Visualization Techniques for Putting

On good days, I can see the speed of the putt in my mind’s eye and visualize the putt following the break at the right speed into the hole. Monkey see, monkey do, and I copy what I saw... I putt well. On bad days, I just can’t see it, and my speed is all over the place. It’s weird, some days I can’t conjure up the scene in my mind.

I know some people have techniques for visualizing the roll. I know of a few. Thought I would share mine, and maybe you can share yours. I’m hoping to pick up a few techniques to help!

(1) Jack says he focused on imagining the last few feet of the putt, and the rest would follow... so I try to do that. Other methods I’ve used are:

(2) I step back a ways and imagine someone else putting- some times that works.

(3) Or I might stand at the halfway point and pretend putting from there to get a sense of the speed... or stand at the top/bottom of little hills/valleys if it’s a putt with speed changes.

What techniques do you use?




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Maybe you just need to accept that some days you will have it and some days you wont. Even the best pros go through that. Beyond that, what I do is imagine that someone is pouring a giant bucket of water onto the green. I visualize where the water will flow and that gets me to the break. For speed, its really all feel for me. Beyond that, its all trusting my read, trusting my stroke and seeing the putt.

Well... “just accept it” isn’t exactly advice that helps someone improve. I’d prefer visualization techniques to help see the proper speed. “It’s just feel” isn’t any help either; neither is it true. What people call “feel” doesn’t have as much to do with their hands as it does with their eyes and imagination.


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Although Jordan Spieth doesn't do it anymore.....I occasionally use his "look at the hole and not the ball" while you stroke the putt and it is surprisingly accurate. Your brain seems to tell the arms how fast to swing based on what your eyes are telling it all the while looking at the real estate between you and the hole.

BluesManDan said:

On good days, I can see the speed of the putt in my mind’s eye and visualize the putt following the break at the right speed into the hole. Monkey see, monkey do, and I copy what I saw... I putt well. On bad days, I just can’t see it, and my speed is all over the place. It’s weird, some days I can’t conjure up the scene in my mind.

I know some people have techniques for visualizing the roll. I know of a few. Thought I would share mine, and maybe you can share yours. I’m hoping to pick up a few techniques to help!

(1) Jack says he focused on imagining the last few feet of the putt, and the rest would follow... so I try to do that. Other methods I’ve used are:

(2) I step back a ways and imagine someone else putting- some times that works.

(3) Or I might stand at the halfway point and pretend putting from there to get a sense of the speed... or stand at the top/bottom of little hills/valleys if it’s a putt with speed changes.

What techniques do you use?




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Click to expand...

Excellent thread topic !
The three techniques which you wrote make good sense.
I'll add "looking for the front door" . For example, if the putt breaks right-to-left some players visualize the "front door/front of the hole" as off to the right side (where the ball will likely enter after taking the break). For some, this type visualization is more helpful/useful than aiming at a spot such as two cups right of the hole.
Also, some good putters, including Tiger, talk about "starting their ball rolling on their intended line". So, their visualization is much about the first six inches of a putt, seeing their ball start off on the intended line.

During practice sessions I have spent a couple of hours visualizing a spot about 4 to 7 inches in front of the ball, on the line I want the putt to roll. Actually, instead of looking at the ball at address I am looking at the spot and then waiting to see the ball roll over same .On the practice green I am liking this and look forward to trying same next time I play a round golf.

First, I'll clear my head of whatever happened previously or any partner's comments, like "Nice approach, Jerry, you're out."

After I get a read with my feet in terms of break and speed, I will pace the putt, stop about halfway, then 2/3, imagining the ball rolling, and then look at what happens before and right after hole.

Then I'll get behind the ball and visualize the line I've chosen, seeing the ball rolling, and then what happens at the hole. If I have a severe slope after the hole, or a severe slope getting there, I will visualize it going dead into the hole.

Over the ball, I'll take a few "in the air" practice swings to loosen up, address the ball and look about 2 inches in front of the ball on the intended line so I am not ball bound (or depending on the day, I may look at a dimple on the back side of the ball) and just think about speed since I already have the line. Over the ball, I'm not taking my time and my feet are subtly moving to stay loose -- take the putt, and the sooner, the better or I'll get distracted or lose any athleticism I have...

Today I had 27 putts and 10 one putts. Really focused on the hole and imagining a string that lies along the ball path running along the break, and especially imagining the speed of the last few feet. Worked well today.


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All this that follows assumes we're talking about putts of some length (at least 10 feet).

I need to see the line of the putt when I am over the putt. Then I just aim the putter face to start the ball on that line. After that I just stroke the putt with a smooth stroke of sufficient length to propel the ball on the line I visualized. That's what works for me. Implicit in all this is an effective read, so that I can believe and commit to the stroke.

I am a very proficient putter. Several respected instructors, junior circuit pros, and regional competitive amateurs have said I am a pro-level putter. But it's not always there. Here's where things go awry for me.

Seeing the line starts for me with where the ball would come to rest behind the hole if the hole wasn't there. Generally, setting up for that 18 inches behind the hole that is so influenced by the slope. Sometimes I get sloppy and don't start here. I try to insert that assessment in later steps. That never works out well for me.

From behind the hole I try to see the line. Then from the low side, I try to confirm or adjust the line I saw from behind the hole. I may even trace it with my hand. That sometimes helps me see it.

From behind the ball I need to see the starting line by picking out something one that starting line. Sometimes it's hard to find something to focus on and I proceed before getting a certain point to aim at. Not good.

Now I take my stance focusing on alignment. This part rarely goes awry.

Then I need to look toward the hole and see the ball rolling along the line at the speed it needs to be all the way to the hole and in. This needs to be in real time and see it all the way. Sometimes my mind's eye wants to speed this up or I look down toward the ball before the ball has in my mind gone all the way. Those are no-nos for me.

When I perform these steps properly the ball will go in the hole or result in a really close lag. When I get sloppy, it almost guarantees a 2-putt.