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

[Vinsk]

2 hours ago, Diece said:

gotta wonder, has ANYONE that's posted in this thread made their dream a reality?

I put myself through medical school despite all odds against me. So yeah. Dreams are for unicorns. Goals with a plan are what gets it done.

[klineka]

2 hours ago, Diece said:

 

I gotta wonder, has ANYONE that's posted in this thread made their dream a reality?

Yup, I was a walk on pitcher my freshman year of college barely throwing 80mph and by my senior year I had earned a scholarship, was voted captain by my teammates, threw 90-91mph and had scouts from multiple MLB teams at most of my games.

[LMoore]

Dreams a reality? As a teen, I wanted to play in the MLB. Tried. Wasn’t good enough and wasn’t delusional.

Next plan. Education. Experience. Business. Semi retired at 51. Play golf 5 times a week. Buy what I want. Eat what and where I want. Go where I want. 

Dream wife, kids, and grandkids. And life beyond this world. So yes. Success and dreams realized.

[NM Golf]

8 hours ago, iacas said:

Yes there are Danny. A coach can “spend” the slotted scholarships how they please.

Yes they can and no there’s not. Basically two sports give full scholarships, football and basketball. Phil Mickelson is the only person I’ve ever heard of receiving a full golf scholarship. You just can’t do it you need 10 guys you have 4 scholarships. Do the math. 

[Double Mocha Man]

2 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

Yes they can and no there’s not. Basically two sports give full scholarships, football and basketball. Phil Mickelson is the only person I’ve ever heard of receiving a full golf scholarship. You just can’t do it you need 10 guys you have 4 scholarships. Do the math. 

Tuition, fees, books, meals. I guess my scholarship wasn't full. I didn't get a new car.

[NM Golf]

Just now, Double Mocha Man said:

Tuition, fees, books, meals. I guess my scholarship wasn't full. I didn't get a new car.

Nope a full scholarship includes tuition, fees, books, room and board year round. Room and board are more expensive than tuition a lot of the time. 

[pganapathy]

15 hours ago, pganapathy said:

Alright.  Let us have a bet.  10K.  I say you will not be able to earn 10K in the month of May.  Or if you want to stretch it out, 30K over 3 months for May, June and July.  You just need to provide proof of your earnings, not just borrow money from somebody and deposit it in your account.  DEAL

@Diece You can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk.  The answer is patently obvious. NO.

You kept saying it is so easy to earn 10K a month, but when challenged with a bet, you conveniently and quietly ignored it.  Either because you know it is extremely difficult, or because you are so scared that if you take the bet you will fail miserably.  I think it is time you stopped claiming how easy it will be for you to earn enough money on your own to pay for this.  Otherwise you will become the boy who cried wolf too many times.

You are better off updating information on your game only and letting people see the progress you are making there.

Oh yes, STUPIDITY IS NOT A GIFT.  Do you really think people are that stupid, and as you put it 'lazy f***s', that they would all rather work for 40 to 60 hours a week to earn less, when you can earn money so easily online, working 10 hours a week.  I wonder whether you were missing from the party when god was handing out brains, because you obviously seem to be lacking a few faculties upstairs

[Diece]

@ what some of the people have posted as their dreams. I respect that.

I was thinking about this thread earlier today. I knew I'd get backlash when I posted it and I also thought it would be a fun little project, where people could watch my progress.

Maybe I just haven't positioned it as such but 90% of the replies to this thread have been useless, people telling me to quit, people telling me im delusional, people telling me all kinds of shit. Have I really received any value from this?

Not really.

There was a few posts at the start that helped me but after that I've got nothing from it. 

I don't need people telling me I won't make it, or that I don't have the talent or how HARD it is or how good the players are. Look, I've watched pro the Canadian Open and Mackenzie Tour events + lesser pro events (club pros).

I know what they can do, I know I'm not close but I know I will make it. I watched the players on the Mackenzie Tour hit their long irons 245 yards uphill into the wind on a par 3, my jaw dropped. I've seen how good they are. I'm not going out there, shooting 1 under and going well I think I can go pro soon. You guys can shut the f*** up about it. 

Everyone here knows some guy who didn't make it, "I know a guy who tried, he was really good but didn't make it." It's always some guy. My response? I don't give a f*** if some guy you know didn't make it. I will. These posts are useless. 

Ever heard of the phrase you are the product of the people you associate with?

Has associating with this forum made me a better player? Not really.

I get close to 0 value here and I say close to 0 because some people have helped me, which I appreciate.

Right now.

I don't see the point in continuing this but I'm willing to give it one more shot however if people just want to talk shit and tell me shit I already know, as if they are being helpful and insightful. Then I'm out.

Maybe you can prove me otherwise and I'm the one that led this thread down the path that it went. Maybe I should post more about golf and let the naysayers go f*** themselves.

Anyway, with that said let me give you an update. 

_________________

I've been reflecting on my good rounds last year and what I was working on specifically during the time I shot those scores. Here's a break-down of the stand-out rounds.

71 - When I shot this, I know I was working on starting the swing with the lower body and I was also working on keeping the head relatively still. I shot this right after going to watch a Mackenzie Tour event. The main thing I noticed during the event was how stable their bodies were during the swing. Their heads didn't really move much (vertically) and it looked solid. 

I think before we go further, I should clarify what I mean when I say their bodies were solid. They swung around themselves, they didn't sway, they stayed in one spot and pivoted around their bodies to hit the ball. Whereas before with myself I would sway thinking it would give me leverage but all it does it ruin your shotmaking.

Think about the golf swing, if you're just using the arms and you aren't really rotating at all. There's no power because you're not turning around the ball.

So when I got back I was inspired to work on that.

I also was working on a one-piece takeaway, maintaining the triangle formed between the arms and the body for as long as possible and swinging on an upright plane.

69 - I never drove the ball better during this time, it was the main reason I shot what I did. What I was working on at this time was again stability (stance) and maintaining the triangle between the arms and body for as long as possible in the backswing without feeling stiff.

72 - Again, a similar theme of keeping the head still and I was really working on starting the downswing with my lower body.

I don't think it's a coincidence that my best rounds had similar thoughts. I should also note that during these rounds I was experimenting with letting my right foot lift a little off the ground in the backswing, which gave me more leverage on my longer irons. I could really get "behind" the ball when I did this.

Here's a few swings from around the times when I shot the above scores.

If you notice, my body is relatively still during these swings. I don't think this a very complicated thing to answer why having less unnecessary motion is good.

There's a famous painter Henri Matisse who said in regards to painting that "Everything that is not useful in the picture is, it follows, harmful. A work of art must be harmonious in its entirety: any superfluous detail would replace some other essential detail in the mind of the spectator."

I agree with Matisse, I also love that quote in regards to the golf swing. Removing unnecessary motions to create one, smooth, poetic swing that is in harmony. 

You should also notice that in my pre-shot routine, I was taking the club back and forth, this is where I was focusing on maintaining the triangle. The reason this helped me with ball striking was that it makes sure that I make a full shoulder turn and I don't bring the club back too shallow. (which is a problem of mine). I noticed I played better when my swing plane was more upright and less shallow, and this helped me stay connected + relatively upright. I also think it just helps with consistency, the more sturdy and stable you are in the swing, the more consistent. At least that's what I found.

Starting the downswing with the lower body, I knew I had an over - the - top action in my swing. I think when I worked on starting with the lower body and rotation of the hips, it made it harder to come over the top. I was able to stop my right shoulder from taking over and wanting to chop at the ball but this was I think a bandaid solution to a bigger problem. Which is something I will be working a lot on this year.

Watch this swing.

See something weird in the downswing?

Look at my head.

It dips and as one pro said, it looks like I'm trying to keep my head down.

And it's 100% true.

Remember the old guy that took me under my wing when I was younger that I talked about in a previous post? He told me to keep my head down. He drilled it into me.

And I think that's why I come over - the - top. I'm so focused on the damn ball that I drop my head and when my head drops, I can't really drop the club onto a proper line. I have to come over the top to re-route the club onto the back of the ball. 

I remember a long time ago, when I was like 16 or 17 that I had considerably better ball striking when I allowed myself to not worry about "watching" the ball. I also remember that my ball striking was a lot better when I swung with my eyes closed, I felt "free" and that I was able to swing through the ball and not at it.

Watch Sams swing here, notice how he isn't trying to keep his eye on the ball and also notice how his head doesn't move and there is no big dip. He's able to get the lowerbody into the swing.

Now watch this video of me.

Look at my downswing motion. It's f***ing terrible. It looks like I'm chopping wood and I think it's because I'm trying to keep my eye on the ball. My head doesn't move much laterally but vertically it dips like crazy and when I dip it like that, I can't get my lowerbody into the shot and I screw myself in consistency and accuracy.

It's a very cramped motion. 

I need to go to range and work this motion out more but that's one major change I am making to my swing. I'm removing the over - the -top motion and allowing my head to be free. I'm not going to worry about what my head does, I'm just going to worry about swinging through the ball and using the lower body. I definitely don't think I use my lower body enough which is robbing me of power and consistency and as far as my knowledge is concerned, this stems from trying to watch the ball.

Now, doesn't this sound contradictory?

I'm allowing my head to move, but I kept it still last year and shot my best rounds? 

I think keeping the head still, helps me with not swaying but I'm still putting too much attention on the ball and it's causing my over the top motion. It's sort of hard to explain but I'm thinking of swinging around my head, the head doesn't really matter but it shouldn't move like crazy because then you're changing all of the angles you started with at address. By freeing my head, I think I will start to cure my dipping problem, combined with focusing a lot on the lower body to start the downswing.

So bottom line.

Remove my dip in the downswing.

Stop coming over-the-top.

That's what I'm working on swing related right now.

Btw, here's a cap of my handicap.

 

 

Edited April 26, 2019 by Diece

[paperclip]

11 hours ago, Diece said:

😂

 

I gotta wonder, has ANYONE that's posted in this thread made their dream a reality?

Is anyone actually living out their dreams?

And if not, then why the hell should I listen to anyone here.

It's my thread, I'm going to write what I want and say what I want, keep posting and telling me why I won't make it. I'm enjoying the entertainment. 

So are we

[iacas]

4 hours ago, NM Golf said:

Yes they can and no there’s not. Basically two sports give full scholarships, football and basketball. Phil Mickelson is the only person I’ve ever heard of receiving a full golf scholarship. You just can’t do it you need 10 guys you have 4 scholarships. Do the math. 

Dude, you're just wrong. I know two guys on full scholarships… in Erie. I know of a few others we've coached who are attending D1 and D2 colleges outside of Erie.

It's more than possible, and you don't have to be Phil Mickelson.

1 - Top Guy
0.5 - 2 Guy
0.5 - 3 Guy
0.5 - 4
0.25 - 5
0.25 - 6
0.25 - 7
0.25 - 8

That's 3.5 covering eight guys. Plus there are teams with walk-ons. It's not like all ten players are getting scholarships on most teams. Several of the players are paying their way, or getting academic help, etc.

You're literally arguing a fact here, and you're wrong. Colleges can - and do - give full athletic scholarships to golfers. If the coach wants to "spend" a full scholarship on one player, he or she does.

[pganapathy]

@Diece Do you have a coach who is helping to guide you and improve your swing or are you doing it yourself.  Because getting from the level you are now to pro level will either require a good coach or just freaky natural talent.  Otherwise, hitting more golf balls just grooves errors into your swing.  Unless you intend to take this swing onto the tour, in which case, your odds of making it get tougher as you are coming over the top

[phillyk]

@Diece besides the head thing, which  may be tough to overcome, i see a very strong grip and your clubface is pointing towards the sky at the top. Ideally it should be closer to parallel with your lead arm. Means less things twisting around and more consistency. As we know golf is a complicated motion, we don’t want to overdo it though. 🤪

The last thing is a result of the head dip. Its not imperative that the lead arm be perfectly straight around impact, but you’ll want it straighter than you have it. But i think if you straighten it and dip again, youll get chunks. So maybe its a way to train your head not to do that dip thing. 

If i were you id look into lessons. At least take one or two to get some direction to go in. 

[NM Golf]

5 hours ago, iacas said:

Dude, you're just wrong. I know two guys on full scholarships… in Erie. I know of a few others we've coached who are attending D1 and D2 colleges outside of Erie.

It's more than possible, and you don't have to be Phil Mickelson.

1 - Top Guy
0.5 - 2 Guy
0.5 - 3 Guy
0.5 - 4
0.25 - 5
0.25 - 6
0.25 - 7
0.25 - 8

That's 3.5 covering eight guys. Plus there are teams with walk-ons. It's not like all ten players are getting scholarships on most teams. Several of the players are paying their way, or getting academic help, etc.

You're literally arguing a fact here, and you're wrong. Colleges can - and do - give full athletic scholarships to golfers. If the coach wants to "spend" a full scholarship on one player, he or she does.

Ok I stand corrected, I will restate and say there are very few (less than 10%) full rides in college golf. I would also add you must be a stud muffin, future PGA Tour pro to get one. 

The numbers behind “full scholarships” in NCAA men’s college golf

---

If you are in the world of junior golf, you’ve probably heard about a young man you know who’s getting that coveted full ride to college, maybe even to a Power-5 school. With all the talk in junior golf about full scholarships...

 

[LMoore]

Diece, believe it or not, most good people want to see other people do well. I always want people to do well, and like I said in the first post I made on this thread, If you succeed, I'll be your biggest cheerleader.

However, brash and vulgar language points to someone that is spoiled and immature. You don't have a bad swing. You are young and flexible. Confidence is a must, but it must be tempered with humility. It will be a determining factor in whether or not you are coachable.

I've seen nothing in the responses other than people pointing out the long...very long odds of making it on tour. Questioning their motives by being offended points to the need of a thorough self examination.

[Vinsk]

@Diece Just about all of us here would love to see you succeed. Taking on an extremely difficult journey can be daunting. There will be naysayers. But there will also be those who making sure you have a rational and educated perspective so that you can organize a plan for success. Giving you butterflies and candy corn kittens is what does you no good. You have to know what you're doing and how you're going to do it. I'm sure you've heard the phrase, 'You can do anything you put your mind to do.' Well, what's not said is that phrase has a butt load of asterisks to it. What has happened so often in many types of success stories has been sold as 'hard work' or 'dedication.' In reality these people had: 1. Profound luck and really had no better talent than the next person (Miley Cyrus, Kardashians). 2. Innate qualities (Cindy Crawford who pushes a million beauty products as if that's what made her gorgeous.) When you don't have that going for you then it will take complete dedication and hard work. 

First ask yourself why you want to play on the Mckenzie Tour? I imagine it's not for the money as you've already expressed interest in an online business and that's it's 'not as hard as we think' to make 10k/month. People telling you that is extremely difficult are simply wanting you to be realistic. It's not bashing you or making fun of you. It's cold hard reality. And if you were to start making 10k/month with some business (photography) how will that affect your drive to pursue a career playing golf? 

You started this thread about 8 months ago. Since then you haven't secured a coach or done any type of constructive work on your golf. You've beaten balls and played some rounds. So what's your plan? Your photography and golf career aren't just gonna happen because you want them to. Nor or they inevitably obtainable because they're your dreams. Sit down with a pen and paper. Get your finances in order and make a solid plan. I'm sorry you feel this site hasn't helped you at all. But in all fairness you haven't given us much to go on. You've basically said 'this is what I want to do and I don't want to hear anything but praise and compliments.' That's not what you need. You need direction. There are many on this site who can offer you excellent advice if you'd just ease up on the defensiveness and get a grip on reality. So let's get to work on a plan. Cheers.

[Diece]

2 hours ago, Vinsk said:

@Diece Just about all of us here would love to see you succeed. Taking on an extremely difficult journey can be daunting. There will be naysayers. But there will also be those who making sure you have a rational and educated perspective so that you can organize a plan for success. Giving you butterflies and candy corn kittens is what does you no good. You have to know what you're doing and how you're going to do it. I'm sure you've heard the phrase, 'You can do anything you put your mind to do.' Well, what's not said is that phrase has a butt load of asterisks to it. What has happened so often in many types of success stories has been sold as 'hard work' or 'dedication.' In reality these people had: 1. Profound luck and really had no better talent than the next person (Miley Cyrus, Kardashians). 2. Innate qualities (Cindy Crawford who pushes a million beauty products as if that's what made her gorgeous.) When you don't have that going for you then it will take complete dedication and hard work. 

First ask yourself why you want to play on the Mckenzie Tour? I imagine it's not for the money as you've already expressed interest in an online business and that's it's 'not as hard as we think' to make 10k/month. People telling you that is extremely difficult are simply wanting you to be realistic. It's not bashing you or making fun of you. It's cold hard reality. And if you were to start making 10k/month with some business (photography) how will that affect your drive to pursue a career playing golf? 

You started this thread about 8 months ago. Since then you haven't secured a coach or done any type of constructive work on your golf. You've beaten balls and played some rounds. So what's your plan? Your photography and golf career aren't just gonna happen because you want them to. Nor or they inevitably obtainable because they're your dreams. Sit down with a pen and paper. Get your finances in order and make a solid plan. I'm sorry you feel this site hasn't helped you at all. But in all fairness you haven't given us much to go on. You've basically said 'this is what I want to do and I don't want to hear anything but praise and compliments.' That's not what you need. You need direction. There are many on this site who can offer you excellent advice if you'd just ease up on the defensiveness and get a grip on reality. So let's get to work on a plan. Cheers.

I can see where you're coming from.

I suck at planning.

How would you plan for such a thing?

In my mind, I need to start winning small events and work my way up + find a coach. Which I think I've found now. What else can you plan? Doesn't it kinda come down to my performance?

3 hours ago, phillyk said:

@Diece besides the head thing, which  may be tough to overcome, i see a very strong grip and your clubface is pointing towards the sky at the top. Ideally it should be closer to parallel with your lead arm. Means less things twisting around and more consistency. As we know golf is a complicated motion, we don’t want to overdo it though. 🤪

The last thing is a result of the head dip. Its not imperative that the lead arm be perfectly straight around impact, but you’ll want it straighter than you have it. But i think if you straighten it and dip again, youll get chunks. So maybe its a way to train your head not to do that dip thing. 

If i were you id look into lessons. At least take one or two to get some direction to go in. 

Good points.

I worked almost all last year on my grip.

I noticed when I weakened my grip, I started slicing it worse than before. I think the strong grip is a compensation for a poor downswing and coming over the top. 

And the straight arm, again I agree. My lead arm is bent at impact.

[Missouri Swede]

11 minutes ago, Diece said:

In my mind, I need to start winning small events and work my way up + find a coach.

Isn't that backwards?

[Diece]

5 minutes ago, Missouri Swede said:

Isn't that backwards?

Not in order.