Okay, so I’ve been hearing about this “Dan Olsen Golf” thing for a while now, and honestly, I was pretty clueless. I mean, I like watching golf, but I’m definitely no expert. But, it kept popping up, so I figured, why not? Let’s give it a shot.
First things first, I needed to figure out what it even was. So, I hit up the good old internet. Turns out, Dan Olsen is a product management guru, and he’s got this framework – the Lean Product Process. The “golf” part? That’s just a playful way, to apply his principles to the game of golf, think of it as improving your skills using his product method.
I’m not gonna lie, some of it was a bit over my head at first. I’m more of a “just do it” kind of guy, not so much into the whole “analyze everything” approach. But I decided to stick with it, at least for a little while.
My “Dan Olsen Golf” Experiment
I started with my biggest problem area: my short game. Seriously, it’s embarrassing. I can hit the ball pretty far, but once I get near the green, it all falls apart.
So, following Dan Olsen’s process (or at least, my very simplified version of it), I did the following:
- Identify the Problem: My short game sucks. Specifically, my chipping is inconsistent.
- Define the Target Customer: Me. The guy who wants to stop looking like a fool around the green.
- Identify Underserved Needs: I need to be able to consistently get the ball close to the hole from within, say, 30 yards.
- Define the Value Proposition: A more consistent short game will lower my scores and make me less frustrated.
I skipped a few steps, because, let’s be real, I’m not building software here, I’m just trying to hit a little white ball into a hole. I consider the method as reference not strictly follow every step.
Next, I needed a “solution.” I decided to focus on one specific drill: practicing chipping from different lies (rough, fairway, fringe) to the same target, over and over again. I picked a spot on my lawn (sorry, honey!) and spent about 30 minutes each day just hitting chip shots.
The Result? Well, it’s not magic. I’m not suddenly a pro golfer. But… I am noticing a difference. My chipping is definitely more consistent. I’m getting the ball closer to the hole more often, and I’m not duffing it nearly as much. Today, I hit 30 chips, 20 of the landed within 5 feet of my target!
So, is Dan Olsen Golf a game-changer? For me, maybe. At least, it’s given me a framework for thinking about how to improve my game, and a reason to actually practice instead of just hacking away. I’m going to keep at it, and maybe, just maybe, I’ll finally break 90 one of these days.
