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

[RandallT]

A twitter dialog begins. Will Dan buy the book?!

[RandallT]

I like Gladwell's books, but this was funny.  Especially "Dick Bolt Giant"  ;)

That YouTube account had a bunch of idiot guides to smart people that looked good. I'll hafta check out others. I've read most of Gladwell's books too, and I enjoy them, but something feels off about his stuff. The video hit home with me, mainly the part about searching for simple truths when the world is actually messy and complicated and random.

[Golfingdad]

That YouTube account had a bunch of idiot guides to smart people that looked good. I'll hafta check out others. I've read most of Gladwell's books too, and I enjoy them, but something feels off about his stuff. The video hit home with me, mainly the part about searching for simple truths when the world is actually messy and complicated and random.

Somebody else (might have been Jamo) pointed out to me how he presents info as if he's a scientist, when all he is is a journalist. I like the books too, but that is accurate ... It's not really his area of expertise to be drawing the conclusions he draws. Still entertaining and thought proving though. (I like the parts in outliers about the hockey players and their birthdays;))

[jamo]

Somebody else (might have been Jamo) pointed out to me how he presents info as if he's a scientist, when all he is is a journalist. I like the books too, but that is accurate ... It's not really his area of expertise to be drawing the conclusions he draws. Still entertaining and thought proving though. (I like the parts in outliers about the hockey players and their birthdays;))

'Twas I.

[nevets88]

Gladwell is a great writer. He knows how to tell a story and draw you in. He wrote for the New Yorker. When you reading him, you get sucked in, but afterwards you're like, what a minute. Uh-uh. No.

[nevets88]

New swing vid. Clubhead looks less in at P2, grrrrr, get Swing Analyzr or something so you can do a proper side by side and I don't have to do these screen caps, but his hands still go away from his body on the takeaway.

Skimmed through his recent posts quickly, looks like he's trying for a TV pilot, proceeds to fund more coaching and tournaments.

[golf-noob-bruce]

but his hands still go away from his body on the takeaway.

Really interesting to me how much he's struggling to get rid of that. That's gotta be one of the first things any coach would spot (heck I spotted it the first time I saw a video of his swing) and seems like something a coach should be able to explain quite easily.

[Pretzel]

Is it just me or does he appear to squat in the middle of his backswing? It looks a little odd to me, but I don't think it would really hurt anything. I just know that if I did it I would find myself feeling "stuck" coming down into the ball.

What I want to see is not swings, but a GPS mapping of his rounds using Game Golf or something similar. I don't want to read his write-ups because I get bored of hearing his optimism about how things are getting better regardless of what is happening. Dan, it's alright if you have a bad round or week in golf. It's not always going to be continually improving, because there will be setbacks.

As for the 73 he posted in his last update, he must have had a career ballstriking round and the ability to bend his shots around trees on command. Hitting 61% of his greens when he only hit 21% of fairways (missing both left and right on a tree-lined course) is suspiciously impressive.

[nevets88]

Really interesting to me how much he's struggling to get rid of that. That's gotta be one of the first things any coach would spot (heck I spotted it the first time I saw a video of his swing) and seems like something a coach should be able to explain quite easily.

I think his first teacher did. And Dan tried. But it didn't take. It's in one of his vids in his YT channel. Instead of deliberate practice, he's basically going through a roundabout process a majority of golfers do. And I posted on his website finally. Basically, get a swing analysis app. Like Analyzr.

[Pretzel]

He's as stubborn when it comes to change as tiger is it seems. Without the 14 major wins though.

[RandallT]

Quote from Dan about recent range session:

Everything was spot on except for the tee shots which weren’t quite there, but I know why now: it’s all about swing plane change and face not matching up with the new plane.

Dan says his swing is "spot on" except his driver, but I'm not clear what he is saying is wrong with his driver swing.  The face is "not matching up with the new plane?" What does that even mean?

Exactly right @nevets88 , I think Dan is doing what nearly all amateurs do- looking for that magical self-diagnosis of that one thing that is eluding him. I don't get the sense that he has a valid "priority piece" (which I see the instructors around here hounding us to do), and even if he does have one, I don't get the sense that he is staying focused on it. He sure doesn't stress the feedback he gets from instructors, and when he does, those sessions seem to only be in his mind for a day or two before he marches off onto some new expedition.

[flopster]

Dan says his swing is "spot on" except his driver, but I'm not clear what he is saying is wrong with his driver swing.  The face is "not matching up with the new plane?" What does that even mean?

Exactly right @nevets88, I think Dan is doing what nearly all amateurs do- looking for that magical self-diagnosis of that one thing that is eluding him. I don't get the sense that he has a valid "priority piece" (which I see the instructors around here hounding us to do), and even if he does have one, I don't get the sense that he is staying focused on it. He sure doesn't stress the feedback he gets from instructors, and when he does, those sessions seem to only be in his mind for a day or two before he marches off onto some new expedition.

With all the hours that he has to put in he doesn't spend near enough of it drilling himself on hitting the proper positions throughout the swing, the early hands on the takeaway should have been nipped way early. that alone created other flaws to find their way into his swing. Dan really doesn't understand real diligent practice or he's a poor test subject that lacks physical coordination, I personally know someone who is breaking 70 already and is only a year and a half into this game, I really ought to put up some of his swing videos in my swing thread cause it will blow some of your minds how quickly someone can learn this game with good instruction and clear focus, Dan has been juggling this self promotion strategy to try and stay funded by naïve about golf people but I think that is probably waning by now.

[golf-noob-bruce]

Not sure if this has been posted in the thread yet.

[The 10,000 Hour Rule Is Wrong and Perpetuates a Cruel Myth] http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2014/09/malcolm_gladwell_s_10_000_hour_rule_for_deliberate_practice_is_wrong_genes.html

[nevets88]

I think it just boils down to finding a good teacher. That's the key. Find one - you get deliberate practice assignments, faster improvement. It's just with all the info out there, it's so crushingly confusing to a novice and from what I know, the guy has a few scratch guys giving him advice.

First teacher is so key. First pro is so money (from the movie, Swingers.)

[flopster]

Not sure if this has been posted in the thread yet.

[The 10,000 Hour Rule Is Wrong and Perpetuates a Cruel Myth] http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2014/09/malcolm_gladwell_s_10_000_hour_rule_for_deliberate_practice_is_wrong_genes.html

Further proof that your genetic make up is more of a determining factor on how good you can be, the chess player that had to spend 22 more hours than another to reach the same level, and the identical/fraternal twin test proves it even more. I know my posts are mostly critical of Dan and the reason I am that way is that he looks at this process in way too simplistic terms, he at this point should already realize there is no holy grail to the golf swing and that after all these hours he should be aware of how elusive good ball striking can be, but it seems like we still hear the same old verbatim we hear at driving ranges about getting that "one" little key element dialed in and all the planets will fall in line with a perfect swing, hopefully Dan has an epiphany one day and realizes just how difficult this game really is and approaches it from a more humble realistic way. We have seen others without mentioning names make posts about how by this date they can reach this goal and by this another and that's just simply not how it works, too often players reach a plateau in playing ability and think there is improvement out there upon what they have already but the reality is what they may have could be complete crap and they need to completely deconstruct themselves in order to move beyond their current level, in Dans case I believe he in fact is in this predicament and probably needs to undo some things in order to get back on track. The poster that said he has played a few rounds with Dan pretty much shedded light upon what most of us believed already and that was Dan is a poor ball striker but a better short game player than his index and honestly that makes lots of sense since he does put in way more hours working on his short game than much of us do, I'm basically the opposite of being a better ball striker than short game player just because I simply don't put the hours in like Dan. I think Dan could still reach scratch level if he decides to break things down with his full swing and completely dedicates himself towards the process.

[shortstop20]

So he's been at this for 6 hours a day, 6 days a week for over 3 years and he's a 7 handicap or so? Might as well pack it in. Scratch will be tough, let alone the Pros.

[Cardfather]

I'm disappointed in Dan spending so much time & money traveling to expensive mental camps. There is at least one great mental coach in the Portland area in Jim Waldron of BalancePointGolf. Dan could work with him during the entire Portland golf season. I'm rooting for Dan and wish him the best. I really wish he would see his local PGA pro more often. It's apparent that his ball striking should be his top priority at this point. I would even consider monthly contributions, if he were more prudent with his budget.

[iacas]

I'm disappointed in Dan spending so much time & money traveling to expensive mental camps. There is at least one great mental coach in the Portland area in Jim Waldron of BalancePointGolf. Dan could work with him during the entire Portland golf season.

I'm rooting for Dan and wish him the best. I really wish he would see his local PGA pro more often. It's apparent that his ball striking should be his top priority at this point.

I would even consider monthly contributions, if he were more prudent with his budget.

Plus, the mental game isn't terribly important.