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

[RFKFREAK]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RFKFREAK

True, but as has been said before in this thread, no one is really going to care if it's, "10,000 hours to become a scratch golfer."

Marketability was probably very important to him in this endeavor.

Then he was looking at a short term marketability. It seems like a 10,000 hour long project should have some foresight. Now he has a potentially serious credibility issue. Even his 4 handicap is being legitimately challenged by some of the posters.

Truthfully, I think "even" scratch is going to be a push for Dan.

He might be able to teach golf someday. I am sure that with 10,000 hours of training and lessons, he should be learning something that he can pass on to other aspiring golfers. Here's a possible sales pitch he could make "I failed to become a professional due to age blah blah blah, but in 10,000 hours of guided training at $150/hour I can train your child to become Tour Qualified." He can always show his credentials from his website and all the instructors that trained him.

Coming from the mindset of the original project, he had to have something "catchy."  PGA is about the only thing that he could really use.

Even not reaching this goal, he'll still be able to talk about his journey, if you will, and if he does write a book, even by not reaching his goal, it would still outsell a story about 10,000 hours to get to scratch and moreso 10,000 hours not getting to scratch.  Someone who isn't hardcore into golf would be more interested in a potential book by having PGA in the title than not.

I don't presume to know his motivation for this project besides what he's said.  That said, if somewhere along the way he has come to the conclusion that he's not going to reach his goal, he's probably had to come up with a new plan post the 10,000 hours, if he didn't have one at the start of the project.   Unless a potential buyer is hardcore into golf, the credibility of his handicap and any controversy surrounding it probably won't generate enough noise for the average person that would buy the book.

As for his handicap

[ztexz]

Note that in order to get into the Monday pre-Qualifier for a PGA Tour event, he would have to earn status on the Web.com Tour.  So that means going through Web.com Q school OR getting enough sponsor exemptions that he gets to where he needs to be on the money list.

Probably the "quickest" way on to the PGA Tour would be through qualifiers at either the US or British Opens, post a good finish, and parlay that into a couple of sponsor exemptions.

[sopel10]

I again checked golfshot, since he was supposed to play the last 2 days.  Still no scores.  Interesting. ;)

[David in FL]

Note that in order to get into the Monday pre-Qualifier for a PGA Tour event, he would have to earn status on the Web.com Tour.  So that means going through Web.com Q school OR getting enough sponsor exemptions that he gets to where he needs to be on the money list.

Probably the "quickest" way on to the PGA Tour would be through qualifiers at either the US or British Opens, post a good finish, and parlay that into a couple of sponsor exemptions.

I don't think that there's any requirement to have any professional status in order to enter pre-qualifying.

Here's the application for the Waste Management Pre-Qualifier and Open Qualifier.....

http://southwest.pga.com/gui/southwest34/userpages/TourQualifying/2013WMPOEntryFormdistributed0001.pdf

[ztexz]

Are you sure about that.....?

Yeah.  For example, here's a link to register for the pre-qualifier for the Wells Fargo:

http://carpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/carpga14/event/carpga1413/index.htm

EDIT: Oops, sorry, I should have said "Monday qualifier," not "Pre-qualifier"

In order to get into the pre-qualifier, he can be an amateur but he has to have a handicap of 2 or less.

[ztexz]

I don't think that there's any requirement to have any professional status in order to enter pre-qualifying.

Here's the application for the Waste Management Pre-Qualifier and Open Qualifier.....

http://southwest.pga.com/gui/southwest34/userpages/TourQualifying/2013WMPOEntryFormdistributed0001.pdf

Yep, you're right.  As is so often the case, my fingers typed faster than my brain.

[David in FL]

Yep, you're right.  As is so often the case, my fingers typed faster than my brain.

At some point in the future, signing up for a couple of pre-qualifiers would be a great gut-check for Dan......

[ztexz]

At some point in the future, signing up for a couple of pre-qualifiers would be a great gut-check for Dan......

Breaking 90 in his club championship would probably be a better start.  I just don't see how a guy who has gotten halfway through his plan and goes out and drops a 98 in his club championship thinks that he's halfway toward achieving his goal.

[nevets88]

Studies counter to those of Dr Ericsson. http://www.salon.com/2014/03/11/malcolm_gladwell_proven_wrong_practice_may_not_be_the_key_to_success/ http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289613000421 http://www.popsci.com/article/science/practice-not-important-thought-success-study-says?dom=PSC&loc;=recent&lnk;=2&con;=practice-not-as-important-as-thought-for-success-study-says-

[Lihu]

Studies counter to those of Dr Ericsson.

http://www.salon.com/2014/03/11/malcolm_gladwell_proven_wrong_practice_may_not_be_the_key_to_success/

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289613000421

http://www.popsci.com/article/science/practice-not-important-thought-success-study-says?dom=PSC&loc;=recent&lnk;=2&con;=practice-not-as-important-as-thought-for-success-study-says-

However, hard work does pay off, if you have natural talent and the discipline to improve upon it.

[nevets88]

However, hard work does pay off, if you have natural talent and the discipline to improve upon it.

Definitely.

[RandallT]

[URL=http://thedanplan.com/5000-of-10000-practice-hours-completed-half-way/]Halfway there.[/URL] In the blog post link above, Dan says he sees no reason he can't make PGA. He hit 5000 hours on the 4-year anniversary, which was also the opening day of the Masters. Therefore, he mentioned why not Dan McLaughlin at the Masters 2018? If he makes it, I promise to pick him in my pool. Edit: added link!

[David in FL]

Halfway there.

In the blog post link above, Dan says he sees no reason he can't make PGA. He hit 5000 hours on the 4-year anniversary, which was also the opening day of the Masters. Therefore, he mentioned why not Dan McLaughlin at the Masters 2018? If he makes it, I promise to pick him in my pool.

Edit: added link!

He doesn't even need a PGA Tour card for that.  Just win the Mid-Am, PubLinks, or US Am and he's there.  Piece of cake!

[flopster]

Well according to Dan he is now down to a 3.3 index, I can't say it's not possible but just for curiosity I decided to tabulate his "anti" handicap and that wound up being a whopping 11.1 so I decided to do my own and it was 9.5 not sure how a 5.0 will have that much less of an anti cap versus a 3.3 but there it is , he is either one of the most hot and cold golfers out there or he is trying to mix a few low scores in between his real rounds, I play right alongside guys in this index range and sure they will have an occasional low 80's round but Dan is still hitting 90 and above on occasion and the 2 tournament rounds he broke 80 on were on courses that were barely 6000 yards and not even rated to 70 basically you can get away with 230 yard drives and wedges all day on a place like that. I don't know I guess I'm just skeptical when it comes to people and their assertions on the golf course, I think Dan is going to have a very hard time getting anywhere close to scratch if he doesn't start eliminating these 90+ scores soon.

[Golfingdad]

Well according to Dan he is now down to a 3.3 index, I can't say it's not possible but just for curiosity I decided to tabulate his "anti" handicap and that wound up being a whopping 11.1 so I decided to do my own and it was 9.5 not sure how a 5.0 will have that much less of an anti cap versus a 3.3 but there it is , he is either one of the most hot and cold golfers out there or he is trying to mix a few low scores in between his real rounds, I play right alongside guys in this index range and sure they will have an occasional low 80's round but Dan is still hitting 90 and above on occasion and the 2 tournament rounds he broke 80 on were on courses that were barely 6000 yards and not even rated to 70 basically you can get away with 230 yard drives and wedges all day on a place like that. I don't know I guess I'm just skeptical when it comes to people and their assertions on the golf course, I think Dan is going to have a very hard time getting anywhere close to scratch if he doesn't start eliminating these 90+ scores soon.

Yeah, that's a really, really big disparity ... Especially for somebody who's a 3.3.

[Lihu]

My son who's a 10 gets upset with anything over 85/71CR like today. He's just learning the mental game and needs to reel in his emotions. I imagine that a 3 would get upset with anything over 78/71CR? 6000 yard courses do not sound like a 3 even belongs on it? Is he still driving 270? Seems like he needs to use a hybrid on all the par 4?

[nevets88]

Nothing's changed. I still say he should have been a 3.3 2 years ago if he's to have any chance. He should be around scratch now on 7000 yard courses. I don't like how he's giving the impression learning is linear with these hour measurements.

[flopster]

Yeah, that's a really, really big disparity ... Especially for somebody who's a 3.3.

Yes, usually when a player gets down into those index ranges they are a much more consistent player.