What do your eyes focus on during your putting stroke?
Precisely.
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- #78
I don't think it matters so much exactly where you focus. Pick one spot & try it. The main thing is that your eyes are not jumping around to different spots as you make your swing.
Right now, I'm practicing in the basement on a Birdieball green, so I'm focusing on the reflections of the lights on the ball (three of them - make sort of a triangle), and then what I'm really looking for is the after-image of the ball once the actual ball is gone. Since I'm using yellow Srixons, the after image should be blue, but against the green it looks dark green. If using a white ball, the after-image is probably on the orange side (If putting on a white carpet, the after-image would be red.).
VegasMav
Cigar Posse Member
I going in for a few lessons on Tuesday...I'll ask my instructor about their thoughts.
- Staff
- #80
Given the conversation has been about the two methods in here in the last several posts, surely you can see how it can be construed that way.
Either way, as I said, with ANY technique or school of thought, some battle just how second nature they are willing to let it be. Its human nature to overthink and get in the way sadly.
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- #81
And it was second nature - until this "eyes on the ball" issue cropped up. Hopefully I'll get back to free & easy with lots of practice.
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- #82
SPi robots haha. That's funny.
The best thing about SPi is how much it can be incorporated into a stroke that's comfortable for anyone. Take advantage of removing all the stupid things people do to ruin the perfect stroke and make the rest your own.
The best thing about SPi is how much it can be incorporated into a stroke that's comfortable for anyone. Take advantage of removing all the stupid things people do to ruin the perfect stroke and make the rest your own.
I try to focus just in front of the ball. Helps me get through it.
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- #85
As the resident THP "experts" on SPi, how long do you figure it took you to get to that "second nature" feeling? How many hours of practice? Was it daily? I know this might be hard to answer, but I'm just trying to guage my own progress & training efforts.
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- #86
Well, James can speak more about full SPi than I ever could, because quite honestly my stroke doesn't incorporate all of it. What it helped me to do was build a platform around a solid putting stroke while still being comfortable in my own unique stroke. Things like the proper pendulum, RST alignment confirmation.. Ball placement. It's obviously going to take a while because I personally was doing a LOT of things wrong beforehand.
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- #87
I hope I can get it really grooved by Old Silo in April. I'm probably doing an hour a day - but in 10-15 minute slots between everything else.
Tedfroop
One eyed and left handed
Thats getting harder and harder for people to do though. The wealth of information on putting and the tendency of people to focus on the negative means when there is no immediate success people switch methods.
Like every other part of the game practice is very much a determining factor in success. Being able to stand over the putt with a quiet mind focused on the target and confidence that you can sink every putt is critical in good putting and for that matter good golf. If you want success in your putting game you need to learn a method and practice it until it becomes automatic.
Ole Gray
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I put a blue mark on top of the Logo on my ball. When I'm putting well, I keep my eyes locked on that blue dot until the ball leaves the putter face. Same thing with my driver and irons off the par3 holes . The blue dot is my focal point.
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- #92
This is why I have that funny line & the slogan at the bottom of my signature - to remind me to trust the process & stay focused on practice. I actually started a thread a while ago on this:
http://www.thehackersparadise.com/f...to-Love-the-Plateau!-The-path-to-golf-Mastery
It's human nature for most people to look for a quick fix (new equipment, new technique, new tip) and the thrill of doing something new (the honeymoon phase), but real improvement is slow & sometimes boring & often painful and/or frustrating. At least with SPi there is data that tends to back up what they teach, but there is also a lot of room for tweaking it to fit individual tastes.
Funny, but also my experience. If I don't focus completely on my technique right now, my attention wanders & I find myself looking at the putter again. It just makes me realize how focused the best putters must be - to repeat their stroke over and over with hardly any variation.
Agent Jay
Grandaddy Alumni
My eyes stay focused on the ball, but also on keeping my lower body as still as possible throughout the putting motion.
I have been putting by looking at the hole. Seems to be working.
Here is an article about it from 2010 that cited some research done on the topic. http://onpar.blogs.nytimes.com/2010...ting-could-be-staring-right-at-the-hole/?_r=0
my speed seems much better when looking at the hole.
Here is an article about it from 2010 that cited some research done on the topic. http://onpar.blogs.nytimes.com/2010...ting-could-be-staring-right-at-the-hole/?_r=0
my speed seems much better when looking at the hole.
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Good article - I've tried it with mixed success on the putting green; but I've never attempted it during play. I may try it tomorrow
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- #97
Good article - I've tried it with mixed success on the putting green; but I've never attempted it during play. I may try it tomorrow
I also have never tried this during a round, but it's a great way to practice your touch and feel on the greens. I like to take practice swings while looking at the hole. It seems to give me a better feel for how long a swing to make. However, I don't do this over the ball during my set up. I usually do this while other people are putting, so it's not a normal part of my pre-shot routine.
coers
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I got two rounds in for the year now and I can tell my putting has improved by watching the ball now instead of the putter. It's so nice to know you can make those short ones and some long one. One thing I noticed is my lag putting has really improved, so I'm keeping the 3 putts down now. Might try the looking at the home to. But if this keeps helping me I'll stick with it.
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- #100
Nice to hear this coers! I'm kind of stuck now, but it's not because of looking/not looking at the ball. Keeping my eyes focused on the ball has really helped (at least indoors). The problem is I've been changing too much stuff - backstroke/throughstroke lengths, etc. & I feel too mechanical now. I really need to practice on some real greens now to see what works best.