You have some good advice in here, many of us here have trained and do train dogs.

I'll not add a lot new but echo some other thoughts, first and foremost the collar is to reinforce understood training not teach new commands. Collar conditioning should be done on commands that are ROCK solid 100% of the time like your command to here your dog is doing so well.

I don't care one way or another on training to "place" it's up to you but I would NOT CC (collar condition) on somthing that is a so so response from the dog. CC on sit, here, other commands you have not a shadow of a doubt he understands.

Also remember MANY dogs when they are nicked with the collar associate the spot of earth they were standing on as the cause of the nick. So if you are confused with place and nicking there it may make him even less likely to go where you are putting him.

Lastly think of the collar as most effective when your dog learns what a middle finger is. When you ask him to do something he is too far for you to get to him for a correction and then you remind him you can still correct him. E collars aren't a must but they make a lot of things much easier dog training. Dogs can and have been trained without them again it's a personal choice on with or without.

Lastly on the WD pissing match it's a very dated book it gives a system that has produced more good dogs than anything else because it's been around so long. The issue with WD isn't necessarily the system, where it's weak is when your dog has trouble with steps in it's system. There isn't enough in the book to help solve problems. The best way to solve problems is to find a group and train with them and even better a local HRC or AKC club and seek help there.

Seems like ProP is going to help you out a bunch but happy to help if needed.