Journey to the Mackenzie Tour: One Amateur's Pipe Dream

[iacas]

5 hours ago, Double Mocha Man said:

There is a Strokes Gained Calculator that Diece could use for putting.  All he needs is an honest handicap.  I think he will see that on days his numbers are in the negative he'll score poorly.  On the days he's in the green, relative to other similar handicappers, he'll score well.

I'm not looking to belabor the point too much, but that's not necessarily true. There are three other categories.

If he gains five shots through his driving, approach shots, and short game, and loses two shots (or three) through his putting… he's going to score well relative to similar handicappers.

[Double Mocha Man]

No disagreement there. I was just giving him a tool to use to help improve his putting, which he says is bad.

[iacas]

22 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

No disagreement there. I was just giving him a tool to use to help improve his putting, which he says is bad.

Yep. If it's actually bad, he definitely needs to work on it. And hopefully he figures out whether it's Read, Bead, or Speed.

[Diece]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

Yep. If it's actually bad, he definitely needs to work on it. And hopefully he figures out whether it's Read, Bead, or Speed.

Its stroke. Pull, push, bad allignment. My putting is by far my weakest part of my game. Average around 32-35 putts. 

Lets say i hit the green around 10-13 times, most of those green will be about a 25-10ft putt one or two probably under 10ft (this is going off where I played last year and had mosty short irons in) Id make maybe 1 of those putts and they arent hard greens with a lot of slope. 

[Vinsk]

16 minutes ago, Diece said:

Its stroke. Pull, push, bad allignment. My putting is by far my weakest part of my game. Average around 32-35 putts. 

Lets say i hit the green around 10-13 times, most of those green will be about a 25-10ft putt one or two probably under 10ft (this is going off where I played last year and had mosty short irons in) Id make maybe 1 of those putts and they arent hard greens with a lot of slope. 

Well putts at 7'10" on the PGA Tour are made 50% of the time. At 10' you're looking at 38%.

[Diece]

Finally have found a course to join. I've been looking forever and have settled on a course about an hour and a half away from home. It's called Whistle Bear. It's a long course at around 7400 yards, 76 rating and has great facilities + it's private. Membership is about 2000 which my dad is going to help with and I will be also moving closer to the course.

I was invited by the director of golf to play in the field day today, I had a lot of fun and our team played great, we actually ended up winning the tournament. (scramble).

Here's some pictures from today..

Imgur

---

Post with 9 views.

_________

Now, about my game. There's a demo day at the club next Saturday which I'm going to. I need to get my equipment upgraded, my driver has a crack in the shaft (getting larger) and my irons are not fitted properly. They launch the ball way too high and I'm losing a lot of distance, my 3i goes 200 yards while a good drive is around 280-290. My SS is I think 110,111 if I remember correctly, My brother who I drive the ball about 5 yards past hits his irons way further than mine. He'll hit a 9 and I'm hitting a 7 or sometimes a 6 (and he hits his irons quite well).

I had my irons custom fitted but I don't think the guy who did it understood the level of play I was after.

My driver needs to go, my 3 wood and hybrid are random clubs from the used club section and my wedges are also random used clubs. 

I know equipment isn't a huge deal but I feel like playing from 7400 yards, I'm not going to be able to do anything when my 2i goes 210 and I have 234.

I also look at it as an investment. I'm going to get new stuff and that will be the sticks I play with until I get sponsored.

Thankfully one of the guys I played with today offered me a job at his restaurant where they make really good money so I should be able to afford the new gear. 

 

 

9 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

Well putts at 7'10" on the PGA Tour are made 50% of the time. At 10' you're looking at 38%.

Yeah.

On hard greens, that are fast and have breaks.

My averages are on shit greens that aren't very fast and don't have much slope.

Another nice thing about Whistle Bear is that it has a fitness centre.

Which is great cause my 145 pound ass could use some weight...maybe I'll gain some yards.

 

Maybe.

[iacas]

7 hours ago, Diece said:

Its stroke.

Read, Bead, or Speed man.

7 hours ago, Diece said:

Yeah.

On hard greens, that are fast and have breaks.

My averages are on shit greens that aren't very fast and don't have much slope.

Uhm, players putt better on Tour greens and even Tour players putt worse on “shit greens.”

You desperately need to understand your game at a deeper more meaningful level before you do too much more.

Have you bought LSW or ESC yet?

[pganapathy]

On 5/6/2019 at 9:21 AM, Diece said:

Finally have found a course to join. I've been looking forever and have settled on a course about an hour and a half away from home. It's called Whistle Bear. It's a long course at around 7400 yards, 76 rating and has great facilities + it's private. Membership is about 2000 which my dad is going to help with and I will be also moving closer to the course.

Now, about my game. There's a demo day at the club next Saturday which I'm going to. I need to get my equipment upgraded, my driver has a crack in the shaft (getting larger) and my irons are not fitted properly. They launch the ball way too high and I'm losing a lot of distance, my 3i goes 200 yards while a good drive is around 280-290. My SS is I think 110,111 if I remember correctly, My brother who I drive the ball about 5 yards past hits his irons way further than mine. He'll hit a 9 and I'm hitting a 7 or sometimes a 6 (and he hits his irons quite well).

I had my irons custom fitted but I don't think the guy who did it understood the level of play I was after.

My driver needs to go, my 3 wood and hybrid are random clubs from the used club section and my wedges are also random used clubs. 

I know equipment isn't a huge deal but I feel like playing from 7400 yards, I'm not going to be able to do anything when my 2i goes 210 and I have 234.

I also look at it as an investment. I'm going to get new stuff and that will be the sticks I play with until I get sponsored.

Thankfully one of the guys I played with today offered me a job at his restaurant where they make really good money so I should be able to afford the new gear. 

 

Another nice thing about Whistle Bear is that it has a fitness centre.

Which is great cause my 145 pound ass could use some weight...maybe I'll gain some yards.

 

Maybe.

I am glad to see you have finally accepted the reality that making 10K a month is not easy.  Hope your job earns good money and is not too time consuming.  If you are serious about being a pro golfer, remember that you really do need to put in the hard yards of at least 6 to 8 hours daily as an average.

At the gym, make sure you are doing exercises that are tailored to helping improve your golf game.  Note that they are different from bulking up your body.  Sometimes, bulking up can actually hinder your golf game.

Make sure you get fitted properly for your clubs and remember one thing.  If you are practicing regularly to become a pro, get fitted regularly.  The reason I say this is because your swing may well change after regular practice.  Whether that is swing speed or something else, you may well need to change clubs more than once before you become a pro.

[NationwideTourCrimsonTide]

1 hour ago, pganapathy said:

I am glad to see you have finally accepted the reality that making 10K a month is not easy.  Hope your job earns good money and is not too time consuming.  If you are serious about being a pro golfer, remember that you really do need to put in the hard yards of at least 6 to 8 hours daily as an average.

At the gym, make sure you are doing exercises that are tailored to helping improve your golf game.  Note that they are different from bulking up your body.  Sometimes, bulking up can actually hinder your golf game.

Make sure you get fitted properly for your clubs and remember one thing.  If you are practicing regularly to become a pro, get fitted regularly.  The reason I say this is because your swing may well change after regular practice.  Whether that is swing speed or something else, you may well need to change clubs more than once before you become a pro.

Agree on getting fitted / checking specs on your clubs frequently if you’re working on several aspects of your swing, and practicing several hours per day. Your swing speed may increase with better mechanics and strength training, and a stiffer shaft than what you’re getting fitted into today may be necessary. Little details are magnified when fine-tuning everything: lie angle, bounce, shaft length, and launch characteristics of the shaft along with spin rates are all items that may need adjusting as you tweak certain elements of your swing. You most likely won’t need any major overhauls to what you’re fitted for today in the short term, but just be mindful of how new positions in your swing and shaft angles, grip, stance, or ball flight may effect certain specs of your clubs.

[leftybutnotPM]

I am late to this thread but I binge-read it yesterday.

I am curious to know what the OP sees in his game that makes him think he has the potential to not only compete on, but "dominate" the Mackenzie Tour.

Also, what does he NOT see in the games of players who compete successfully on that tour and beyond?

As a newcomer, I have some observations: 

• There is no evidence of any success at golf at ANY level of competition - just a desire to be successful.
• We are instructed not to doubt his mission.
• He disses the the credentials of the owner of this site because he doesn't know him and therefore doesn't "trust" him.
• Qualified and highly respected teachers are dismissed.
• He thinks he can make swing adjustments in a single session - and then report on whether someone's advice is good or bad
• There is no organised practice routine or serious plan
• Equipment, lack of good playing partners and courses are blamed for a lack of progress.
• The elephant on the course, logically, is that the people who will be "dominating" the minor tours in three to six years time are 15 and 16 year olds playing off handicaps of +4
• My question is - why is the cart being put before the horse? Surely you make a decision to compete at a high level when you have succeeded at the previous levels.

From what I can see, the OP is deluded and, to boot, defensive and aggressive - he would not make a good student.

Edited May 10, 2019 by leftybutnotPM

[Vinsk]

Because someone won the + $1 billion lottery. And many people told him he was wasting his time playing it. 

Because there are kids who make a YouTube video and in 2 years they’re making six figures.

His generation was raised on participation trophies and ‘you can have what you want just because you want it.

I’m my days when a kid didn’t make a team tryout (which was posted for everyone to see) it was tough luck and maybe next tryout. 

Now for the coach it’s a phone call from the parents, lawyer up and be prepared to be raked over the coals on social media.

 

[Diece]

On 5/6/2019 at 7:21 AM, iacas said:

Read, Bead, or Speed man.

Uhm, players putt better on Tour greens and even Tour players putt worse on “shit greens.”

You desperately need to understand your game at a deeper more meaningful level before you do too much more.

Have you bought LSW or ESC yet?

I agree.

On my list once I move to get the books.

On 5/10/2019 at 4:04 PM, leftybutnotPM said:

I am late to this thread but I binge-read it yesterday.

I am curious to know what the OP sees in his game that makes him think he has the potential to not only compete on, but "dominate" the Mackenzie Tour.

Also, what does he NOT see in the games of players who compete successfully on that tour and beyond?

As a newcomer, I have some observations: 

• There is no evidence of any success at golf at ANY level of competition - just a desire to be successful.
• We are instructed not to doubt his mission.
• He disses the the credentials of the owner of this site because he doesn't know him and therefore doesn't "trust" him.
• Qualified and highly respected teachers are dismissed.
• He thinks he can make swing adjustments in a single session - and then report on whether someone's advice is good or bad
• There is no organised practice routine or serious plan
• Equipment, lack of good playing partners and courses are blamed for a lack of progress.
• The elephant on the course, logically, is that the people who will be "dominating" the minor tours in three to six years time are 15 and 16 year olds playing off handicaps of +4
• My question is - why is the cart being put before the horse? Surely you make a decision to compete at a high level when you have succeeded at the previous levels.

From what I can see, the OP is deluded and, to boot, defensive and aggressive - he would not make a good student.

This hardly warrants a response. 

In fact now that I think of it, it doesn't warrant a response.

On 5/10/2019 at 10:21 PM, Vinsk said:

Because someone won the + $1 billion lottery. And many people told him he was wasting his time playing it. 

Because there are kids who make a YouTube video and in 2 years they’re making six figures.

His generation was raised on participation trophies and ‘you can have what you want just because you want it.

I’m my days when a kid didn’t make a team tryout (which was posted for everyone to see) it was tough luck and maybe next tryout. 

Now for the coach it’s a phone call from the parents, lawyer up and be prepared to be raked over the coals on social media.

 

Whatever man. 

Judge me.

____

Nobody here knows how hard I am working on this dream and to be honest, I'm not even going to bother writing 1000 words on what I'm doing and my progress. Nor am I going to explain my own self-belief.

So where does that leave us?

Well..

I'm going to post on here, a side from this post and I wish the owner would ban me & delete my account. I don't need the distraction.

Edit: Locking the thread would be better. Lock this please.

 

Edited May 12, 2019 by Diece

[iacas]

4 minutes ago, Diece said:

I'm going to post on here, a side from this post and I wish the owner would ban me & delete my account. I don't need the distraction.

Huh????

Don’t reply or even read the topic if you don’t want to. But you literally started the topic, sooooo…

[leftybutnotPM]

15 minutes ago, Diece said:

 

Nobody here knows how hard I am working on this dream and to be honest, I'm not even going to bother writing 1000 words on what I'm doing and my progress. Nor am I going to explain my own self-belief.

So where does that leave us?

Well..

I'm going to post on here, a side from this post and I wish the owner would ban me & delete my account. I don't need the distraction.

 

 

You've never won (or entered) a local club championship in any grade at any level -yet you are going to "dominate" a tour where currently there would be thousands of 14 year olds who could thrash you and none of them would go close to qualifying to play there.

You give misinformation about your SS and distances.

You still haven't grasped the idea that wanting something really badly has little to do with your chances of achieving it in this area.

Self-belief and delusion of self are not the same things.

Please answer the question: WHY do you think you will succeed when you have presented zero evidence? I'm not seeing posts where you won a tournament or even did anything other than embarrass yourself. Which tournaments have you entered and been in the top 3 - or 10 - or 20?

Can you score in the low to mid 60s on ordinary courses in fair conditions fairly often? 

Are you known in your district as a gun player who can beat any of the locals any day of the week?

Would your name be one of the 10 who a local golf administrator or top pro would identify as someone with a good chance of making it?

Will you be one of the top 3 players at the club you are joining?

Sorry - your thread has become a perfect example of this kind of nonsense where people talk the talk but get shifty when they're asked to back it up.

I have no issue with desire or confidence, but your default position is to try to insult anyone or attack anyone who asks legitimate questions about WHY you are going to make it.

There was a thread here a while back where someone said he was going to succeed because he had no backup plan which meant he had no option but to succeed. You can guess where that ended up.

 

 

Edited May 12, 2019 by leftybutnotPM

[Vinsk]

10 hours ago, Diece said:

Nobody here knows how hard I am working on this dream and to be honest, I'm not even going to bother writing 1000 words on what I'm doing and my progress.

And you have no idea what those of us on this site have accomplished in our lives yet you had no problem posting about none of us fulfilling our dreams. Pretty typical of your age group. 

I’ve been nothing but supportive and even offered some advice. You’ve been defensive and quite frankly, childish. Good luck kid. 

[Mr22putt]

On 5/11/2019 at 8:43 PM, Diece said:

 

I'm going to post on here, a side from this post and I wish the owner would ban me & delete my account. I don't need the distraction.

Edit: Locking the thread would be better. Lock this please.

 

Diece/Jason"

Please DON'T QUIT, this thread has been EPIC in ENTERTAINMENT value....I bought a BIG bag of popcorn...lots for everyone here.

Eric:

Don't lock the thread...thanks.

[Double Mocha Man]

18 minutes ago, Mr22putt said:

Diece/Jason"

Please DON'T QUIT, this thread has been EPIC in ENTERTAINMENT value....I bought a BIG bag of popcorn...lots for everyone here.

Eric:

Don't lock the thread...thanks.

I second that motion.

Diece, how did demo day go?

[ncates00]

On 5/11/2019 at 11:43 PM, Diece said:

I agree.

On my list once I move to get the books.

This hardly warrants a response. 

In fact now that I think of it, it doesn't warrant a response.

Whatever man. 

Judge me.

____

Nobody here knows how hard I am working on this dream and to be honest, I'm not even going to bother writing 1000 words on what I'm doing and my progress. Nor am I going to explain my own self-belief.

So where does that leave us?

Well..

I'm going to post on here, a side from this post and I wish the owner would ban me & delete my account. I don't need the distraction.

Edit: Locking the thread would be better. Lock this please.

 

If this is the attitude and outlook you have, you won't make it.  The thing you don't get is, people on this forum would LOVE for you to make it.  We are skeptical and many have given you much to think about to help you.  Your defensiveness and inability to take a good look in the mirror and come to grips with your lack of ability is telling.  In order to get somewhere in life, self-belief is not enough.  You must take your weaknesses and gaps and make them strengths.  You do not acknowledge your gaps; you shrug them off with affirmations of own self-belief to protect your ego from what you know deep down is true.  It takes bravery and a strong person to look at his own flaws in the face and take them head on to improve.  Your self belief is a fallacy.  You're blinding yourself because you cannot admit your flaws.  You hide behind a few good shots and rounds you've accomplished under conditions of no real consequence.  

Stop belly-aching and get to work.  You have a wealth of good advice here and coaching and yet you don't take it up.  Here's what I would do: 1) grow the hell up, 2) take this advice and improve, or 3) just enjoy golf as leisure like the rest of us.