George: in general, I don't think that fellow is actually testing the theory, or much of anything at all -- except maybe the patience and/or gullibility of the American public. How presumptuous of him to think that his own limited experience will somehow serve as a window to the truth. If, in the end, he doesn't achieve mastery after 10,000 hours, it doesn't prove (or disprove) the theory at all -- it only proves that he couldn't achieve mastery. Someone else might, or might not. (Of course, I don't really think he's concerned about any of that; it's just a hook for a story and a bit of self-promotion, and the Golf writers/editors are happily playing along, not wanting to overestimate the intelligence of their readers, I suppose).
More specifically, in terms of gca, I'm reminded of Ian Andrew's thoughts on the design master vs the design prodigy. He writes: “The Master is equal to the prodigy in terms of talent; but their route to a successful expression of that talent is much, much longer. They usually begin the journey without clarity, and much of the early work is setting the table for what is to come in the future. They obtain clarity through exploration. They learn, work, experiment, seek new ideas, create, assess, refine and so on, often for decades until through determination and inherent ability they find what they are looking for. The main reason for this drawn out approach is that they seek perfection.” I quoted Ian in a recent essay, and compared his thoughts about mastery to those of ancient Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu. Chuang Tzu tells of a music stand maker/wood worker who achieved mastery through taking all the steps necessary for personal transformation, i.e. to enable him to stand aside and let the work express itself. I described those elements/steps this way: one-pointed concentration of focus and intention; a period of intense inner and outer silence; a profound shift in priorities, from those of the (outer) world to those of the (inner) spirit; a deep humility and a healthy (realistic) ego; and Time.
Can someone learn how to design and build a course in 10,000 hours? Sure, I guess some people can/might (while others not). Can anyone with so limited and ego-driven a goal and so self-seeking and personal an intention achieve mastery in 10,000 hours? No - certainly not in the sense that Ian and Chuang Tsu use the word; their attitude would be all wrong. But then again, I think there are very very few, in any profession, who have and who honour and who pursue such a goal i.e. mastery any more. The almighty dollar (and the almighty ego/need for recognition and for what passes as a career) wins out almost every time.
Peter