and he also looks resigned that he's not going to finish the plan.

I'm not saying he'll do it purposefully but it certainly is a way for him to save face and still try and make some money if he chooses.

[newtogolf]

Wow, his physical change is pretty big and he also looks resigned that he's not going to finish the plan.

I'm not saying he'll do it purposefully but it certainly is a way for him to save face and still try and make some money if he chooses.

He looks disheveled  in the video, the beard, if intentional, is not a flattering look for him.  His shirt collars are rolled, he's wearing shorts and his complexion looks horrible.  There would be nothing wrong with his look if he was just a regular golfer like us but for a guy who is trying to attract sponsors it's not the way you want to present yourself.   His body language and facial gestures indicate a lack of intensity and confidence in what he's saying.  Overall this video will not help him attract sponsors imo unless it's out of pity.

[natureboy]

Doesn't sound like he is giving up, yet.

Disk / lower back / sciatica pain is a real bummer in your life. I found that something I really need to be conscious of is keeping hamstrings from tightening up.

I guess he is trying to be 'one plane', but he has the flattest driver backswing I've ever seen.

[TimB]

Dan, when asked about what a day in the life looks like, starts by saying that it changes with the season and the says, "Right now, you can post scores again up here in Oregon so I'm just playing a lot of golf.  Trying to get tournament ready.  Focusing on score, focusing on competition.  Making sure there's something on the line. .. ."  So, why no posted scores on GHIN since April? He basically says, that on the day of the interview, he will go out and work on a specific type of bunker shot for an hour, then play a round of golf with some guys who he knows to be good golfers, and then after the round maybe spend an hour working on any particular weakness from that round.  Doesn't sound very deliberate to me.

Right. It's not deliberate. He should sit down with an older retired touring pro and design a real practice method that's already been tested. I think he does prove that 10,000 hours makes you pretty good, but it's not enough to turn you into a touring pro. In addition to practice and 10,000 hours you needs 1) Natural ability (sorry, but talent is not manufactured) 2) Desire/passion 3) Top thought (creativity). You can't just fill in some hours at the job and automatically become Hunter Mahan!

[mchepp]

He looks disheveled  in the video, the beard, if intentional, is not a flattering look for him.  His shirt collars are rolled, he's wearing shorts and his complexion looks horrible.  There would be nothing wrong with his look if he was just a regular golfer like us but for a guy who is trying to attract sponsors it's not the way you want to present yourself.   His body language and facial gestures indicate a lack of intensity and confidence in what he's saying.  Overall this video will not help him attract sponsors imo unless it's out of pity.

Nah, he just looks like he is from Portland.

At least to the dirty beard, rolled shirt collar, bad complexion and shorts part.

[Dapadre]

Not wanting to sound like an expert but from someone who has also had chronic back issues (runs in the family) for over 25 years, I think I may have spotted an issue with Dan. From my naked eye he seems to have a very weak CORE. I went on a journey myself some 25 years ago when I was diagnosed with a herniated disk. Back then surgery was a 50/50 option because of scar tissue. So I went the other route.........learn to live with it. But in learning to live with it I have learned via research and luckily my brother later became a certified trainer ( is currently the physical trainer for a professional soccer team in the MLS as we speak) that there are certain things one must do.

1 Control weight

2 Control diet in that certain foods actually increase inflammation. This is something MANY ppl dont know. One culprit, peanut butter

3 Stretching, exercise/training  and some YOGA

4 CORE, CORE, CORE!

The last is of GREAT importance. Once I developed a strong core, I went practically pain free. I went from a scale 1 -10, to a 1 in terms of pain. Like one gentleman said above, I also incorporated believe it or not squatting and deadlifting. Contrary to what many believe, they are actually NOT bad for your back, but must be done with good form. Something I learned from my brother. I can now squat 400lbs and DL 400 lbs, im 5'11 190 lbs.

Golf used to be a struggle with a hurting back because apart from the pain, it starts to play mind games with you too. Dan will not be able to progress with out getting that under control.

[Lihu]

There's definitely some argument for stronger core muscles. Everything from his swing that lacks oomph to back issues probably stem from a weak core. He's also got to stop that extra twitch thing where he torques his back at the end of swing. It looks painful to me.

[nevets88]

That twitch if I'm interpreting twitch correctly looks like someone who takes hips fire before upper body too literally. Based on my layman's analysis of his swing, he fires the hips back to target so quickly, they don't get a chance to turn back more, which I'm guessing is a power inhibitor.

Looking at his swing from a 5SK perspective, his head is pretty steady, he gets his weight forward, maybe more needs to forward earlier? His wrist seems to be flat oops, or rather, he looks pretty inline at impact. He can have a wonky BS and get away w/it but like @mvmac said, it would make things more easier, better chance to get better downswing conditions if he didn't have the up and in backswing.

Basically, I haven't seen any wholesale changes in his swing for a long time but I'm no instructor and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night and as I've stated before, I don't agree w/him it's a mental block w/resp to his scoring (if that's still his opinion), it's his swing.

[Lihu]

That twitch if I'm interpreting twitch correctly looks like someone who takes hips fire before upper body too literally. Based on my layman's analysis of his swing, he fires the hips back to target so quickly, they don't get a chance to turn back more, which I'm guessing is a power inhibitor.

Looking at his swing from a 5SK perspective, his head is pretty steady, he gets his weight forward, maybe more needs to forward earlier? His wrist seems to be flat oops, or rather, he looks pretty inline at impact. He can have a wonky BS and get away w/it but like @mvmac said, it would make things more easier, better chance to get better downswing conditions if he didn't have the up and in backswing.

This is what I think as well. His swing is not the worst in the world, but most likely not a 2 handicap swing? He lacks the oomph to be able to compensate for any swing flaws.

It might really stem from lack of proper core strength training. Actually, many golfers including me are guilty to not doing enough core training.

Basically, I haven't seen any wholesale changes in his swing for a long time but I'm no instructor and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night and as I've stated before, I don't agree w/him it's a mental block w/resp to his scoring (if that's still his opinion), it's his swing.

IDK, but it looks better in these videos. His driver is very flat, but other than that it doesn't really look all that bad?

In terms of Dan being a 2-3 handicap? There are exceptions to everything. . .Not everyone is a young high school or collegiate golfer who carries drives 275 yards, carries their 6i 180 yards and has a perfect flexible swing with all 5 keys.

I do know a scratch golfer who doesn't have a very pretty swing, and doesn't hit all that far either (230-240 yards total drives?). He hits the ball straight, and enough to get to the green on most par 4. I didn't really watch him carefully or anything, but it looked like he scrambled far over 50%-60% from up to 80 yards or so (possibly better than the PGA average? IDK what is the PGA average?). I also know another golfer who is a 3, who gets over 80% from 100 yards in 2 shots. He's working on getting 100%. I know another 8 handicap, who can barely drive 200 yards hits a wood onto the greens and makes over 50% of his putts from 20 feet.

These might be "impossible" in the minds of people on this site, but I've seen them on a regular basis shooting to their handicaps or better. So, I'm never too fast at saying that something is impossible.

[tdiii]

Not wanting to sound like an expert but from someone who has also had chronic back issues (runs in the family) for over 25 years, I think I may have spotted an issue with Dan. From my naked eye he seems to have a very weak CORE. I went on a journey myself some 25 years ago when I was diagnosed with a herniated disk. Back then surgery was a 50/50 option because of scar tissue. So I went the other route.........learn to live with it. But in learning to live with it I have learned via research and luckily my brother later became a certified trainer ( is currently the physical trainer for a professional soccer team in the MLS as we speak) that there are certain things one must do.

1 Control weight

2 Control diet in that certain foods actually increase inflammation. This is something MANY ppl dont know. One culprit, peanut butter

3 Stretching, exercise/training  and some YOGA

4 CORE, CORE, CORE!

The last is of GREAT importance. Once I developed a strong core, I went practically pain free. I went from a scale 1 -10, to a 1 in terms of pain. Like one gentleman said above, I also incorporated believe it or not squatting and deadlifting. Contrary to what many believe, they are actually NOT bad for your back, but must be done with good form. Something I learned from my brother. I can now squat 400lbs and DL 400 lbs, im 5'11 190 lbs.

Golf used to be a struggle with a hurting back because apart from the pain, it starts to play mind games with you too. Dan will not be able to progress with out getting that under control.

Good stuff.  The core strength required to deadlift 400 and squat 400 far exceeds what one would ever develop doing bosu ball crunches.  The great thing about barbell training is you can very slowly, deliberately, and precisely increase load over time and thereby gradually develop that core strength.  Done with a full range of motion, the squat increases flexibility, as well.  I'm glad your brother pointed you in the right direction.

[Dapadre]

Good stuff.  The core strength required to deadlift 400 and squat 400 far exceeds what one would ever develop doing bosu ball crunches.  The great thing about barbell training is you can very slowly, deliberately, and precisely increase load over time and thereby gradually develop that core strength.  Done with a full range of motion, the squat increases flexibility, as well.  I'm glad your brother pointed you in the right direction.

Yes, im indebted to him on that. The crazy thing was when he first mentioned squats or DL, I like most ppl said I cant, I have a bad back. The crazy thing is when done correctly, your stabilisation muscles along with your core become so developed. Also as you rightfully mentioned one can event start ( as I did) with a very light weight and go really slow but with good from.

[Chris Mcneil]

Sounds cool, but I don't believe is focusing so long on these exclusive aspects of the game. In my opinion neglecting other counterparts will hurt in the long run. I would focus more on a complete game personally.

[nevets88]

There just doesn't seem to be a progression, or better put, evolution to his swing. It was like one day, it was there. And it really hasn't changed much.

[Lihu]

There just doesn't seem to be a progression, or better put, evolution to his swing. It was like one day, it was there. And it really hasn't changed much.

Ah, I see what you mean. He was putting and chipping and all of a sudden "boom" full swing.

[nevets88]

Eventually there is going to be a batch of books, like, "Talent is Everything", "The No Talent Code". And the cycle will repeat itself. It's just a publishing con to sell books.

[flopster]

He's blaming the mats for his injury? All credibility is out the window now, not saying hitting off mats wont cause problems but it probably will be no further than a wrist or elbow soreness at most. His injury is caused from an out of synch swing with little athleticism in it, Dans swing is not very connected to his body and therefore causes stress on his body in unnatural ways, also notice he's hooding his irons on takeaway, he's really reaching for anything that might improve his game the slightest, he really needs someone to undo his bad habits or else he will continue digging himself into this hole he's in.