Inspiration from another man’s worst round to date

It was tough to watch and in a lot of ways astonishing, but the more I saw the highlights from today’s Phoenix Open the more inspired I became from Tiger’s play.

The thing is, this is an incredibly hard game even when you are just out by yourself. Add swing changes and the world’s eye on you and I can’t imagine what it must be like for Tiger right now. I’ve never been a fan boy of his or anything like that, but always appreciated how effortless he made this game seem. He was the world’s number one player for 13.1 years, which is absolutely incredible when you think about it. He’s a generational player and one of the better ones at that. Roger Federer, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and all the other players Nike has acquired to be their poster people, these players of the game are GREAT. Not just good, not just the best, but fantastic at what they do and achieve.

Then you have the last year for Tiger…

Amazingly, he actually had the longest driver average for the first two days at the Phoenix Open, but could not seem to get a ball up and down or even close.

As much as I possibly can, I understand his pain. In my attempts to improve my game I switched wedges about two months ago. For the entire time trying to adjust to them I kept hitting 3 or 4 fat shots per round that literally didn’t go anywhere and then I would overcompensate and blade it over the green a couple of times. I hadn’t a clue what was going on and kept sticking to the new sticks thinking that I would eventually adjust to them. But, after a long time of fat and thin shots I finally went back to my old wedges and like meeting up with a long lost friend we immediately hit it off again. The last few rounds have been refreshing and inspiring from a short-game perspective. I’m not saying everything was perfect as there is still a good bit of adjustment in going back to my old ones after 2 months away from them, but like revisiting a previous love it’s not nearly as hard as learning someone new’s behaviors and interests.

I know that Tiger is trying to change his short game and I appreciate that as, in my own way, I am changing my swing as well as short game. It doesn’t happen overnight and he’ll get it back no matter what people are saying.

I’m still hard pressed to break 80 right now, but I’ve gone from 1 out of 5 swings feeling “right” to about 3 out of 5. The next step is 4 of 5 and then the new swing is ingrained and what feels natural.

We have to stick through the hard times and remember not to judge people like Tiger on his down round or months as he is just as mortal as the rest of us. The main difference is that he will stick to his process and come out better on the back end. That is what makes someone great.

14 Responses to "Inspiration from another man’s worst round to date"

pete says:

January 31, 2015 at 12:23 am

Sounds like positive steps are being made, Dan – really good to see. I have a feeling this will be a much better year for the Dan Plan and look forward to seeing how it goes.

I think the swing changes needed to happen for everything to get back on track, don’t think I’ve made any secret of that, and really pleased you took the plunge and are making them. Truth is it could be a hard couple/few months, playing rounds between making a swing change is tough as the temptation is always to slip back into old habits rather than stick to making the changes – don’t or it’ll take far longer to make any changes (experience speaking!). I understand why you’re staying on the course though.

Best of luck for the coming season
Brian Kuehn says:

January 31, 2015 at 6:52 am

When was the last visit with your professional? Did the two of you put together the drills you are using to re-work your swing? If I recall, you developed a too flat swing. Late in 2014 you realized there was a problem and have been working on a solution through new equipment and practice. Are you concerned that without professional advice you may be marching down the wrong road?
Leon says:

February 2, 2015 at 2:00 am

Hi Dan,

I can’t help it but I keep on wondering what it is that you’re working on. In your posts you talk a lot about deflattening your swing and how it is important that your clubs match your swing. You get yourself measured again, new clubs are proposed and ordered, and then after two months of trying them out you decide to revert back to your old wedges (that apparently don’t fit your new swing). So what exactly have the last months brought you in terms of progress and where is your focus?

Without disrespect, but it seems to me that you’ve been standing still for a long time when it comes to the main idea of becoming a better golfer: getting a swing that you trust and that you can reproduce in all circumstances. Instead of focusing on your swing mechanics (perhaps also because you don’t have the funds to work with a coach regularly anymore) you seem to switch towards the mental side of the game (Vision54) and towards new gear. Important, but it’s not going to fix the fundamental flaws in your game.

To be frankly honest: your statistics in terms of fairways hit (almost 10% worse than the worst player on the PGA tour), GIR and your handicap combined with what you describe (I do not understand that a handicap 3 seems to be very regularly struggling to break 80) do not suggest that you will ever make your goal if you keep on proceeding the way that you’re doing. That leaves you, in my opinion, with two choices: the first is to guarantee new funds and to start working with a good coach again several days a week and focus on fixing your swing. The second is to call it quits and come to terms with the fact that golf isn’t a game you can become great in by just having the determination to practice for 10.000 hours.

Again, I do not mean to disrespect you and the tremendous effort you’re putting in, but it really seems to me you’re not in any way on the right track to becoming the golfer you want to be.
dan says:

February 2, 2015 at 11:52 am

Hi Leon,

I appreciate the thoughts and agree that more coaching is the next step, especially with my short game. My coach is out of town for 6 months out of the year and I have been looking for someone new who is hear year around. I have it down to a couple of people and once I pinpoint the right person I will most definitely post about it.

In my mind the swing changes and new fitting gear align well with each other. Only reason I went back to the old wedges is that I think that part of the game is all about feel and after 8 weeks with the heavier shafts I never found a good feel with them. The older ones fit like a glove. But, I am thinking about either putting the new wedges on the old shafts or bending the old wedges flat to align with the fitting I had. It’s just a work in progress and I love tinkering with gear to find things that feel right.

At any rate, yes for more coaching and thank you again for the comment,

Dan
Leon says:

February 3, 2015 at 12:27 am

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the clarifications! I’m only critical because I’m interested, good to see you taking the time for a proper reaction. I can understand this project has become somewhat daunting for you and am curious to find out how it goes from here, so by any means: keep us posted!

Leon
Aaron says:

February 3, 2015 at 7:01 am

Hi Dan,

I’ve been following your blog for quite a long time now–almost since the very beginning. It started off extremely inspirational and has turned into something else entirely.

One thing that I find of great concern, is your insistence on always stating that “you’re on the right path.” Whatever is happening, you seem to want to say that you’re going in a good direction, making progress, etc. etc.

This is a very faulty mindset from my perspective. Someone who truly wants to get better and become “great” or reach a “professional” level, achieve mastery–must be rigorous in a analyzing their progression.

Insisting that you’re heading in the right direction may make you feel good in the moment, it might keep you feeling positive, but if you’re actually going the wrong way–then it’s a very bad thing to continue to insist on.

You’ve been able to keep going for years at this, but as this experiment has progressed, you seem to be getting more and more isolated. You aren’t playing many tournaments, you aren’t working consistently with a coach, and your game appears to have suffered greatly because of it.

If you continue to insist that “things are heading the right way” despite all appearances to the contrary, you will only continue to go down the wrong path. This attitude of positivity at all costs is absolutely destroying any chance you have at getting truly great, and at being honest and rigorous with yourself and your fans.

I want to believe. I want to be inspired. I don’t want to be a “hater.” I’ve achieved a lot in my own line of work (as an author) by dedication, persistence and passion.

You absolutely have to believe in yourself and you have to keep a “positive” attitude generally. But you can’t confuse an overall positive mind state with simply repeating that you’re doing well and making progress when you aren’t.

A truly positive mindset would be to say: “Hey, I got way off track. I went down the wrong path and my game is not where it needs to be. But I’m determined to get the help I need and redouble my efforts, so that I can come back and be better than ever. I need to look at every aspect of my game with a critical eye and find those who can help me address these lingering problems once and for all, because I haven’t been able to do it on my own.”

That’s positive! Because you’re not afraid of admitting a step backward and then taking a step in the right direction.

Will you do this? I don’t know, because you seem intent on simply continuing down the wrong road and painting a pretty picture while you go. I hope for your sake, and the sake of a wonderfully inspired project, that you don’t keep on this way.

From a fan,

Aaron
Aaron says:

February 3, 2015 at 7:11 am

By the way, lest you think I was exaggerating when I said I’m a fan–I actually donated money to you a while back. I really am a fan, and my words come from a place of respect for what you are attempting and how you might actually get there.

That’s different from someone who just wants to see you fail, or even worse–someone who wants to just be pollyana, pie-in-the-sky, tell you how amazing everything is and the sun is shining even when its actually pouring and the sky is gray.
Champ says:

February 3, 2015 at 4:04 pm

Dan

I’ve been keeping up with your blog for the last year and a half or so. I too play golf, but as one of my recreational activities. But I practice a lot and my goal is to become scratch by the time I am 50. So I have about 5 more years to reach my goal and I’m currently on the cusp of breaking 80.

In reading your blog and also the book ‘Outliers’ I have started to come to some conclusions about how someone could master a sport or activity. 10,000 hours maybe be the starting point, but I think you and Gladwell miss one important point, and that’s the ‘IT’ factor. I grew up playing basketball every since I was four yrs old. The teenagers on my block played 3 on 3 in my backyard at that time and all I could do was sit on the back porch and just watch. From there, I developed a strong urge for the game. So when the teenagers would leave my yard, I would go to the driveway and just start imitating everything that I saw. I did this for most of my childhood and soon, I didn’t need to see the older kids out there playing. Instead I just wanted to be out there myself and I started to develop a love/passion for the game. So because I was young and unbiased in how I got info on how to play, I trusted everything that I saw and used it. If it worked, then I kept it as simple as that. I didn’t try to figure out how or why something worked. I saw the older kid shoot a fade away, so I started doing it. When I saw a reverse layup on TV, I went outside and started doing it. If it worked for me once or twice, I incorporated it into my game. I totally trusted the new technique and then I would embellish it even more to make it part of my unique flair for the game. Soon I was one of the better players in my age group when I started playing competitive basketball.

The point is that, at that young age, I had no filter for new info. At a very young age, I blindly accepted new moves and different shots. And being in the backyard and imitating what I observed was simply pure joy for me. There was nothing else I’d rather do with my spare time. If I wasn’t actually playing in a game then I would be in my backyard driveway practicing to my heart’s delight. I didn’t necessarily have to be playing in a game. That’s the ‘IT’ factor that I’m talking about. I had it in basketball. After a short time growing up, I knew all of the specifics of the game. I had mastered the skills because I had an inherent desire to do so. I probably did spend about 10,000 hrs practicing/playing and that led to my success in the game, but I was doing it as a labor of love. And when compared to other kids growing up I didn’t really think my abilities were even that big of a deal. So there was no pressure on me as a youngster to be the greatest. I simply just loved to see and hear the ball going through the net. Everyday that’s all I cared about. That translated to a great high school career and the opportunity to play College Ball and Overseas also.

So that’s the problem with being an adult and attempting what you’re doing. As an adult, you have a very complex view of how things should be. Your experiences in life have brought you to this point. Those experiences are what makes it difficult for you to get past this plateau stage. If you look at a pro in any sport, they practice the sport, not as an ends to a means, but simply because they didn’t want to do anything else with their time. And the naivete of youth helped them to blindly accept the correct fundamental way to swing. The adult filter was not present at the time and any early success at the game would be reinforced. As adults, we tend to analyze too much why something positive has happened and we question new info about the game so much that it hinders our progress. Then we go bonkers when we fail and we want trash everything that we’ve learned up to that point and try it a different way. People with the ‘IT’ factor don’t see things that way.

I taught my son how to swing a golf club when he was 2 yrs old. I remember thinking how could I simplify this for him so that he could at least get the ball airborne with his kiddy wedge. So I told him, ‘make a big circle with the clubhead and hit the ball and the ground at the same time. (not exactly correct, but simplified) And it worked! He still doesn’t really like golf now that he’s 7, but he still will go to the range with me and hit awesome wedge shots simply because he keeps it as simple as that. Plus in his mind, it’s all about spending quality time with Dad. The ‘IT’ factor isn’t present with him in golf, but if his desire to play increase, then it would reveal itself. But for now, he’s just awesome with a wedge and he has no clue as to why.

So after witnessing this and reading your blog, I changed my approach to the game. I no longer keep score, unless I’m playing with work buddies. I love to practice just for the heck of it. And I’ve simplified my swing as per the advice that I gave my son. To put it simply, I just love to hit the ball. I’m not concerned about scores or G.I.R.’s, just hitting the ball high and straight. I really get a kick out of that. I like striking the ball from the high grass in my front yard, I like hitting the ball into my net in the backyard. I try to hit it throught the holes in the net, I try to hit it over the net. It’s just like when I used to practice basketball when I was younger. The only thing is that I have shifted my passion for one sport to another. And I’m completely satified with just hitting the ball. Just like I wanted to see that swish from corner.

All of the masters of any sport have pretty much ascended to greatness in this way. Everything involving the sport for them is fun and not a chore. They don’t have any bad days and when they accomplish something, they don’t seem to think it’s that big of a deal. They seemed to believe that it’s just a fun thing to do or perhaps they felt like they could’ve done better. That mindset brings the necessary clarity to perform under pressure. Just simply act as if it doesn’t exist. The bliss of naivete.

But that’s the difference between a child and an adult in trying to attempt what you’re doing. As adults our minds are cluttered with so much random junk from experience, that it’s to our detriment when we are trying to master something at a latter age. We don’t give full trust to it. Kids do, and that’s why most of the great ones have been doing things since an early age. When the proper mechanics are instilled and they are accepted with blind faithfulness. And with a passion for the game, they develop the ‘IT’ factor.

That’s the problem with seeing Tiger play and to witness his success over the years. He’s tweaked and changed his swing so much and he was still able to win until now. In trying to bite off a piece of his mastery, we’re trying to do the same thing and get lessons, new equipment, or watch too much Golf Fix. When all we need is to simplify the process. Tiger mastered his swing before he was 2. He can tweek things that much because he truly owns his swing through mastery. However, he is the exception. Just like the rest of the guys on tour or in any professional sport. But for people like myself who just started playing golf about 12 years ago (33 yrs old), I can’t function like that. My early years in golf were wasted with teachers that could not articulate properly and watching shows that explain too much. If any change occured then my brain would start to fry. And that happened when I first started playing this game.

So my advice to you is to find your inner child. Play as if you don’t have a care in the world. Simplify things, keep the same equipment and pretend that you’re that 5 yr old boy that is growing up in a house on the golf course and in your spare time all you like to do is go out to the 16th and shag balls. That is kind of where I am. I don’t get in as many rounds as I would like, but by adopting philosophy after seeing what my son is able to do, I have taken as many as 10 strokes off my game in the last year. So when I do keep score, I’m able to blow my friends away and channel that little kid from AL that fell in love with swishes.

This experiement has been interesting to witness and I really enjoy keeping up with your success. But sometimes I think that the mind is the worst thing that can happen to athletes when it comes to sports. Reading books on Zen and the art of Archery, or Zen and the art of shooting a basketball have helped me to come to this conclusion. Why are you really playing a sport? Is it for glory or just personal gratification? Either way the body has to be free from the mind in order to succeed. So either do something because you really love it or just channel your inner child. Once you do that, then you’ll start to gain the ‘IT’ factor. The thing that separates good athletes from great ones.

Remember CaddyShack? Na na na na na na na na
Vincent Rosenbalm says:

February 5, 2015 at 9:13 am

Dan keep up the learning process, you can learn much from others in the process including Tiger, and with him and many other good players injury plays a big role on the struggles, many good players on the top of the winning edge of the game have some down time and struggle due to injury but most of all important thing you caught was stick to the process and you will be fine on coming through on the long run of the project. Not being able to practice and play on a regular basis has really hurt Tiger in last couple years, and problems with constant nagging injury has really been the problem, the best short game in the biz has lost its edge in recent times, but if I were a gambling man I would say his determination, drive and relentless work ethic will bring him back to winning again this year and maybe some more majors. Golf is much like life, we all takes some hard knocks and falls, but if you really want your dream you just keep climbing that mountain and never give up, no easy path to climbing a big hill. I see you made it to my home course Astoria CC and hope you liked the restaurant and one of the best driving ranges in the state. It is sunny at 80plus in AZ for next 6 days and going to get a few more rounds of golf in and hit the gym early this morning, the madness of the snowbirds coming in here is crazy with all the snow and ice up north. Keep up the process and you can climb the mountain. Vince
Geoff Dening says:

February 5, 2015 at 3:07 pm

Been a while since dropping in and having a read of your adventures Dan. You seem to be getting lost in the morass of merchandise golfing. By which I mean products and using services are taking precedence over playing the game, I will revert you to your trip to Australia, club golfers play competition all the time. Your golf example is isolating you from playing the sport. You aren’t playing tournaments, you are too focused on working consistently with a coach and getting new equipment. All I can say is a nation of 25 million has two players inthe top ten PGA rankings, Adam Scott and Jayson Day come from the background I am in. Your game is becoming non existent in deference to the performance (entertainment) which is required as part of the Dan Plan. Time to start playing golf and competing not forever chasing training, coaching, equipment tweaks that is secondary to putting the ball in a hole and winning events.
Bill patterson says:

February 5, 2015 at 4:22 pm

Every one has lots of “free” advice. So…Faldo says see the target..see the shot and react..often simplicity is the genus of brilliance ..I love you mission Dan. Most folks don’t have the guts to try much less take on your journey. Easy to criticize from the bleachers
James says:

February 5, 2015 at 5:59 pm

Great blog Dan, on the money.
Nickos says:

February 8, 2015 at 1:44 pm

Dan,

Am a fan. You are the man. I believe you can. Bam!

*End rhyming*

Seriously, you seem too technical / equipment focused. Start ‘playing golf’ by shooting some numbers. Scoring is far more important. Ignore trackman, fitting sessions, Richard Chen (no offence Richard!

Just get the ball in the hole. Then when you are plus 2 handicap – focus on any technique flaws.

Good luck.
Constantine says:

December 18, 2023 at 10:04 am

To me, the formula for sustained improvement in golf is volume plus the right information plus good practice techniques. You got the volume and right information part down, but you never developed good practice techniques. This is very clear to me now reading the blog again all these years later.

Unless you’re Bubba Watson, you really need to think about your practice and how you’re implementing changes. Your swing was an absolute mess at this point in the journey, held together by insane amounts of volume and not much else. I see how unsustainable this all was now, and it’s just so sad the injury happened, but it seems like an inevitable ending more than anything else now. It’s so difficult reading your blog in this final chapter, seeing you bogged down with gear talk, never truly delving into how to practice golf properly when one hits their plateau.

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