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

[pipergsm]

Compare it with playing music.

I've played music for over 25 years.

Theoretically, any person can be taught to play an instrument, even a person with no talent for music.

However, the speed at which they evolve and the final level they will reach (even with very hard work), will never be the same as that of someone who is naturally gifted for it!

And the same counts for sports, including golf.

[BuckeyeNut]

What's dan's current HC?   At least he's had a nice extended golf vacation.

[David in FL]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeNut

What's dan's current HC?   At least he's had a nice extended golf vacation.

Just checked.  Updated as of today.  Looks like virtually no movement since July of last year.

Looks a lot like mine.  Except that I'm 54, arthritic, work full time, have a family, don't take lessons, seldom practise, and only play twice a week........

Damn, I hope he makes the tour, there may be hope for me yet!

[newtogolf]

Looks like he figured something out in March (7.3) that has helped him, since then he's been trending downward (5.5).

[bkuehn1952]

The thing about his handicap is the majority of his scores go unrecorded.  He plays many practice rounds where he states he shot an "84 from the tips".  My feeling is that he turns rounds into "practice" rounds when he starts going sideways.  As such, his handicap is a bit of a vanity handicap.  It is one thing to start a round hitting several balls off the first tee with the clear intention to practice throughout the round.  It is another to start a round and decide after going +7 through nine that one is going to practice.

[David in FL]

Looks like he figured something out in March (7.3) that has helped him, since then he's been trending downward (5.5).

Looks to me like he lost it for 6 weeks or so. Now he's right back to where he's been for the last year. We'll see if he continues to drop, but that plateau around 5 is bitch for a lot of us to get past...... :-(

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by David in FL

Looks to me like he lost it for 6 weeks or so. Now he's right back to where he's been for the last year.

We'll see if he continues to drop, but that plateau around 5 is bitch for a lot of us to get past......

I wouldn't know, I've been stuck at 20.  5 seems like an impossibility at this point.  I'd like to get to below 18 by end of the season, but it's going to take a major improvement in the short and mental game to get me there.

I was trying to put a positive spin on the numbers for Dan, I'm usually pretty tough on the guy.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

I'd like to get to below 18 by end of the season, but it's going to take a major improvement in the short and mental game to get me there.

I disagree. You should do more to take advantage of the advice provided here (on this site, not this thread in particular).

[David in FL]

[URL=http://thesandtrap.com/t/56471/my-swing-newtogolf]I disagree.[/URL] You should do more to take advantage of the advice provided here (on this site, not this thread in particular).

[quote name="newtogolf" url="/t/45853/the-dan-plan-10-000-hours-to-become-a-*********er/558#post_850142"]I wouldn't know, I've been stuck at 20.  5 seems like an impossibility at this point.  I'd like to get to below 18 by end of the season, but it's going to take a major improvement in the short and mental game to get me there.  I was trying to put a positive spin on the numbers for Dan, I'm usually pretty tough on the guy.  [/quote] I've gotta agree with Erik.... Without knowing much of anything about your game, I promise that it's not a short game problem that has you stuck. It's full swing ball striking. There's a ton of great advice here that I've applied to my own game too. I'm gonna get to 4 this year, and the happy little group on TST is going to get some of the credit when I do! :-)

[Golfingdad]

and only play twice a week........

I hate you. ;)

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by iacas

I disagree. You should do more to take advantage of the advice provided here (on this site, not this thread in particular).

Originally Posted by David in FL

I've gotta agree with Erik.... Without knowing much of anything about your game, I promise that it's not a short game problem that has you stuck. It's full swing ball striking. There's a ton of great advice here that I've applied to my own game too. I'm gonna get to 4 this year, and the happy little group on TST is going to get some of the credit when I do!

Thanks guys, always open to assistance.  I'll post follow up in my swing thread so this thread can get back on topic.

[clutchshot]

Compare it with playing music. I've played music for over 25 years. Theoretically, any person can be taught to play an instrument, even a person with no talent for music. However, the speed at which they evolve and the final level they will reach (even with very hard work), will never be the same as that of someone who is naturally gifted for it! And the same counts for sports, including golf.

I agree entirely on this point. Anyone is capable of anything if they put their mind to it.

[MS256]

Originally Posted by clutchshot

I agree entirely on this point. Anyone is capable of anything if they put their mind to it.

SMH.

Yeah I'm going to win the 100 meters in the next Olympics. Then it's going to be a hard choice between playing quarterback for the Falcons or pitching for the Cardinals.

[David in FL]

SMH. Yeah I'm going to win the 100 meters in the next Olympics. Then it's going to be a hard choice between playing quarterback for the Falcons or pitching for the Cardinals.

Clearly, you just don't want it bad enough. Slacker! ;-)

[ToblaT]

Originally Posted by pipergsm

Compare it with playing music.

I've played music for over 25 years.

Theoretically, any person can be taught to play an instrument, even a person with no talent for music.

However, the speed at which they evolve and the final level they will reach (even with very hard work), will never be the same as that of someone who is naturally gifted for it!

And the same counts for sports, including golf.

Originally Posted by clutchshot

I agree entirely on this point. Anyone is capable of anything if they put their mind to it.

One of us must have missed his point entirely. What I read is that anyone is not capable of anything even if they put their mind to it, talent is needed to reach the top no matter how hard you practice. That is what I agree on, not what you said.

[johnclayton1982]

Quote:

Anyone is capable of anything if they put their mind to it.

Obviously this isn't right.  However, I think "natural talent" only appears "natural" because it is developed very early in life.  I think it is a true statement that any infant is capable of anything.  I do not believe some infants, absent deformities, "can't" make the tour.  I do believe that some 10 year olds, by that time, have not been exposed to enough hand-eye co-ordination experience to develop it well enough to make the tour, no matter what they do from age 10 to 40 to try to catch up.

I don't believe you are "born with it".  I believe it appears that way based on your enviornment and upbringing.  People think I'm naturally really good with numbers, but my parents made me take chess lessons when i was a very little kid for a while.  I do not think its a coincidence i ended up in a strategic planning finance vocation and people think i have natural talent for it..  If instead of chess lessons i had spent ages 3-8 with a musical instrument in my hands, i think my life would have been very different and people would think i was a "natural" at something else.

Its ridiculous to believe that Tiger Woods just happened to be both born to a parental couple that emphasized athletics, specifically golf from age 2, AND was born with a huge amount of natural talent.  We just think its "natural" because it is developed incredibly early in life.

[David in FL]

Obviously this isn't right.  However, I think "natural talent" only appears "natural" because it is developed very early in life.  I think it is a true statement that any infant is capable of anything.  I do not believe some infants, absent deformities, "can't" make the tour.  I do believe that some 10 year olds, by that time, have not been exposed to enough hand-eye co-ordination experience to develop it well enough to make the tour, no matter what they do from age 10 to 40 to try to catch up. I don't believe you are "born with it".  I believe it appears that way based on your enviornment and upbringing.  People think I'm naturally really good with numbers, but my parents made me take chess lessons when i was a very little kid for a while.  I do not think its a coincidence i ended up in a strategic planning finance vocation and people think i have natural talent for it..  If instead of chess lessons i had spent ages 3-8 with a musical instrument in my hands, i think my life would have been very different and people would think i was a "natural" at something else. Its ridiculous to believe that Tiger Woods just happened to be both born to a parental couple that emphasized athletics, specifically golf from age 2, AND was born with a huge amount of natural talent.  We just think its "natural" because it is developed incredibly early in life.

So it's my parents fault, for not starting me early enough, that I'm not playing in the NBA today. Never mind that I'm 5'9" with a 7 inch vertical jump and little girl hands..... Damn them!

[iacas]

Originally Posted by johnclayton1982

I don't believe you are "born with it".

I do.

As Dave says often, he'll never be able to jump as high as Michael Jordan can still probably jump a minute after he gets out of bed. Some players have speed. Some don't.