The Dan Plan

[gregk2]

I've been following this for some time now, just wondered if anyone else is, and thoughts/opinions. If you havn't heard of it in a nutshell:

• 30 Year old has never played golf before
• Quits job to try to become pro
• Plans to test A theory of Dr. K Anders Ericssion, Professor of Psychology at Florida State University that if someone wants to master a skill it will require 10,000 hours of training
• Starting in early 2010, he began learning golf with the putter. He would learn the game beginning from the hole and working further and further away. The only club He used for the first 3 months was the putter. He then progressed to the Pitching wedge, then the sand wedge. A larger club was only used once he showed proficiency with the smaller golf club. In November 2011, he began using the driver and a full set of 14 clubs in January 2012.
• Current handicap 6.1

Would this be the optimal process for learning the game given his unlimited free time? (First 3 months with only a putter!?)

What chance do you give him of making it to Q-school and/or being successful? I believe he is approaching the 4,000 hour mark, so still less than halfway in. The video's are not being updated as much recently, but the blog is. www.thedanplan.com

 

[golfdub]

Just watched it and that is some crazy crazy crazy idea but he is pulling it off, I think I'm in shock at moment!
Out of all the sport he could of done I wonder what made him pick golf ? Insure some people will question weather this is real or not.
Oh and he must be a very wealthy man to be able to not work and buy everything you need plus living expenses.
Good post

 

[Picto]

Wish I could give up work to spend 30 hours a week playing golf :thup:

Cheers for link, will follow that with interest (and jealousy!)

 

[gregk2]

Just watched it and that is some crazy crazy crazy idea but he is pulling it off, I think I'm in shock at moment!
Out of all the sport he could of done I wonder what made him pick golf ? Insure some people will question weather this is real or not.
Oh and he must be a very wealthy man to be able to not work and buy everything you need plus living expenses.
Good post

It is very real, there a whole bunch of videos documenting his progress. He was given a lot of free gear from Nike, including clubs. He has recently started playing different clubs though. He isn't wealthy and is often trying to raise funds to be able to carry on with the plan, but he did have a big chunk of savings before he started.

 

[shewy]

I'm very jealous that he can spend that amount of time playing golf!
While I wish him luck I think that he will ultimately fail.
For me a good swing and mechanics are ingrained as a kid and it becomes natural, having to teach yourself and force it at 30 is 20 years to late in my opinion.
While he may become a very good golfer or even scratch there is a big difference between club scratch and touring pro.
There have been several sportsmen who when finished tennis/football/ice hockey taken up golf and tried thier hand but ultimately failed, these guys have been training all thier life and have excellent hand eye co-ordination.

Still good luck to him

 

[Doon frae Troon]

We had a 15 year old junior who got down from 28 to 8 in 18 months.
He gave up a year later.

I would have expected Dan to be much lower. He can't be working hard enough.

 

[Fader]

Interesting idea and got me thinking if he has got to 6.1 with unlimited practice what does that mean for the rest of us. After all I only started playing in 2011 a year after him and his hadicap is only 2 better than mine!

By no means am I comparing my level with what he's trying to achieve, if only would be a fine thing to have that time available. But I would expect him to have been a shot or 2 better with unlimited time.

Good luck to him though and it's an interesting process to follow and for him to see if its possible. He is going to have to rethink his tour qualifying though as we all no Q-School for the PGA tour is no more. However I've booked marked it and will dip in and out to follow his journey.

 

[gregk2]

We had a 15 year old junior who got down from 28 to 8 in 18 months.
He gave up a year later.

I would have expected Dan to be much lower. He can't be working hard enough.

I get the impression he has a good work ethic, and is certainly working hard, maybe only having had use of a full set for 12months has something to do with it?

I think the common opinion is that he will fail, i can see him at least having some success in amateur tournaments though, obviously quite a way from that at the moment though.

 

[virtuocity]

I've followed his progress for ages. Brilliant story.

He works his butt off and has access to great facilities, coaches and equipment (lucky bugger).

Hi is methodical in everything he does and is very honest about his progress. I'd say that he is on course to achieve what he wants to, which is a tour card.

 

[User20205]

What chance do you give him of making it to Q-school and/or being successful? I believe he is approaching the 4,000 hour mark, so still less than halfway in. The video's are not being updated as much recently, but the blog is. www.thedanplan.com

the link won't work so can't comment specifically. I don't want to come across as negative but I would bet his chances of making tour school are zero. He could potentially become a really good golfer given time, lessons and a bit of talent.

As with all this get to scratch in a year things, the success depends on the reasons for starting out, if they are goal driven I would say they are destined to fail, as motivation will be difficult to maintain when the process gets tough, as it will the lower he gets.

process driven then could potentially be a success and an enjoyable one at that. Important to have a target but it can't be absolute and immovable.

 

[gregk2]

the link won't work so can't comment specifically. I don't want to come across as negative but I would bet his chances of making tour school are zero. He could potentially become a really good golfer given time, lessons and a bit of talent.

As with all this get to scratch in a year things, the success depends on the reasons for starting out, if they are goal driven I would say they are destined to fail, as motivation will be difficult to maintain when the process gets tough, as it will the lower he gets.

process driven then could potentially be a success and an enjoyable one at that. Important to have a target but it can't be absolute and immovable.

Strange, the link works fine for me, and others, give it another go, watch a video or 2, read a blog entry you'll get a better idea of how motivated he is/ where his head is at etc. I don't think his goal is totally unrealistic, i don't have him as a favourite to achieve it by any means, but think there is a chance, even if slim.

 

[User20205]

good luck to him, I really mean that. Just generally I really think you have to love golf to be a success, if it's just 'an everest to climb'. tour school or nothing then it's a really tough ask,

 

[gregk2]

good luck to him, I really mean that. Just generally I really think you have to love golf to be a success, if it's just 'an everest to climb'. tour school or nothing then it's a really tough ask,

Very interesting point, though Ronnie O'Sullivan and snooker springs to mind (though i'm sure he had love for the game when he was learning, maybe a bad example!)

 

[CMAC]

So he has great facilities, great equipment, great coaches, all the time each week..........and he's now 6.1, well good for him.

I had no lessons, local ok courses, set of clubs I saved up for and bought off the shelf and was at school so I did have time after school to play, got to 5 in first year with constant practice based on trial and error (and John Jacobs practical golf book).

The difference between a 6 hc and a 3 is vast, between a 3 and scratch is vast, between scratch and plus hc's is vast, between plus hc's and pro is vast and the range of average to good to excellent to local tour to euro tour is also..........vast.

Good luck to him and anything is possible. Wasn't there another one like this recently, novice2scratch in 1 year I think it was.