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Has anyone tried Heads Up Putting

SeeMore Golf
I think quiet eye is important but if the ball freezes you, like it does a lot of golfers, you can quiet eye over a spot in front of the ball.
 
Desmond said:
I think quiet eye is important but if the ball freezes you, like it does a lot of golfers, you can quiet eye over a spot in front of the ball.
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This is the primary reason why I've gone to heads up putting. I get SOOOOOO worried about the putting stroke and striking the ball well, that I get in my own head. Then, if the stroke "isn't perfect" I become critical of myself and then it isn't fun. I know heads up putting isn't for everybody but it has made putting fun for me again. I hope that is can do the same for others, or certain facets of it help your game. At the end of the day golf is supposed to be fun!
 
hadi05 said:
This is the primary reason why I've gone to heads up putting. I get SOOOOOO worried about the putting stroke and striking the ball well, that I get in my own head. Then, if the stroke "isn't perfect" I become critical of myself and then it isn't fun. I know heads up putting isn't for everybody but it has made putting fun for me again. I hope that is can do the same for others, or certain facets of it help your game. At the end of the day golf is supposed to be fun!
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Yes, a pro in the 80's or so won a tournament with heads up putting. I think it's a good drill.

For me, once you realize that your stroke doesn't need to be perfect, to have soft relaxed arms and hands (the fingers hold the putter), and you have confidence in your method of putting, then you are good - I typically have a quiet eye in front of the ball.

I've purposely and not purposely have taken bad strokes when I wasn't focused, and the ball still went in the hole. I realized that I don't need a perfect stroke taking it back as long as contact is good.
 
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Desmond said:
Yes, a pro in the 80's or so won a tournament with heads up putting. I think it's a good drill.

For me, once you realize that your stroke doesn't need to be perfect, to have soft relaxed arms and hand (the fingers hold the putter), and you have confidence in your method of putting, then you are good - I typically have a quiet eye in front of the ball.

I've purposely and not purposely have taken bad strokes when I wasn't focused, and the ball still went in the hole. I realized that I don't need a perfect stroke taking it back as long as contact is good.
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solid advice.
 
Nick20UK said:
What the hell is quiet eyes?!!
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Glad you asked. It means your eyes stay focused on one spot throughout the putting stroke until way after the ball has been stroked. They don't wander around following the ball, or wandering anywhere else.
 
Desmond said:
Yes, a pro in the 80's or so won a tournament with heads up putting. I think it's a good drill.

For me, once you realize that your stroke doesn't need to be perfect, to have soft relaxed arms and hands (the fingers hold the putter), and you have confidence in your method of putting, then you are good - I typically have a quiet eye in front of the ball.

I've purposely and not purposely have taken bad strokes when I wasn't focused, and the ball still went in the hole. I realized that I don't need a perfect stroke taking it back as long as contact is good.
Click to expand...

I am pretty sure that Jordan Speith putted while looking at the hole for a while in tournaments also. It might have been shorter putts.
 
Chef23 said:
I am pretty sure that Jordan Speith putted while looking at the hole for a while in tournaments also. It might have been shorter putts.
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It was shorter putts - did not always work. His long putting has always been better than short putting
 
Been doing some reading on this and hope to get some practice over the winter. I am curious how it will help me with distance control especially.
 
Steve2100 said:
Been doing some reading on this and hope to get some practice over the winter. I am curious how it will help me with distance control especially.
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I do think the distance control makes sense if you can learn to trust it and hit the center of the clubface. Golf is pretty much the only sport where you look down at the ground while doing something. If you think about rolling a ball to a spot no chance you would look at the ball in your hand you would totally look at where you want the ball to end up.

I gave it a very short try but never committed to it. I think if I could learn to trust it it could work.
 
I know this thread is really old but I stumbled across it the other day. I had never heard of heads up putting before so this was really interesting. I came across the thread because I was looking for some help with my putting. Until recently, my putting had been pretty solid. Very few 3 putts and I was hitting the majority of my 3 footers that earlier in the year was struggling with. Lately, I found myself missing some really short putts - pulling the damn putt. So frustrating when you feel like you've got almost a gimme putt for a par and then miss it. Around the same time, my distance control started going too. I just didn't have the feel - where did it go??

After reading about heads-up putting, I gave it a try the last two rounds. One thing for sure, you have to be committed because for a golfer like me who for over 40 years has never putted this way before, it doesn't feel right. What I found after a day of experimenting with it is that my short putting accuracy returned and is probably even better. While I haven't made every shot putt, there have been zero bad pulls. My distance control has gotten much better too. For longer putts, I practice my putting stroke with heads up. After I feel locked into to that feel, I keep my eyes on the ball and putt without much delay so I'm consistent with my practice stroke. My distance control is back to where it was and maybe a bit better as well.

Long way of saying that I'm a big believer now with heads up putting. The thing I need to determine for myself is when to go heads up and when to keep my eyes on the ball. Lately I've found myself only doing heads up putting for putts probably 8 feet and beyond.
 
Nicknacker said:
I know this thread is really old but I stumbled across it the other day. I had never heard of heads up putting before so this was really interesting. I came across the thread because I was looking for some help with my putting. Until recently, my putting had been pretty solid. Very few 3 putts and I was hitting the majority of my 3 footers that earlier in the year was struggling with. Lately, I found myself missing some really short putts - pulling the damn putt. So frustrating when you feel like you've got almost a gimme putt for a par and then miss it. Around the same time, my distance control started going too. I just didn't have the feel - where did it go??

After reading about heads-up putting, I gave it a try the last two rounds. One thing for sure, you have to be committed because for a golfer like me who for over 40 years has never putted this way before, it doesn't feel right. What I found after a day of experimenting with it is that my short putting accuracy returned and is probably even better. While I haven't made every shot putt, there have been zero bad pulls. My distance control has gotten much better too. For longer putts, I practice my putting stroke with heads up. After I feel locked into to that feel, I keep my eyes on the ball and putt without much delay so I'm consistent with my practice stroke. My distance control is back to where it was and maybe a bit better as well.

Long way of saying that I'm a big believer now with heads up putting. The thing I need to determine for myself is when to go heads up and when to keep my eyes on the ball. Lately I've found myself only doing heads up putting for putts probably 8 feet and beyond.
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I have been putting heads up now for a couple of years and absolutely love it. It took a little bit of getting used to, but I have so much more confidence over the ball now when I putt. If I have to putt heads down (I've tried it a time or two), I can't really do it. The key is to have a putter that you can consistently put the same stroke with (i.e. a putter fitting). My heads-up putting method is as follows:

1. Survey green
2. Line up ball to target line (this can change depending on what the break is etc)
3. Line up putter to alignment aid on ball and/or to target line
4. Use eyes to follow path to hole
5. Putt
6. Watch people freak out while I drop putts and not look at the ball. Many instances I don't even have to look at the hole to sink putts. It's fun to mess with a group of friends by looking at them and dropping a 6 to 10 footer.

If you want some drills @Nicknacker which helped me along the way with heads up putting, I'll be glad to share them (they may already be in this thread...)
 
hadi05 said:
I have been putting heads up now for a couple of years and absolutely love it. It took a little bit of getting used to, but I have so much more confidence over the ball now when I putt. If I have to putt heads down (I've tried it a time or two), I can't really do it. The key is to have a putter that you can consistently put the same stroke with (i.e. a putter fitting). My heads-up putting method is as follows:

1. Survey green
2. Line up ball to target line (this can change depending on what the break is etc)
3. Line up putter to alignment aid on ball and/or to target line
4. Use eyes to follow path to hole
5. Putt
6. Watch people freak out while I drop putts and not look at the ball. Many instances I don't even have to look at the hole to sink putts. It's fun to mess with a group of friends by looking at them and dropping a 6 to 10 footer.

If you want some drills @Nicknacker which helped me along the way with heads up putting, I'll be glad to share them (they may already be in this thread...)
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Yeah, I'd love to have them!
 
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