Hi Paul. This is a great lesson because it compiles ALL the methods of achieving powerless arms. Some distractions work for some people but not others, so having various choices is helpful. I’ve noticed that concentrating on the finish works for me because I’ve always had a balance problem, from swinging the arms too hard. I can’t wait for next spring because I finally sense a difference in what I’ve been doing for 30 years!
“for ME its A to B”:……..I also got from this, the big toe thing. Helps swinging from the inside, FEELS like more power. FWIW, I did erect my “stealth” net. The net also helps as it slows the ball down enough to see where the ball goes, but only AFTER the swing. I don’t even think about the ball during the swing.
The big toe for me was a HUGE breakthrough. Once I did this and got an HUGE increase in power I never stopped doing it. It it works for you keep doing it.
I enjoyed that “out-take” at the beginning of the lesson, Paul. I’ve always wondered which came first, Swing Machine Golf or Paul Wilson, and now we have a hint of the truth! I’m pleased to tell you that this subscription is the best investment I’ve ever made in my golf game and that I shot my lowest score (as an adult) this afternoon.
Propelling the hips forward faster increases the clubhead speed .There’s more or less a 2 to 1 Time ratio between the backswing and the throughswing .To increase the forward hip Rotation speed ,should you accelerate the backswing?
I personnally don’t Like to do so ,I feel it takes “smoothness”out of my swing.
What should I do ?
No you do not need to accelerate the backswing. The faster you go back the tighter your arms will be. Stick to slow and smooth going back. This will allow you to set it up to come down.
BTW – I never think of this ratio. It means nothing to me.
PAUL
You are so right on this!I find myself on the range working on my swing,starting to make really good contact and online when of course i start to swing harder(arms)trying to see how far I can HIT it.If I don’t catch myself doing this quickly i immediatly develope a HUGE over the top move which almost destroys my practice session,So I have to back off,swinf easy and almost start from scratch.I quess this is a GOLF GREED thing you just want more and more distance rather than just prefect the swing.
anyway this video hits that point we me,Thanks
You are not alone. I guarantee that almost everyone does this (me included). Having something to think about at least gives you a chance to not hit plus it gives you something crystal clear that you should be thinking about. Most people that are hitting have no distraction so they just keep hitting and never improving.
Green is human nature. You need to fight it. Glad you see it.
What about using your target as a distraction. This helps me get my arms extended through the swing otherwise I seem to have a poor follow through. Should I try to change this thought?
This would be a different kind of distraction. This distraction is one where you are trying to work on a swing position which is a good thing. I was referring to when you do a real full swing. I like the fact you brought this up though. I will let this swirl around my brain for a few days and see if anything comes out.
Keep this thought until you get the arms stretching out. At some point you need to be thinking of the lower body to power the swing. Your thought is arms related so I am worried you will go back to hitting.
One of my big issues is that I look up too early thereby making poor contact. So I try to focus on the ball in my downswing and try to see the ball getting hit. But in doing do I think it gets me focused on the hitting of the ball. Any other tricks I can use to try to keep my head down through the follow through w/o focusing in the ball ?
Why are you looking early? You are looking early due to human nature and trying to hit the ball too hard. If your arms were turned off you are not hitting anything so why would you look early.
This is really not that hard to fix. Just hit a bunch of ball not looking at the target at all. This will restrict the follow through but you can fix the hitting in no time. You can also, not look until you hear the club hit the ball. And not see the first 30 yards of the ball flight. If you are seeing the whole flight you are looking up too soon.
This is a great tip for those of us who have trouble not thinking about mechanics during the swing because it requires one — and only one — swing thought but substitutes that thought for thinking about “hitting the ball.” I sometimes feel as though I am alone on the tee with my club, ball and 10,000 conflicting swing thoughts. This should cure that problem.
Having played for 50 years, I am surprised I have never thought of that use of a swing thought nor have I heard any other instructor suggest it. Thank you!
Sometimes these things are staring us in the face. It takes someone to see it a little differently. My vision has everyone turning their arms of and using the legs and hips to hit the ball. In order to get people to do this they have to be thinking about doing it. This will not happen on its own because of human nature. Once you find what you are going to be using keep thinking about it. The more you think about the legs and hips the less you are thinking about hitting.
I think being “distracted” by the ball is at the root of human nature wanting to hit something. I’m struggle with this with my woods right now by coming over the top. In trying to compensate, I tend to whip my hips around to the target too fast finishing in a reverse C. It strains the lower back and at times causes me to come off the ball, and cut across it resulting in an ugly 120 degree slice – yikes!
The Find-A-Distraction tip is awesome and further proves golf is a game of opposites. Am hopeful that combining two distractions, A-to-B Swing and Push with Big Toe, removes lower back strain, quiets my upper body movement, and improves my distance and accuracy.
Thanks so much for your creative ideas and tireless effort.
Glad you like the tips. I truly appreciate the feedback.
If you are getting a reverse C you are sliding. I want you turning and shifting your weight not moving laterally to start down. You definitely have to start working on this ASAP.
I find any distraction has a half life. Today I was using my lower body properly and was 2 over for 6 holes. Then my arms took over again, and the double boggies were back. Very frustrating. I know the proper way to swing, I can do it successfully, but I keep going back to the arm hits. I watched our club pro hit and the lower body action is so natural for him. I asked him and he does not think about it. In your experience will this always be a struggle or can I expect it to eventually be automatic? I’m a 11 hc, but only because 1 in 4 rounds is a low 80s score, the rest are high 80s and low 90s. Regardless of what I try I always eventually figure out a way to go back to a arm hit. I’m not ready to give up but I’ve been at it for two years and the progress is very slow.
So why did your arms take over? I guarantee you were thinking distance and not to repeat the move you were doing. So you need the correct thoughts when you play. As I said in a previous reply get it, master it, then speed it up. You have not mastered it so you are trying to run before you can crawl.
You need to be constantly swinging easy right now until you are good at it. The only way you master something is by repeating it over and over again. You get it then you go back to your old swing. Your old swing does not work! So every day, every shot, every practice swing you do them with your arms turned off. As you keep doing this you NEVER turn them on. If you are NEVER turning them on you will get used to it and have to find another way to power your swing. This being said, you will have to start using your legs and hips because this is the only other way to power the swing if you are not using your hands and arms.
Your pro has hit hundreds of thousands of balls in his life so he is doing it without thinking about it. Plus, he probably learned as a kid so right for the very first ball he hit he had no choice but to use his legs and hip not his hands and arms. You learned as an adult. You have human nature affecting everything you do you so you have to go against human nature and tell yourself to do it another way. You have seen that it works so you know it works. Now you just ave to be patient and keep doing it until you are good at it.
So understand what and why you are turning the arms off. Then focus on doing tons and tons of easy swings keeping them turned off until you love having them turned off. Then you increase ONLY the rotation of your body to hit it farther. If you hit one shot with your arms very next ball needs to be hit no harder than 50%. If you do the same thing twice in a row you are going back to the old swing. I need you to do the new more than the old. As soon as you make this switch you will get it. If you keep refreshing your mind on the old swing you will always remain in limbo.
Yes, you must be clairvoyant , or more likely you have see a lot of guys like me. Yes, I am hitting it good with my legs and I try to get extra yards. Thanks for the reply. I will get it. I find loading up my right leg and glute allow me to use my lower body more naturally. I remember when I first started golf 14 yrs ago I had a push slice I thought I would never get rid of. I just kept working on it until it was gone. This will be no different.
I working on the relaxed arms concept, but when my right arm folds at the top, it wants to fire like throwing a baseball on the through-swing. Is there a place for this? Does the relaxed arms concept include the upper arm or just the forearm and hands?
You should be doing nothing with your right arm. It and your left are powerless. This means zero power. Not hitting or helping the shot in any way. So how does the club release. It releases using forces acting on the mass. Mass will always way to swing to its widest point if you let it. At address, you pre-determined the widest point of your arc. It is when both arm are extended and the face is square. If you do nothing to the mass (club) it will want to go to it widest point. This means both arms would fully extend and the face would be square when they are extended. This would occur 100% of the time.
I find any distraction has a half life. Today I was using my lower body properly and was 2 over for 6 holes. Then my arms took over again, and the double boggies were back. Very frustrating. I know the proper way to swing, I can do it successfully, but I keep going back to the arm hits.”
I started last year with Pauls system and seen some great improvement in my game, BUT Golf is such a mind game. I have this same issue. I can go out early in the am myself and shoot a 38. Get with the buddy that same night for league and shoot a 45 or worse. . So I know Paul’s system works. If I just concentrate on swinging easy and hitting the positions and let the club do the work, I’m amazed on how well the ball will fly and STRAIGHT. but you get to a hole and start thinking about your buddy’s drive, Or I need to make a great shot here, instead of trusting the swing, that’s when you tense up and swing harder and hit into trouble, now more thoughts of recovering step in, and more trouble, now round is shot. (The good news is with Paul’s system it seems to be only one hole now instead of 2 or 3. )
My goal this year is to just concentrate on MY game, swing easy and hit fairways and GIR’s, when that happens scores are low.
As soon as you lose it you need to immediately slow down to 50%. Get it back then speed up the legs for more power. You also need to know the 2 pocket drills to fix your own swing:
Playing with the buddy and not scoring is you trying to be the hero and swinging way too hard. You need to tell yourself every time to not hit or help the shot in any way with your arms. The payoff is not there swinging hard. If you hit it twice as far swinging hard like that I would tell you to keep doing it but you aren’t so stop. There is no payoff. In fact, you increase the odds of miss hitting it.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
26 Responses to “Find A Distraction”
November 1, 2013
RonCalabreseHi Paul. This is a great lesson because it compiles ALL the methods of achieving powerless arms. Some distractions work for some people but not others, so having various choices is helpful. I’ve noticed that concentrating on the finish works for me because I’ve always had a balance problem, from swinging the arms too hard. I can’t wait for next spring because I finally sense a difference in what I’ve been doing for 30 years!
Thanks, Ron
November 1, 2013
Paul WilsonRon,
Glad you liked it. Thanks. I like your distraction. Keep thinking about it.
November 1, 2013
JAMESHUNT“for ME its A to B”:……..I also got from this, the big toe thing. Helps swinging from the inside, FEELS like more power. FWIW, I did erect my “stealth” net. The net also helps as it slows the ball down enough to see where the ball goes, but only AFTER the swing. I don’t even think about the ball during the swing.
November 1, 2013
Paul WilsonJames,
Goo stuff.
The big toe for me was a HUGE breakthrough. Once I did this and got an HUGE increase in power I never stopped doing it. It it works for you keep doing it.
November 1, 2013
Steven DI enjoyed that “out-take” at the beginning of the lesson, Paul. I’ve always wondered which came first, Swing Machine Golf or Paul Wilson, and now we have a hint of the truth! I’m pleased to tell you that this subscription is the best investment I’ve ever made in my golf game and that I shot my lowest score (as an adult) this afternoon.
November 1, 2013
Paul WilsonSteven,
Thanks. Glad you like the tips and the site. I truly appreciate it.
I figured that I mus have been distracted when I first started the intro to the tip so it made sense to leave it in. Pretty funny.
November 1, 2013
RaymondCHASTELPropelling the hips forward faster increases the clubhead speed .There’s more or less a 2 to 1 Time ratio between the backswing and the throughswing .To increase the forward hip Rotation speed ,should you accelerate the backswing?
I personnally don’t Like to do so ,I feel it takes “smoothness”out of my swing.
What should I do ?
November 1, 2013
Paul WilsonRaymond,
No you do not need to accelerate the backswing. The faster you go back the tighter your arms will be. Stick to slow and smooth going back. This will allow you to set it up to come down.
BTW – I never think of this ratio. It means nothing to me.
November 1, 2013
TIMADAMSPAUL
You are so right on this!I find myself on the range working on my swing,starting to make really good contact and online when of course i start to swing harder(arms)trying to see how far I can HIT it.If I don’t catch myself doing this quickly i immediatly develope a HUGE over the top move which almost destroys my practice session,So I have to back off,swinf easy and almost start from scratch.I quess this is a GOLF GREED thing you just want more and more distance rather than just prefect the swing.
anyway this video hits that point we me,Thanks
November 1, 2013
Paul WilsonTim,
You are not alone. I guarantee that almost everyone does this (me included). Having something to think about at least gives you a chance to not hit plus it gives you something crystal clear that you should be thinking about. Most people that are hitting have no distraction so they just keep hitting and never improving.
Green is human nature. You need to fight it. Glad you see it.
November 1, 2013
JeromeLuchukWhat about using your target as a distraction. This helps me get my arms extended through the swing otherwise I seem to have a poor follow through. Should I try to change this thought?
November 1, 2013
Paul WilsonJerome,
This would be a different kind of distraction. This distraction is one where you are trying to work on a swing position which is a good thing. I was referring to when you do a real full swing. I like the fact you brought this up though. I will let this swirl around my brain for a few days and see if anything comes out.
Keep this thought until you get the arms stretching out. At some point you need to be thinking of the lower body to power the swing. Your thought is arms related so I am worried you will go back to hitting.
November 1, 2013
DucVuPaul,
One of my big issues is that I look up too early thereby making poor contact. So I try to focus on the ball in my downswing and try to see the ball getting hit. But in doing do I think it gets me focused on the hitting of the ball. Any other tricks I can use to try to keep my head down through the follow through w/o focusing in the ball ?
Duc
November 1, 2013
Paul WilsonDuc,
Why are you looking early? You are looking early due to human nature and trying to hit the ball too hard. If your arms were turned off you are not hitting anything so why would you look early.
Here you go:
Spine Angle Follow Through: https://ignitiongolf.com/follow-through-eyes-tilted
Topping: https://ignitiongolf.com/stop-topping-golf-ball
Break the Chain – Stop Topping: https://ignitiongolf.com/break-chain-topping/
This is really not that hard to fix. Just hit a bunch of ball not looking at the target at all. This will restrict the follow through but you can fix the hitting in no time. You can also, not look until you hear the club hit the ball. And not see the first 30 yards of the ball flight. If you are seeing the whole flight you are looking up too soon.
November 2, 2013
JimMerwin11-1-13
Paul,
This is a great tip for those of us who have trouble not thinking about mechanics during the swing because it requires one — and only one — swing thought but substitutes that thought for thinking about “hitting the ball.” I sometimes feel as though I am alone on the tee with my club, ball and 10,000 conflicting swing thoughts. This should cure that problem.
Having played for 50 years, I am surprised I have never thought of that use of a swing thought nor have I heard any other instructor suggest it. Thank you!
JimMerwin
November 3, 2013
Paul WilsonJim,
Glad you liked it. Thanks.
Sometimes these things are staring us in the face. It takes someone to see it a little differently. My vision has everyone turning their arms of and using the legs and hips to hit the ball. In order to get people to do this they have to be thinking about doing it. This will not happen on its own because of human nature. Once you find what you are going to be using keep thinking about it. The more you think about the legs and hips the less you are thinking about hitting.
November 2, 2013
DariWickhamI think being “distracted” by the ball is at the root of human nature wanting to hit something. I’m struggle with this with my woods right now by coming over the top. In trying to compensate, I tend to whip my hips around to the target too fast finishing in a reverse C. It strains the lower back and at times causes me to come off the ball, and cut across it resulting in an ugly 120 degree slice – yikes!
The Find-A-Distraction tip is awesome and further proves golf is a game of opposites. Am hopeful that combining two distractions, A-to-B Swing and Push with Big Toe, removes lower back strain, quiets my upper body movement, and improves my distance and accuracy.
Thanks so much for your creative ideas and tireless effort.
November 3, 2013
Paul WilsonDari,
Glad you like the tips. I truly appreciate the feedback.
If you are getting a reverse C you are sliding. I want you turning and shifting your weight not moving laterally to start down. You definitely have to start working on this ASAP.
Here you go:
Slide: https://ignitiongolf.com/cure-slide
I think you need to slow down a little too. Just go at a speed that you can get it. Then master it. Then increase it.
November 3, 2013
PaulSacchettiHi Paul,
I find any distraction has a half life. Today I was using my lower body properly and was 2 over for 6 holes. Then my arms took over again, and the double boggies were back. Very frustrating. I know the proper way to swing, I can do it successfully, but I keep going back to the arm hits. I watched our club pro hit and the lower body action is so natural for him. I asked him and he does not think about it. In your experience will this always be a struggle or can I expect it to eventually be automatic? I’m a 11 hc, but only because 1 in 4 rounds is a low 80s score, the rest are high 80s and low 90s. Regardless of what I try I always eventually figure out a way to go back to a arm hit. I’m not ready to give up but I’ve been at it for two years and the progress is very slow.
Paul
November 3, 2013
Paul WilsonPaul,
So why did your arms take over? I guarantee you were thinking distance and not to repeat the move you were doing. So you need the correct thoughts when you play. As I said in a previous reply get it, master it, then speed it up. You have not mastered it so you are trying to run before you can crawl.
You need to be constantly swinging easy right now until you are good at it. The only way you master something is by repeating it over and over again. You get it then you go back to your old swing. Your old swing does not work! So every day, every shot, every practice swing you do them with your arms turned off. As you keep doing this you NEVER turn them on. If you are NEVER turning them on you will get used to it and have to find another way to power your swing. This being said, you will have to start using your legs and hips because this is the only other way to power the swing if you are not using your hands and arms.
Your pro has hit hundreds of thousands of balls in his life so he is doing it without thinking about it. Plus, he probably learned as a kid so right for the very first ball he hit he had no choice but to use his legs and hip not his hands and arms. You learned as an adult. You have human nature affecting everything you do you so you have to go against human nature and tell yourself to do it another way. You have seen that it works so you know it works. Now you just ave to be patient and keep doing it until you are good at it.
Watch:
How Do Little Kids Hit the Ball So Well?: https://ignitiongolf.com/kids-golf-swing/
So understand what and why you are turning the arms off. Then focus on doing tons and tons of easy swings keeping them turned off until you love having them turned off. Then you increase ONLY the rotation of your body to hit it farther. If you hit one shot with your arms very next ball needs to be hit no harder than 50%. If you do the same thing twice in a row you are going back to the old swing. I need you to do the new more than the old. As soon as you make this switch you will get it. If you keep refreshing your mind on the old swing you will always remain in limbo.
November 4, 2013
PaulSacchettiPaul,
Yes, you must be clairvoyant , or more likely you have see a lot of guys like me. Yes, I am hitting it good with my legs and I try to get extra yards. Thanks for the reply. I will get it. I find loading up my right leg and glute allow me to use my lower body more naturally. I remember when I first started golf 14 yrs ago I had a push slice I thought I would never get rid of. I just kept working on it until it was gone. This will be no different.
Thanks,
Paul
November 5, 2013
Paul WilsonPaul,
Yes, but this will take you to a whole new level. Keep at it. Don’t forget to do practice swings at home.
May 16, 2014
KevinCreelmanI working on the relaxed arms concept, but when my right arm folds at the top, it wants to fire like throwing a baseball on the through-swing. Is there a place for this? Does the relaxed arms concept include the upper arm or just the forearm and hands?
May 17, 2014
Paul WilsonKevin,
You should be doing nothing with your right arm. It and your left are powerless. This means zero power. Not hitting or helping the shot in any way. So how does the club release. It releases using forces acting on the mass. Mass will always way to swing to its widest point if you let it. At address, you pre-determined the widest point of your arc. It is when both arm are extended and the face is square. If you do nothing to the mass (club) it will want to go to it widest point. This means both arms would fully extend and the face would be square when they are extended. This would occur 100% of the time.
Watch:
How to Release the Golf Club: https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-wrist-release
Manually Square the Clubface: https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-squaring-clubface
Manually Square the Clubface (Follow Up): https://ignitiongolf.com/impact-squaring-face-follow-up
Release Progression: https://ignitiongolf.com/release-progression/
March 1, 2019
RandyRusin“Hi Paul,
I find any distraction has a half life. Today I was using my lower body properly and was 2 over for 6 holes. Then my arms took over again, and the double boggies were back. Very frustrating. I know the proper way to swing, I can do it successfully, but I keep going back to the arm hits.”
I started last year with Pauls system and seen some great improvement in my game, BUT Golf is such a mind game. I have this same issue. I can go out early in the am myself and shoot a 38. Get with the buddy that same night for league and shoot a 45 or worse. . So I know Paul’s system works. If I just concentrate on swinging easy and hitting the positions and let the club do the work, I’m amazed on how well the ball will fly and STRAIGHT. but you get to a hole and start thinking about your buddy’s drive, Or I need to make a great shot here, instead of trusting the swing, that’s when you tense up and swing harder and hit into trouble, now more thoughts of recovering step in, and more trouble, now round is shot. (The good news is with Paul’s system it seems to be only one hole now instead of 2 or 3. )
My goal this year is to just concentrate on MY game, swing easy and hit fairways and GIR’s, when that happens scores are low.
March 2, 2019
Paul WilsonRandy,
As soon as you lose it you need to immediately slow down to 50%. Get it back then speed up the legs for more power. You also need to know the 2 pocket drills to fix your own swing:
Pocket Drill 1 – Spin: https://ignitiongolf.com/pocket-drill-1-spin/
Pocket Drill 2 – Direction: https://ignitiongolf.com/pocket-drill-2-direction/
Playing with the buddy and not scoring is you trying to be the hero and swinging way too hard. You need to tell yourself every time to not hit or help the shot in any way with your arms. The payoff is not there swinging hard. If you hit it twice as far swinging hard like that I would tell you to keep doing it but you aren’t so stop. There is no payoff. In fact, you increase the odds of miss hitting it.
See it differently:
Do Not Disturb The Mass: https://ignitiongolf.com/do-not-disturb-the-mass/