This article was machine-translated from the Korean original. Read the Korean original
So far, I have explained the concept of optimal acceleration and the coin drill; today, I will show you the zero-point drill, which applies these techniques to actual distance control. Most people who practice but do not improve get stuck here.
01You won't improve with result knowledge alone.
For practice to improve my results, two types of knowledge are required. One is result knowledge—whether it was too long, too short, or just right—which anyone can tell because it is visible. The problem is cause knowledge. If you do not know why it was too long or too short, you will not improve no matter how much you practice.
02Causal knowledge comes from optimal acceleration.
We made a promise regarding optimal acceleration. It is the takeback and transition—a promise to use the same amount of force when moving and when changing direction. We strive to always stick to this, adjusting the distance simply by changing the size (backswing size).
If you couldn't stop the ball where you wanted it, there are exactly two reasons.
| result | Cause 1 | Cause 2 |
|---|---|---|
| It was short | The backswing size was small. | The force used during the transition was weaker than during the backswing. |
| It passed by | The backswing was too big. | The force used during the transition was too strong compared to the backswing. |
Since you have already practiced with an understanding of the concept of optimal acceleration, after hitting the ball, you begin to feel to yourself, "Ah, the second acceleration was a bit weak" or "It was strong." By correcting the cause based on that feeling and attempting the next shot, you can find your balance. Conversely, if you do not know the cause, you end up continuously adding compensatory movements, such as hitting harder or softer, which actually makes your motion more complex.
03Self-coaching begins.
You can zero the ball in just a few repetitions like this, but if you do it without a system, you never know how many tries it might take. In actual drills, there were even cases where we zeroed it in just four attempts. The most important thing is that self-coaching takes place during this process. The first ball becomes the teacher of the second, and the second ball becomes the teacher of the third. It is as if the balls are saying the things I would normally have to say right beside them.
04It's also good as a warm-up before a round.
This zeroing process has two benefits: improving distance control and quickly adapting to the weekly changing green speeds. Even just rolling the ball a few times on the practice green before a round will allow you to adapt to that day's greens in no time.
If you are about to play an actual round, you don't necessarily need a fixed target. You can place a fake hole or use the green fringe as a target, alternating between hitting short and long distances to fine-tune your aim using the same principle. Doing this as a warm-up will allow you to play through the rest of the round much more comfortably.
05Organizing today
Whether it was short or long, start by asking yourself which of the two was the problem: 'backswing size' or 'power during the transition.' That is precisely the knowledge of the cause, and only with that knowledge can practice build into true skill.
