Paul Wilson Golf

[braincramp52]

The biggest distance killer which has plagued me forever is tension in my swing. I was watching some clips from Paul Wilson and really liked what he was teaching. Just wondered if anybody has bought his digital lesson program he's selling?

[Krt22]

Strong is wrong and a draw is a flaw! I wouldn’t buy anything from someone who has such a philosophy.

[braincramp52]

He goes on to explain that a strong grip doesn't work with his method of instruction.

[Krt22]

Which further solidifies my feelings

[braincramp52]

Strong grips don't work for everyone though.

[Krt22]

Which is a much different thing than an entire swing methodology that doesn’t allow for it.

 

And far more people would benefit from a stronger grip than a weaker one.

[Zitlow]

If he uses the same forward ball position for all his clubs, a neutral grip is correct. If he plays the ball progressively farther back in his stance as the clubs get shorter to adjust for the shorter shaft he'll be struggling with push shots if he swings on the proper plane.

[DLev45]

You probably won't find a high opinion of him around here. He was the subject of a rather famous WRX thread where someone posted a YouTube video of his where he claimed to hit a 320 yard carry drive. A WRX sleuth familiar with the course recognized the hole and tee. The listed distance was 320, but that was down the middle of the fairway with a slight dogleg around a pond. Wilson cut the corner over the pond, but the crow-flight distance for cutting the corner was more like 280.

Wilson himself entered the thread to defend himself, and it went off the rails from there.

[clevited]

This. One strong grip video of his in particular put a bad taste in my mouth. The distance one did too. I called bs after watching it and did my own sleuthing to find the same truth that was in the thread mentioned. I didn't even know of that thread.

[braincramp52]

I was just curious because I can relate to the tension in the wrists. I can get around a course fairly decent but I know the tension I have in my wrist and forearms knocks off a bunch of distance

[rich_s2]

He did not handle himself very well in another thread on here. I don't think anyone would say less tension is bad. If that's all you are going to take from him, hammer down. I put him real close to Hamm less the POW!!!!!!

[juststeve]

I'm not a Paul Wilson guy but I think it is safe to say that tension is the enemy of speed in all sports, including golf.

Steve

[Z1ggy16]

Hahah Ohhhhh boy here we go again. I know Monte has some fun stories about him.

[braincramp52]

I don't want to start anything. I wasn't aware of the other thread.

[sprcoop]

Concerning tension I always wondered about Clement and this claim... 10 out of 10 grip tension for more distance?

 

[Krt22]

300yrds effortlessly, ka pow!

[juststeve]

I can't stand to look at Clement's golf swing. It's all lumpy and ugly. Nevertheless a firm grip doesn't always equate to tension anywhere except in the fingers. I was taught to grip as firmly as I wanted so long as it didn't induce tension in my wrists and arms.

Steve

 

[sprcoop]

Tension elsewhere is the part I wondered about. If I go 8 out of 10 grip pressure my forearms are like a rock. Def some tension there. I can't avoid it.

[stingerfade]

Grip the club firmly and hold it out in front if you. Have a friend grab the clubhead and move it back and forth until you can feel your arms and wrists loosen WITHOUT losing the firm grip. You can do it

[Maurice Boughton]

Regarding the Paul Wilson swing i think the commentary is missing the point. From my limited experience his method seems to work. I am 72 years old, 5 feet 8 inches, and weigh 145 pounds. Typically my drives are around 205 (or less) with my best ones 220 maximum. Accordingly i am willing to try anything to improve. I have a Radar swing monitor and measured my driver speed in the garage this summer.

Typically 85-87 mph with absolute rare maximum of 90.

I have been swinging a 3 wood in my basement (ceiling too low for driver) using Wilson's method. 87 is easy and i can sustain 90 for multiple swings with the occasional 95 so i am now a believer. Where does the speed come from? I think i know. It is not just the loose arms/wrists although that is essential for timing. When the hips start first, your belt buckle is past the ball before the club hits the ball, which means that your front hip is going backwards away from the target at impact which gives that whip-like snap. I have only been doing this for 2 weeks and i have steadily improved so i am pretty hyped up about playing in the spring with my friends. 

[MonteScheinblum]

On 1/2/2020 at 3:47 PM, stingerfade said:

Grip the club firmly and hold it out in front if you. Have a friend grab the clubhead and move it back and forth until you can feel your arms and wrists loosen WITHOUT losing the firm grip. You can do it

This is excellent advice.  Excess tension is bad, but too little tension is as well.

 

Better golfers tend to grip the club more firmly.  Especially in short game and putting, but it’s with the absence of excess tension in the upper arms and shoulders.  Not always an easy combo.

 

 Sam Snead’s famous line about holding a bird, always has the second part left out.

 

”Like an eagle trying to get away from you.”

[Hawkeye77]

3 hours ago, Maurice Boughton said:

Regarding the Paul Wilson swing i think the commentary is missing the point. From my limited experience his method seems to work. I am 72 years old, 5 feet 8 inches, and weigh 145 pounds. Typically my drives are around 205 (or less) with my best ones 220 maximum. Accordingly i am willing to try anything to improve. I have a Radar swing monitor and measured my driver speed in the garage this summer.

Typically 85-87 mph with absolute rare maximum of 90.

I have been swinging a 3 wood in my basement (ceiling too low for driver) using Wilson's method. 87 is easy and i can sustain 90 for multiple swings with the occasional 95 so i am now a believer. Where does the speed come from? I think i know. It is not just the loose arms/wrists although that is essential for timing. When the hips start first, your belt buckle is past the ball before the club hits the ball, which means that your front hip is going backwards away from the target at impact which gives that whip-like snap. I have only been doing this for 2 weeks and i have steadily improved so i am pretty hyped up about playing in the spring with my friends. 

Hmmmm.

 

Keep firing those hips the way you describe and you probably won't be able to swing any club by the time you are 73.

[dlygrisse]

It seems he has a method, the weaker grip and ball positions along with the other things he teaches probably work well together.  He seems like a bit of an internet flim flam man, but I’m sure his method would “work” if you did what he says.  Not saying it’s optimal but I’m sure it could work for some. 

[stingerfade]

5 hours ago, MonteScheinblum said:

This is excellent advice.  Excess tension is bad, but too little tension is as well.

 

Better golfers tend to grip the club more firmly.  Especially in short game and putting, but it’s with the absence of excess tension in the upper arms and shoulders.  Not always an easy combo.

 

 Sam Snead’s famous line about holding a bird, always has the second part left out.

 

”Like an eagle trying to get away from you.”

I feel like a superstar😃

[milesgiles]

14 hours ago, Maurice Boughton said:

Regarding the Paul Wilson swing i think the commentary is missing the point. From my limited experience his method seems to work. I am 72 years old, 5 feet 8 inches, and weigh 145 pounds. Typically my drives are around 205 (or less) with my best ones 220 maximum. Accordingly i am willing to try anything to improve. I have a Radar swing monitor and measured my driver speed in the garage this summer.

Typically 85-87 mph with absolute rare maximum of 90.

I have been swinging a 3 wood in my basement (ceiling too low for driver) using Wilson's method. 87 is easy and i can sustain 90 for multiple swings with the occasional 95 so i am now a believer. Where does the speed come from? I think i know. It is not just the loose arms/wrists although that is essential for timing. When the hips start first, your belt buckle is past the ball before the club hits the ball, which means that your front hip is going backwards away from the target at impact which gives that whip-like snap. I have only been doing this for 2 weeks and i have steadily improved so i am pretty hyped up about playing in the spring with my friends. 

 

Not to burst your bubble but if you focus on increasing speed pretty much anything will work given a decent amount of practise, and especially at your chs.. What you describe is not a particularly significant increase

[Jay28]

Less tension 100% equals faster club head speed for me, but I don't think about it in the wrists, more the shoulders.

With loose wrists (too loose) I tend to lose some control without any speed increase.

As far as Paul Wilson goes, I think he gets a fair bit of criticism - almost always unfounded.  He clearly hits the ball a long way for his age so something he is doing is working.  I watched his video at the PXG fitting and he was hitting 300+ yard drives.

The 'gotcha' mentioned above about the 320 yard  par 4 but only 280 straight line is such nonsense.  Whoever did the 'sleuthing' is a little strange TBH.  280 carry is still mighty impressive.

 

Edited April 1, 2021 by Jay28

[tm3]

Since grip is controlled by the muscles of the forearm, I don't believe it is possible to grip tightly while keeping the forearm tension free.

 

https://teachmeanatomy.info/upper-limb/muscles/hand/

[SPIF]

3 hours ago, Jay28 said:

Less tension 100% equasl faster club head speed for me, but I don't think about it in the wrists, more the shoulders.

With loose wrists (too loose) I tend to lose some control without any speed increase.

As far as Paul Wilson goes, I think he gets a fair bit of criticism - almost always unfounded.  He clearly hits the ball a long way for his age so something he is doing is working.  I watched his video at the PXG fitting and he was hitting 300+ yard drives.

The 'gotcha' mentioned above about the 320 yard  par 4 but only 280 straight line is such nonsense.  Whoever did the 'sleuthing' is a little strange TBH.  280 carry is still mighty impressive.

 

 

I just wanted to point out how uniquely impressive your mastery of "loose" and "lose" is.  Don't know why I'm OCD about them, or why so many people seem to not understand the difference in spelling.  But well done!

[ltom]

I bought his videos and its the same thing over and over. Dead hands. Gimme a break. Don't waste your money.

Edited May 13, 2021 by ltom

[llewol007]

I cannot speak to the improvement that I noticed after applying what Paul Wilson teaches via his Youtube videos. I fell like I have more control over my game than I have ever had. And his approach to where you play to have longevity in this game is also a big plus. I probably watch a few of his videos before I play a round of golf to get that mindset. I have not purchased and of his digital stuff but he sure has enough content on Youtube to elevate anyone's game.