Why You Need To Do My Favorite Drill

By | on November 27, 2018 | 29 Comments | Array


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Paul Wilson is the creator of Swing Machine Golf and founder of Ignition Golf. Paul's golf swing technique is based on the Iron Byron swing machine. YouTube Channels: Paul Wilson Golf and Ignition Golf Tips. Please Join me on Google+

29 Responses to “Why You Need To Do My Favorite Drill”

  1. November 27, 2018

    ChipFranz

    Hi Paul, I’ve been having some great success with your method. Unfortunately, winter is here to stay for a few months in Ohio. I want to focus on this drill to keep improving until spring. I have one of those weighed whippy training aid clubs. Do think I should use it with this drill or just stick to a normal iron or driver?

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      November 28, 2018

      Paul Wilson

      Chip,

      Glad you are doing well. Winter is the best time to practice. No ball means no hitting. No you can work on the positions and drills without distractions. Use a mirror and keep working on it daily. Give me at least 25 swings per day. By the time next season rolls around you will have the swing.

      I would be doing this drill with a driver. Then you can hear the swoosh.

  2. November 27, 2018

    LarryMartin

    Paul, do you have a suggestion for transitioning to then hitting the ball maintaining the same body feel?

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      November 28, 2018

      Paul Wilson

      Larry,

      Not exactly sure what you mean but I am totally powering it with my body. My arms are just going along for the ride so from transition to and through impact I am still feeling body. I think you need to be thinking about the downswing trigger through and to the follow through of legs touching. If so this would only be about a half a second or so which would allow you to feel the body throughout the swing. Knowing your swing you definitely need to be doing this drill and build it up way, way faster so you can out drive your brother. This is doable.

  3. November 27, 2018

    RichardDuffin

    Hey Paul and Chip Franz,
    I have the same question as Chip (whippy club I just got one too) and am also in Ohio. Chip, I bring a thermal underwear shirt into work and every day at lunch I put on the shirt and a very light wind breaker and hit the range up here in the Cleveland area. I usually warm up, doing Paul;s Favorite Drill, at the range with my heavy coat on until I get heated up. Fortunately the range also has heaters and the HVAC guys were out there today fixing the the heating units destroyed by errant balls! I am determined to learn this swing and so work on it all winter — perhaps also get some guys from my summer league to go to the indoor simulator. My wife was a little miffed I was using the whippy club in the bedroom last night – she thought I might destroy a lamp or something. Hoping for a nice garmin and a new bag for Christmas so I brought that to work with me also. Best of luck Chip.

    Rick

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      November 28, 2018

      Paul Wilson

      Richard,

      You need to do the drill with driver so you hear the swoosh.

      Glad you are trying to practice in the winter. I would just be doing practice swings indoors daily trying to perfect the positions. Then once in a while go and hit some. Like I said to Chip no ball means no hitting. Now you can work on the positions and drills without distractions. Use a mirror and keep working on it daily. Build the swing. Hitting balls might actually be hampering your swing especially if you are wearing too many layers.

      • November 28, 2018

        RichardDuffin

        Paul,
        That is such an unexpected and surprising notion…no distractions from hitting balls.. After so many years of hitting with my arms it is very difficult to swing with the body on a consistent basis. I find that I must really concentrate to discover what I am doing in the swing. Closing my eyes and feeling what I am doing throughout the swing. Even with video, it is a lot of work to get it right and be consistent. It has taken me almost a year to discover what I think should be my trigger on the downswing. I tried pushing off the right instep for many months and have discovered that sort of stamping down my left heal with a bit of rhythm while straightening my left leg feels right. It is something I have done in the past but never realized what I was actually doing, if that makes any sense. But I so appreciate your teaching. You concentrate on the critical parts of the swing without a lot of clutter. I wish there was a machine one could be strapped in to and be forced to feel what a good or great swing should feel like! Thanks for all you do to help us finally get it. No need to reply to this message as I am sure you are busy enough as it is.

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          November 29, 2018

          Paul Wilson

          Richard,

          No distractions. For the sake of not hitting balls for a couple of months it will dramatically change your game because you can truly focus on powering the swing with the legs and hips. This doesn’t mean you can’t play and work on your short game. Just don’t hit balls. Do the practice swings at home daily. If so, you will be amazed.

  4. November 27, 2018

    Roy

    Paul,
    This was an excellent demonstration of your drill and potential results for your students. My practice swing always feels so good and then I put a ball there. What a difference. I think that now I know why. I guess it’s the hit instinct.
    The lesson is also great because it shows proper sequencing of the downswing. Will work on this and hope I get the same results as the students.

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      November 28, 2018

      Paul Wilson

      Roy,

      Right. It is the hit instinct due to human nature telling you to hit the object. This is one reason you need to make the follow through more important than hitting the ball. You do this plus do my favorite drill every day until you are good at it will get you feeling and know how to use the body.

      Just keep doing it.

  5. November 28, 2018

    JimBenjamin

    The stupid ball has huge power over us, just the act of hitting a shot makes us forget what we have learned. lol It seems that doing the drill over and over is the only answer. I’ve had some luck doing a couple of practice swings and then step up to the ball with that swing in mind but it hasn’t transferred 100%. Just need to keep working.

    Jim

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      November 28, 2018

      Paul Wilson

      Jim,

      Exactly. It is human nature telling you to hit it. I just mentioned to another member to make the follow through more important than hitting the ball. To replace the thought of hitting you need another thought. So know the follow through positions. From the top you are thinking about swinging through to them knowing the ball will get in the way and be hit. You need to watch this:

      Swing From Point A to Point B: https://ignitiongolf.com/point-a-to-point-b/

  6. November 28, 2018

    MarkHelman

    Paul,

    I’ve been doing this drill each day, and now as winter approaches, with the Momentus travel club looking in a mirror.

    Coming late to the game, I also have a chicken wing problem, not fully extending my arms, and so I also do the rollover drill (maybe your second favorite drill?)

    My daily drill is now 5 sets of 15 swings – 5 rollover drills followed by 10 of Your Favorite Drill in this video.

    Is that a good way to work on full (anti-chicken wing) extension, in addition to leg and hip rotation as in Your Favorite Drill?

    Mark

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      November 28, 2018

      Paul Wilson

      Mark,

      Glad you are doing the drills and working on it. This is what it takes. The chicken wing is you contracting the arms muscles. If you were 8 years old you wouldn’t have a chicken wing because you would have minimal arm strength and couldn’t hit. So you need to feel like you have no arms strength and allow the weight of the club to pull your arms out. This is a new, different feeling that you need to get used to. Watch:

      It is a Letting Go Experience: https://ignitiongolf.com/letting-go-experience/
      Wide Arc: https://ignitiongolf.com/wide-arc/
      DRILL: Try To Hit Chair: https://ignitiongolf.com/try-to-hit-chair/
      DRILL: Another Way To Widen The Arc: https://ignitiongolf.com/drill-widen-arc/
      Power: How a Wider Swing Arc Affects Power: https://ignitiongolf.com/wider-arc-power/
      Love Fat Shots: https://ignitiongolf.com/love-fat-shots/

      Also, I have tons of chicken wing tips. Just got to the red navigation bar to the right and type in chicken wing and they will all come up. Too many to list here.

      Yes, I would think the roll over is my second favorite only until the person gets rid of the slice spin though. So make sure you are not doing this forever. once you have it get this:

      Drill – Smooth Wrist Release: https://ignitiongolf.com/smooth-wrist-release/

    • November 28, 2018

      RichardDuffin

      Mark, I am no Paul Wilson but I have the same chicken wing issue and found something that seems to help me. It is about mistakenly making the ball point B instead of the finish as Paul says. One thing I have found helpful is to focus on keeping the shoulders moving. If you try to hit the ball you will stop the shoulders moving once you make contact and your left arm will have nowhere to go but to chicken wing. Keep everything moving, especially the shoulders. Hope this helps.

  7. November 28, 2018

    BenhartNiemi

    I’ve been doing your practice drill for some time and I think it’s great. However, when playing golf with other seniors, I still have the urge to hit the ball with my arms in a jerk downward movement. What should my mindset be when I am confronted with the golf ball in front of me?

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    November 28, 2018

    JOHNPERRY

    Sir Paul,
    In this and other tips I have read where fellow members mention the use of either the “Momentus”
    weighted club or the long and weighted flexible “Orange Whip.”
    You show reviews of other products [except the Live View Camera device yet to come?1?],
    that you recommend, but not of the Momentus or Orange Whip. They look like they could help build strength and flexibility but might cause a tendency for Conscious Arm Powered Hitting.
    What do you recommend, Sir… BTW, I am progressing well so far, in my first formal two weeks
    with the SMG system and your continual tips [most stored for future use when needed], so I render
    to you a profound gesture of gratitude. Wishing I had your system 20 years ago, but better late than never, especially since i stay in good health and good condition – thank God – in my early 70’s.
    Photo enclosed of a recently [Pre- SMG] parred first hole at Stono Ferry Plantation Golf and Country Club.
    Thank you again with boundless blessings,
    John Cy Perry

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      November 28, 2018

      Paul Wilson

      John,

      I will be reviewing the Live View. In the meantime there are lots of videos about it on YouTube.

      The Momentus is good for travel or if you have low ceilings. I have one that I pick up every now and again but for the most part I do swings at home with a 7 iron.

      I’m not big on the Orange Whip. This is a newer version of the Whippy TempoMaster from 30 years ago which never fixed anyone’s swing. It’s fine to warm up with but a miracle maker it is not. The best think you can do is use 7 iron and mirror. That is all you need. I give you feedback and checkpoints. Do the position you will look like a pro. The day you look like a pro is the day you have the right fundamentals.

      I did see the picture. You are certainly in good enough shape to build the swing. Keep working on it as I suggest. Do tons of practice swings looking for the feedback of each position. In a couple of months you should have it.

  9. November 28, 2018

    JimBenjamin

    I worked on the “favorite drill” today and had some success. I always incorporate hitting balls in my session. Even if it’s not perfect it will be a step closer than the time before.

    I discovered something simple. Paul mentioned it and I always try to do it and it is getting what you’re working on down to one thought. I would take my backswing and then try to use my lower body. All of a sudden it hit me, why am I thinking about taking a backswing? I’ve taken thousands of backswings. So when I go to make a shot all I think about is using my lower body. Like setting up to the ball I let the backswing happen like it’s a normal course of what I’m doing so I’m only focusing on the lower body. Forget the backswing, let it happen in the background. During setup just think of the lower body move. You know what? It works.

    Jim

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      November 29, 2018

      Paul Wilson

      Jim,

      This is day 1. Only 59 more to go if you want to do 2 months of straight work on it (which I would be doing).

      You would and should be thinking about coiling and hinging in the backswing if they need work. If you can hinge automatically I would only be thinking coil. Once coiled you fire the lower to uncoil. So it is coil/uncoil. That’s it. Keeping it simple is a big key. You make it complicated and you won’t do anything right.

  10. November 29, 2018

    JimBenjamin

    I’m trying to make it more simple. After watching my video I coil and hinge every time so why not just let that happen so all I have to focus on is uncoiling? Previously I was thinking about coiling and hinging and then uncoiling and that would mess me up. Sorry if I didn’t convey that.

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      November 30, 2018

      Paul Wilson

      Jim,

      I think you are on the right track. Isolate it and get really good at it. Seems like this is the thing that’s holding you back.

      • November 30, 2018

        JimBenjamin

        Paul,

        Yes, the lower body turn is difficult for me. I’m trying to isolate the move from my upper body. Actually, your latest tip on separation may help. I have been able to hold onto the back of a chair and turn my left hip quickly and keep my shoulders square. But if I turn my shoulders to the right and then turn the left hip the shoulders react immediately, coming over the top of the plane. I don’t seem to get the upper body lag from the lower body like you do. Maybe it will come with practice.

        Jim

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          December 1, 2018

          Paul Wilson

          Jim,

          Yes, this would be a good one for you to work on. When I get people trying it here they can do it but you can see them trying to figure it out and sometimes lose the coordination. Have to keep doing it over and over until you do it without thinking about it. You need to do this in the up the air swings so you get the momentum of the club swinging back then firing the lower the other way. The chair is good to get used to the feeling but not sure this is going to get it happening in your swing.

  11. November 29, 2018

    MarkHelman

    Paul,

    I understand the benefits of not hitting golf balls for a couple of months.

    Your thoughts on whether, in a Northern climate where courses are closed, I should occasionally go to an indoor driving range for feedback from a simulator (which shows you the computed ball path and distance, and maybe clubhead speed)?

    Mark

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      November 30, 2018

      Paul Wilson

      Mark,

      You can. I have no problem with that to see your progress. Just don’t get into hitting ball after ball. I remember teaching at an indoor dome. Because people were charged per minute the were like machine guns. This is a total waste of time.

  12. August 7, 2019

    PeterLysaker

    Paul-I have forever been guilty of “hanging back” on my right side. An old friend used to say to me”Pete, you’re stuck.” Can you recommend one of your drills to best help me get “unstuck?” Your drills and teaching are so effective and I just want to hone in on this issue to help me make a complete swing. Thanks much.

    Pete Lysaker

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