News & Reviews

Tony Bennett, PGA Master Professional On-Line Golf Forum

• In this Edition
• Teaching & Coaching Conference (Malmo – Sweden)
• Player Development, a victory in Brazil
• Forum Algarve concludes its community based golf project and helps grow the game
• Tony comments on the value of one putt, and asks is it worth €77?  
• Learn how to hole more putts with personalised feedback
• Find out about the new "Zen Oracle RDE" mallet
  

Golfpunk journalist jumps into the deep end with leading British Golf Sports Science University

World's No 1 Golf Review site on the new Zen Oracle RDE Mallet putter.

Golf Online

"The Zen is a superb preround practice aid. Fix faults with it, then go play a round.

PGA Golf Pages

Golf World – First Look

Holy Smoke
"This putter will give you a new stroke and knock shots off your score…there's no denying the benefits"

Golf Punk

Must Buy
"Zen Tour Works retains the proven training aid of the Original but is enhanced by being milled from 100% aircraft alloy. Changeable weights mean you can adjust the feel to suit…Best of all, we liked the pretty colours"

Golf Monthly

Extremely enlightening
"All the training routines are useful; thankfully revealing our stroke is generally in good shape…Well worth investigating"

I've just converted to Zen.
"There comes a time when you have to hold both hands up and accept the claims made about a product. This new fangled putter with a built in practice aid could become one of the finest golf inventions of the year."
- Bob Warters, Editor Golfmagic.com

ROBERT BAKER says...
"I am a huge fan of the Zen Oracle. Why is it so good? Because it immediately encourages the gradual acceleration of the putter and it doesn't tolerate any jerkiness in your stroke…Brilliant. It teaches you the feeling of letting the ball get in the way of the stroke and with regular use keeps your stroke smooth in both directions."
- Robert Baker - Lead Instructor, Golf International

One of the Hottest new putters to hit the market
"A revolutionary club currently being used by the Scottish Golf Union's elite players such as British Open Silver Medallist Stuart Wilson"
- Bunkered, Hot New products

Total Golf

Verdict … "A solid performer in all areas"
"Quality time spent on the practice putting green is probably the best way to snip shots off your handicap…To work on technique and feel you'll need to develop an effective method and the Zen Oracle Tour Putter will help you do just that!"

Zen – a New Religion
"This putter works and the drills ACTUALLY WORK
…My Belly and Broom handle are confined to the cellar. The putting books are stashed. My putts are rolling sweetly to the hole"
- Ken Lawrence, National Club Golfer

How to Putt like a Tour Pro
"The Zen Oracle helps you develop your feel for the stroke, and a sense of true Release". The Tour players I coach have been amazed how quickly the Zen Oracle becomes their own best teacher"
- Pete Cowen, Golf International - Instruction

Just another Putter?
"…Not only does the extreme design maximise perimeter weighting but it also promotes stability and offers the chance to work on your stroke wherever you are"
- Today's Golfer – Product Test & Buyers Guide 2005

More Zen – More feeling
"…Preferred by the discerning player, Zen has already established itself as a major success on both the US & European Tour"
- Richard Simmons, Editor Golf International

Zen Tour – Works!!
"Previewed at the Munich Golf Show, the new Zen Tour Works series is a top end, high pedigree putter for the serious golfer who appreciates its feel and uniqueness"
- Ben Evans, Editor ProShop Europe

Combine fun with learning
"The Zen Oracle imprints perfect putting mechanics into your game and the results will be quickly noticed!!"
- Golf Digest - Ireland

"As a standard putter we generally liked the Zen Oracle…we also liked the training aid concept"
- Steve Fenton, Reviewer, Scottish Golf

New Zen Oracle RDE Mallet wins "Best on Test " in National Club Readers Survey 2008

For the second time during the 2008 season Zen has been the handsome winner by 4 clear points in a major survey of new design putters. Once again, Zen proved to provide an all-round package boasting their unique composition of performance and game improvement. Its combination of striking looks, Tour feel AND exceptional value meant the panel were completely won over.

"The new Zen is the most visually distinctive putter on test, it's a little surprising that Zen have topped our reader poll. However, the things our readers loved most about this high-tech club were the feel, balance and weight. Perimeter weighting has been used to boost the MOI factor and help with forgiveness on off-centre", National Cub Golfer

New Zen RDE Putters enter Top 5 in Golf Rankmark Survey

The latest USA Rankmark independent survey of high tech putters confirms golf newcomer Zen is gaining valuable ground on big brand names. Rankmark conducts one of the industry's largest objective testing and analysis on golf equipment and reports those findings to the public via its web site. Candidate products are selected by its representative consumer judging panel of club members.

- The new Zen "RDE" (pronounced READY) premium Tour Collection introduces new technology that counteracts the adverse effect of the golf ball dimples.

- Precisely designed micro ridges are milled into the putter face that minimize contact with the ball and improves impact dispersion of 50%. The results being that putts stay online, roll beautifully and have a feel that is both soft and responsive coming off of the face for maximum confidence and control.

Zen Wins Golf Digest Hot Product Awards 2008 in Blade and Mallet Categories.

In its first attempt, Zen putters are awarded 2 major accolades in World's most comprehensive equipment Survey.

"It was like it was leading me to the hole…You feel the transfer of the ball's energy right up the shaft"
Comment from Blade Putter Category Judge

Not just a putter company but a way of putting, Zen should be on the emergency contact list of every frustrated putter. The classic look of these models is first-rate in every way.
Golf Digest

"It gives you what you need…It has great alignment, sound, feel and roll…And, it looks cool"
Comment from Mallet Putter Category Judge

Putter fans will remember the Zen Oracle training putter was designed to encourage a smooth putting motion. This design allows the weight to be distributed to the perimeter. Not impressed? Then skip the seminar and just use the putter. Any questions? We didn't think so.
Golf Digest

Zen RDE Blades cut above the rest in National Club Survey

"I liked the soft feel of this putter. It also looks good and is well setup. Best of the bunch if you ask me"

SCORE: 9/10

….The Zen putter is the runaway winner in our readers' poll. All liked the feel.

Peter Baker notches up his second Challenge Tour victory of 2007 with Zen "RDE" Putter and received the perfect 40th birthday present when he defeated fellow Englishman Ross McGowan at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off to win the Open A.G.F Allianz Côtes D'Armor Bretagne and secure a return to The European Tour 2008.

Golf Bone – the ergonomic golf carry device is a welcome change for those
wanting to extend their enjoyment of the game and reduce stress to the lower back

Experience "Break 30" at the London Golf Show.

April 26th - 29th 2007 ExCel London

Zen Golf showcases cutting edge technology from the 2007 Tour.

The line up included the latest golf concept "Break 30", the putting performance course designed to help you develop all the skills of the Tour Pros. With expert help from the team of Zen Putting Mechanics, participants at the London Golf Show have the opportunity to receive first hand tuition from European Tour coaches armed with Science & Motion Putt Lab, the revolutionary Eclipse eye tracking system and the highly effective Zen Oracle direct feedback putter.

Zen RDE Putters feature patented face technology that counteracts the adverse effects of golf ball dimples. Are your RDE Ready?

Meanwhile, the new Zen "RDE" Putters (pronounced "Ready") were the talking point at the US PGA Golf Show in Orlando, had their official UK launch at the Show. RDE stands for Reduced Dimple Error as these putters feature micro ridge face technology that counter act the adverse effects of the modern golf ball dimples. Stuart Appleby made the switch to Zen and rapidly moved from 165th to 10th for putting stats; regaining his Mercedes Championship title for the 3rd time in succession and winning twice on the USPGA Tour in 2006.

Discover the easy way to carry your clubs.

Golf Bone previewed their radical brand of ergonomic golf bag carry device. Designed to reduce back ache and energy wasted lugging your golf bag, this ground breaking concept is the result of extensive scientific assessment at Sheffield Hallam University School of Sport & Exercise Science & the European initiative "Sports Pulse".

George Stubbs 15, wins The Hallowes Junior Open, Sheffield, using his Zen Tour Works Red "hot" putter.

George (5 handicap) carded 2 under par to finish 2 shots clear of the field with a decisive eagle on the 16th and only 26 putts.

"It's the first time I have played the course. The greens were immaculate, the putts rolled great and I took advantage of every opportunity presented"  

No stranger to the Zen Oracle and its training system, George was introduced to the putter having taken up the game just 2 years ago and receiving expert instruction from Graham Walker (EGU Coach) and Mark Shervill of the Zenjin team coaching programme.

Photo: Joanne Stubbs 2006

Oliver Fisher wins golf's most prestigious amateur title The St. Andrews Links Trophy with new Zen Merc Blade putter.

The 17 year old international golf prodigy finished by two clear shots on -7. Oliver, an avid fan of the Zen Oracle training routines, switched to the Zen Merc Blade during the British Masters at The Belfry. In 2005 he entered the record books as the youngest player to gain selection for the Walker Cup in Chicago.

The Links Trophy was inaugurated in 1989 and is now one of the most prestigious amateur events in world golf. Top golfers today such as Ernie Els, Lee Westwood, Padraig Harrington, Philip Price and Paul McGinley all played in the Links Trophy early in their careers and it provided them with valuable tournament experience.

The Zen "Merc" Blade putter introduces patented and scientifically proven "RDE" (pronounced "Ready") Dimple Error Correction face technology featuring precise micro ridges that work to counteract the adverse effect of the golf ball dimples. The putter was first brought into play by Stuart Appleby at Mercedes Championships in Hawaii, the opening event on the US PGA Tour, where he secured his record 3rd successive victory of this title. More recently Stuart went on to capture the Shell Huston Open by six shots; his largest ever winning margin.

RDE inventor and British engineer Dr Norman Lindsay has proven that "dimple error" can cause perfectly stroked and aligned putts of only five feet to miss the hole.  While existing face grooves can only provide an 8% reduction, the new Zen RDE provides correction by typically 50%. This results in putts that stay online, roll true and a have feel that is both soft and responsive coming off of the face for maximum confidence and control. 

Stuart wins the Shell Houston Open

Stuart Appleby led from the opening round to the end of the tournament and finished at 19 under 269 on the new Redstone Tournament Course. Appleby, who uses the new Zen Blade Putter, also won in Houston in 1999. Following on from his win at Kapalua, Hawaii Stuart joins Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson as the only two time winners on this years PGA Tour.

Course conditions were tough and the greens were very tricky. This year the field recorded the highest-ever putting average for this event, but Appleby uses the new Zen Blade putter to lead the field for the second consecutive year in average distance of putts made at 83 feet, 5 inches and led the field in putting from 15 to 20 feet, converting 42.9 percent of his attempts.

The English Elite squad member and former world #4 reaches the summit of his game at this year's event staged at Bromborough GC.

Over the last 18 months, Paul has been working closely with Zen Master Graham Walker who is an EGU and Golf World Top 25 Coach.

Zen will exhibit at The Open Championship as a guest of The Heritage Golf Company of St. Andrews and the charity "Keepers of the Green". The Fife County Tent, situated next to The Open Merchandise Marquee, will feature a special indoor putting green to showcase Zen together with David Edel of the USA who will demonstrate his advanced laser custom fit putting system. The event provides an ideal opportunity to raise awareness to the tremendous endeavours of the charity and to allow visitors to experience the Zen "Direct Feedback" training system at first hand using the latest line-up of their range of innovative putters as played by Stuart Appleby.

Once again, eyes will be drawn to the 2004 Open Champion, Todd Hamilton, who started using the Zen Oracle training system prior to his rookie win at The Honda Classic earlier that year, and has since become a seasoned advocate of the Zen. This year, Zen is joined on the Players Practice Putting Green with Science & Motion Golf "SAM Putt Lab", the World's #1 putting analysis system. Together, this powerful combination offers competitors a vital insight into their swing mechanic and stroke technique in their quest to find that last minute edge. Stuart Wilson, the Silver Medallist at Royal Troon, made front page news when he famously captured his form to join the early leaders in 2004. It can now be revealed that Stuart together with Ian Rae, Scottish Golf Union National coach, started using the Zen system prior to the competing. The response gave rise to the SGU adopting the system, and Stuart alongside a growing number of fellow elite players now enjoy the positive benefits of Zen brings to their game.