Zen Tracker drill improves distance control.

Putting it all together with Zen Tracer drill to check smooth online acceleration with a square club face along the target path.

How to use the Zen Training Routines

Now that we have gained a full insight into all the different aspects of putting, it’s time to look at how we can harness the Zen Oracle training system to experience how these putting fundamentals are brought into effect. Each of the Zen drills I have summarised below takes us though a key stage in the development of our stance, stroke, alignment and pace. With each routine, you will get to feel how the building blocks of a perfect putting stroke are constructed.

Using the Zen Putter to perform the Reflex Drill

Putt with eyes closed

This drill ensures that you make the most of your sense of touch and hearing. Select a putt of around five meters, take the aim and go through the normal routine, just before commencing the stroke, close the eyes and make as smooth a stroke as possible. Use your sense of touch and verbalize where you think the ball has finished, e.g. 30cm left and 50 cm past. Now open your eyes and see the result, if you can consistently assess where the ball has finished then your sense of touch must be reasonably good.

Use the Zen Putter to perform the Release drill

This is a superb drill for helping ensure good swing path, smooth acceleration and developing a forward swing that finishes in a raised up position. The drill is performed by taking up the normal set up placing the ball in the aperture making a backswing and on the forward swing release the ball towards the hole. You may have occasions when the ball gets stuck in the putter this indicates that the rhythm of the stroke is incorrect, the putter head is decelerating, the changeover from back to through is too aggressive or the putter is contacting the ball with a downward blow. Another big plus is that wherever the ball releases indicates the direction of swing and so anyone who has to improve their swing path will be helped by this drill.

Use the Zen Putter to perform the Tracker Drill

Often players that have difficulty in controlling distance, swing path or are anxious when faced with one of those must make putts find that the backswing becomes uncontrollable, short, fast or jerky. The Tracker drill is performed by placing one ball in the aperture and the other ball in the normal place at the front of the face. Swing the putter back and allow the ball to release from the putter away from the hole before swinging the putter forward and collecting the ball. Repeat two or three times from the same position. If the stroke is consistent in terms of direction and speed then the balls released backwards should be in a similar position as should the balls in front.

Use the Zen Putter to perform the Tracer Drill

Tracer is great to help encourage a smooth acceleration while keeping the stroke mechanics sound. The performance of tracer is to have one ball in the aperture and one in front of the face, make the swing collecting the ball on the face and releasing the ball from the aperture with the goal being to have both balls travel the same path and at the same speed towards the hole. Once this has been achieved you can be assured that both the club face at impact and the swing path are on line whilst the swing movement and rise angle are both efficient.

My whole professional career has been devoted to teaching. In my experience results come from providing information that is “right & relevant” to the person. We must not forget how our feelings and thoughts ultimately affect our ability to perform. That’s why by understanding the fundamentals and then acquiring the skills in a dependable and repeatable manner provides us with the key to unlock these positive feelings which build the confidence to succeed. With the Zen Oracle approach, we get to experience the correct information, understand its relevance and then put our practice into play…I trust that’s how you too can become a Winner.

For more details about Tony, please view his web site at: http://www.bmycoach.org