Article - Does Looking at Your Target Actually Hurt Your Accuracy?

I saw that article yesterday. It'll be worth a try at the range next time out to see if it works.

I agree. Might try it on some "safe" shots on the course from time to time as well. Don't want to try something completely new when a tough shot is at hand.
 
I will look at the target and then find something closer in line with that target (within 30 yards away ideally) and line up based on the closer target.
 
I didn't read the article but I stopped looking at the target and try to find something above the pin or my target to look at. Something like a tree, power line pole, etc. It seems to help me out a bit, especially when I'm on the tee box.
 
I will look at my intended target area and then find something 6 feet in front of my teed up ball which lines up with my distant target then line up square to the spot 6 feet in front of my ball. Works really well for me.
 
Yeah I know a lot of people already do this, or something similar, as part of their target/alignment process. I just found the article interesting since it provides data supporting whether it makes a difference or not.
 
Field goal kickers do it !
 
I like it!
 
interesting I suppose, but just how telling are those results is what I question. Imo that's too small a sample and also was one with various ability/skill level golfers.
29 people of various ability? taking just 6 shots at each scenario of aiming? The swing inconsistencies of the lessor ability players alone taking 6 shots within each scenario can easily skew probably more then half those results.

Sorry and Im not trying to be a know it all nor sarcastic but just pointing the fact that this is far too small a sample with far too much to skew things in order to draw real conclusive telling data. I can come up with a lot of things to easily skew those results besides the one obvious thing I already mentioned. Its just much too flawed. I see no issue at all with one trying these things for themselves and drawing their own conclusions. And I wont at all say its not a good idea to aim mid. That would be stupid to say. many people do it and many should try it. But to draw definitive data conclusion from that specific experiment just to make a point and add the reasoning of one mans opinions as to why that data resulted the way it did, is ridiculous.
 
Interesting. Might try it for my next round and see how it goes
 
No. The last thing you should look at is your target. Not the green side bunker, or the water left of the green. Harvey Pennick wrote a book called "The Little Red Book", and said to find the target you want to hit, make that target the last thing you look at before pulling the trigger. IT WORKS.
 
6 shots apiece with each method for a total of 18 shots per each of the 29 golfers is a tiny sample size, imo.

While I still wouldn't discard the findings, it only offers me a less than conclusive suggestion, imo.

I used to always pick out an intermediate target. This year, for whatever reason, I found myself just eyeing up the target itself and going by feel from there.

Had my best season ever. Not saying that was a reason nor even a contributing factor, I have no idea. Just happens to be the case.
 
another thing to note is that its very often mentioned to just picture the desired ball flight in your mind. Which would include the entire flight line from spot of address to target area. There are not rights or wrongs here imo but jst different ways for whatever works for one person vs another.

And for that reason (as well as some others) I still feel what I mentioned earlier about the small study and also agree with Wmac19 above.
 
I started doing this last year, it helps a lot. I have compared lines I might have picked using the target for alignment verses using the intermediate target for alignment and they are at times quite different. Some sight lines and lies make it hard to align using the actual target.
 
Interesting article and something I will try in April when golf begins around here.
 
Over the years, I’ve gotten out of the practice of checking the far target once I step up to address the ball. Pre-Shot routine would be to check the line to the target from behind the ball, and as I walk up to address the ball- my eyes are tracing a line from the far target to a spot about 4-6 ft in front of ball on target line. There is no glance out to fairway or to the green once I’m set to go. That would just put more thoughts into my head.


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