"Swing Machine Golf" by Paul Wilson

[808hacker]

>If you simply turn your hips to initiate the downswing you'll end up with all your weight on the outside of your target foot which is where you want it.

Yes it works for me, but since I read online (too much), I wondered about that. Before I used Paul's method I was like most of my friends - chunking the ball, hitting it left, then right. One day might be great, the next day terrible. Only after I really got the feeling of using the hips like he says did I start hitting the ball much straighter. Like anything else in golf, who knows if it works for someone else? It has allowed me to practice much less at the driving range; I don't need to practice to get the ball going straight now - just a few swings to get loose.

I was watching a bunch of people playing Oahu CC yesterday and wow, when I watch that, I'm not that bad :-)

[golfdu]

What I do is instead of using the term "rotate your hips", I use the term "square your hips" as the first downswing move as that gets me on the inside and on-plane instead of over the top and causing slices and pulls. Forget that Hank Haney PlaneFinder contraption, just square your hips as your first downswing move! :-D

[golfdu]

The_Pharoah, screw that website http://www.perfectgolfswingreview.net, it's just a bunch of crap (excuse my language), I'm going back to Paul Wilson's method and sticking to it 100%. I tried to follow that website but it was too complicated and it made me hit the ball way too low. Maybe the reason why Paul Wilson's set-up posture didn't work for me because I was catching it thin was because either I was doing the set-up all wrong, or I used my arms. It's really hard making them powerless, how do you do it??? Can you give me a drill?

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by golfdu

The_Pharoah, screw that website http://www.perfectgolfswingreview.net, it's just a bunch of crap (excuse my language), I'm going back to Paul Wilson's method and sticking to it 100%. I tried to follow that website but it was too complicated and it made me hit the ball way too low. Maybe the reason why Paul Wilson's set-up posture didn't work for me because I was catching it thin was because either I was doing the set-up all wrong, or I used my arms. It's really hard making them powerless, how do you do it??? Can you give me a drill?

I played my best golf when I made my arms completely powerless. It was such a thing of beauty, but so difficult to do! Practice his drill: swinging above the ground i.e. not hitting anything, that really helped. Listen for the whoosh and the club feeling heavy. When it comes down to it, it is all about trusting you'll hit the ball simply by turning your shoulders to the top and rotating your hips to initiate the downswing.

By the way, have you given S&T; a try?

[golfdu]

I don't want to do S&T...; I'm more of the conventional method, like weight shift. Paul Wilson recommended to me this morning a drill of trying to hit 2/3 of your distance with a 7 iron using completely powerless arms. So that means if I hit my 7 iron 160, then I'm going to try to hit it just 106 yards without feeling any power in my arms whatsoever. Then when I get used to it, if I want to increase my distance back up to 160 again, he said I should speed up my rotational speed but still without feeling my arms. This sounds like a great drill!

[golfdu]

The_Pharaoh, another thing I am confused with: how do you know if you made a 90 degree shoulder turn? Does doing the helicopter drill mentioned in his book help you make a perfect 90 degree shoulder turn in front of a mirror? I always have a tendency to turn way more than that and my hips with it, too. Does the helicopter drill make you turn 90 degrees perfectly?

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by golfdu

The_Pharaoh, another thing I am confused with: how do you know if you made a 90 degree shoulder turn? Does doing the helicopter drill mentioned in his book help you make a perfect 90 degree shoulder turn in front of a mirror? I always have a tendency to turn way more than that and my hips with it, too. Does the helicopter drill make you turn 90 degrees perfectly?

By the way, I have moved to S&T; as I am having great success with it. I suggest you give it a try. I should have stuck with it when I tried it two years ago. I am hitting the ball so well...

You could video yourself for starters. The idea behind SMG is to resist with your hips. Turn your shoulders all you like but try and keep the hips as quiet as possible. It's Jim McLean's X Factor which I have never been particularly fond of as it prevents a good turn behind the ball.

[golfdu]

I've actually tried S&T; about 2 years ago, but it wasn't really my cup of tea... Apparently, if you do the set-up as what Paul Wilson recommends, if you use your arms, you're gonna catch it thin a lot of times... like today in a round, when I was using my arms 3 times, I caught it thin with wedges while playing with Blake Griffin... talk about embarrassing... and yes, I'm talking about Blake Griffin, the Slam Dunk Champion! So basically Paul Wilson's set-up posture demands powerless arms or else, you're gonna catch it thin all the time. It's a very interesting feeling, the powerless arms feeling, and your horrible misses are just barely on the fairway or green with a powerless arms swing. But at least I golfed with Blake Griffin! :-D

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by golfdu

I've actually tried S&T; about 2 years ago, but it wasn't really my cup of tea... Apparently, if you do the set-up as what Paul Wilson recommends, if you use your arms, you're gonna catch it thin a lot of times... like today in a round, when I was using my arms 3 times, I caught it thin with wedges while playing with Blake Griffin... talk about embarrassing... and yes, I'm talking about Blake Griffin, the Slam Dunk Champion! So basically Paul Wilson's set-up posture demands powerless arms or else, you're gonna catch it thin all the time. It's a very interesting feeling, the powerless arms feeling, and your horrible misses are just barely on the fairway or green with a powerless arms swing. But at least I golfed with Blake Griffin! :-D

I'm not sure why you keep mentioning Paul's set up so much. If you ask me, it is very standard. If you are catching it thin it is because you are swaying off the ball and not lunging back at it enough. But that's the conventional swing for you. You'll never have problem catching it thin with S&T;! ;-) I am compressing the ball like I've never compressed it in my life.

I tried S&T; two years ago too and regret not sticking with it. Somehow, I seem to understand it better and it is really working for me.

P.S. I am English, I have no idea who Blake Griffin is.

[golfdu]

I already know how to compress the hell out of the ball! :) I have the Tour Striker Pro X to help me with sweet spot contact and hitting down on the ball. Finally I got it, thanks Pharaoh! Btw, Blake Griffin is an NBA basketball player, widely known for his sick dunks. He won the NBA Slam Dunk contest in the All-Star Game. And I golfed with him yesterday!

[golfdu]

For guys that are looking into both the Swing Machine Golf book and the DVD's combined, here's the best combination: Grip, the book wins in that category. Set-up posture, the DVD's win in that category. 3 parts of the follow-through, the book wins in that part. Set-up ball position and alignment, it's a tie between the book and DVD's. Takeaway, the book wins. 3 parts of the backswing, the book wins again. The downswing, the DVD's win in that category.

[808hacker]

I am still using this swing and it continues to work for me. It's nice to have something that is repeatable and gives good results.

[lovelaos]

where do I purchase the DVD and how much is it? I can't buy it on his website for some reason.

[uplatejoe]

OK long story, was trying to follow the Surge Trahan PPS swing, when I found Paul's you tube videos.... eureka.... so I am starting to understand the swing finally, Paul is a great teacher...I then was cleaning out some books and found a book called The Natural Golf Swing by George Knudson which i had found at a used book store. I read the book back to front and it is exactly what Paul is teaching... the book even mentions how he looked at his swing like a machine.  George speaks on concentrating on the target so does Paul, Paul speaks of spaghetti arms George says yo have to give up control to gain control, saying leave the arms alone. there are some differences like ball position . Any rate I don't care who's idea's are who's but at least pay some homage to the originator of the natural swing,,,,George had a great swing and Paul teaches the concepts very well.  But there is one magic move which George speaks off  but dosen't explain well, which once I figured it out understand what he was trying to say now I am laser perfect...I haven't seen Paul explain it yet as I haven't seen all his work so he may explain it.

[Goonsidious]

Paul Wilson.. I've been watching his videos on youtube as well. To cure my slice.. because I'm really stiff and all arms instead of using my hips to turn. Resulting in.. what I didn't really know.. an out to in swing. Which we all know turns into a ridiculously bad slice.

I just can't get that swing plane figured out on the consistent basis.

[pwgolfpro]

You should be swinging over the top if you are working on the first part of curing your slice.  In doing so you are just working on turning your wrists over way sooner than you ever have before.  Think about it.  If you are slicing it the face is open.  I want it closed.  If you are closing it you are no longer a slicer.  To do this you roll it from the top for a while until you are consistently hooking it.  Once you can do this you switch your focus to the lower body to initiate the downswing.  Once you do the club will swing on plane and you will be hitting it dead straight.

So, roll from the top and get it hooking.  Forget about seeing good shots.  A good shot is a big hook.  A bad shot is one going straight or right.

Once you can do this consistently, you then forget the rolling wrists and focus on using your legs and hips (turning) to start the downswing.  If they start first you will be on plane and you will hit it dead straight.

All the best,

Paul Wilson

[iacas]

Originally Posted by pwgolfpro

You should be swinging over the top if you are working on the first part of curing your slice.  In doing so you are just working on turning your wrists over way sooner than you ever have before.  Think about it.  If you are slicing it the face is open.  I want it closed.  If you are closing it you are no longer a slicer.  To do this you roll it from the top for a while until you are consistently hooking it.  Once you can do this you switch your focus to the lower body to initiate the downswing.  Once you do the club will swing on plane and you will be hitting it dead straight.

So, roll from the top and get it hooking.  Forget about seeing good shots.  A good shot is a big hook.  A bad shot is one going straight or right.

Coming over the top (sending the path left) causes pulls and slices - or pull-hooks if they get the face closed to a path going left. Why would you prescribe someone who is slicing to work on coming over the top and closing the clubface when 99% of slicers come over the top (path left) and have the clubface pointing left of the target at impact already?

[jd924]

I think it's pretty clear Mr.Wilson doesn't know the real ball flight laws. I remember watching him make a video saying to not slide and how terrible it was. Something we know is flat out incorrect.