Look at the hole when putting

[Slab]

I know we’ve had threads on this before but couldn’t see them

On the practice green this morning I’d done my putting practice and still had some time & decided to try this on my two worst kinds of putts I have during a round, 3’ and 50’ (the former bugs me because they are ‘never miss’ putts which then messes with my head making me miss the odd one with a slight pull, the latter is any long putt & making sure I do no worse than a two putt, and while the line is usually good, too often I leave them well short by as much as 10’ which can lead to a 3-putt. So both are basically a wasted extra shot taken and you only need a couple like that to ruin a score)

Back to looking at the hole, maybe just because it was something novel/different or maybe there’s something else involved like not over-focusing on the ball or the backswing, but the results were very good, short putts were pretty much no brainers and long/lag putting hugely improved with plenty at almost tap in distance. So started doing it on all putts of any length with similar results (it could also be that it was towards the end of 30 minutes of putting practice so my pace-reading was already ‘in’ )

fyi For mid-long putts I only hit a max of 2 balls to any hole at a time before switching hole or direction (so that I don't get accustomed to any one type or length of putt)

Also quite surprised that I never came close to hitting the ground first/topping it or any other kind of miss-hit on the ball, they were all pretty sweet. I’ll try it again tomorrow from the start of practice and then decide whether to risk it on the course at the weekend

Anyone else do it for putts?
(I know Spieth does it on putts of a certain length, Lexi does it with her eyes closed sometimes but what about forumers?)

 

[Orikoru]

I don't really understand the logic of it personally. For what reason could it actually help?

 

[ademac]

I do it for most putts. If they have a big break I will look at the part of the green that I am aiming towards being very specific. I definitely have better results this way.
I pick my target, look at it and then putt to it.
Much like in every other sport/game I play I am rarely looking at the ball when I hit/strike it.
Its difficult to trust at first but works for me.

 

[Grant85]

What works for you.

I think putting is better as more of a feel / instinct concept rather than technical / scientific.

Assuming you practice often and in varied conditions.

 

[MendieGK]

I played with a 2 handicapper in the West of England a couple of weeks ago who looked at the hole for every putt, and he holed loads! .

I suppose the logic of it is that when you throw a tennis ball you don't look at the ball yet, we are all usually very accurate throwing a tennis ball into a bucket

 

[Blakey]

I suppose the logic of it is that when you throw a tennis ball you don't look at the ball yet, we are all usually very accurate throwing a tennis ball into a bucket

I was thinking about that as a theory, but it doesn't really stand up, as you do look at the tennis ball when hitting it with a racket.

Snooker/Pool would be a better comparison as they are also 'dead' ball, and once lined up you would focus on the object ball rather than the cue ball.

 

[garyinderry]

I do it quite often for long putts. Seldom mishit the shot.

If its and better or worse its hard to tell.

Once you get used to it. Not looking at the hole feels strange.

Not a fan on the short ones though.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I do it quite often for long putts. Seldom mishit the shot.

If its and better or worse its hard to tell.

Once you get used to it. Not looking at the hole feels strange.

Not a fan on the short ones though.

It's the mishit that would worry me especially taking the putter back further on longer putts. I just try and get the basics right and keep the head still (no peeping)

 

[ciel-bleu]

On a similar theme, Dave Stockton, in his book "Unconscious Putting" advocates looking at a spot slightly ahead of the ball that you want to roll the ball over. Works for me and you can still see the ball in your peripheral vision.

 

[Slab]

Just finished another practice using this and quite happy still that I will probably try it on the course on Sunday

 

[Slab]

It's the mishit that would worry me especially taking the putter back further on longer putts. I just try and get the basics right and keep the head still (no peeping)

See for me in an hours worth of putting like this in last two days the only one I 'duffed' a bit while looking at the target was when I was practicing from fluffy fringe lie on an uphill slope, every other putt was a solid contact

I actually found a certain freedom to just be able to swing without any distraction seeing the back-swing in my peripheral vision (and my auto-pilot then attempting to make minor corrections on the downswing)

 

[Crazyface]

Sounds good to me (I'll try anythig to help me putt better). Up to the club tomorrow to give this a whirl.

 

[Cherry13]

When I give myself enough time to warm up before a round I do use this as part of my routine for getting ‘feel’ on long putts. I had the same problem as you, leaving them short and I never seem to do this when looking at the hole.
Personally speaking it actually helps my technique. I don’t need to move my head at impact, as the ball will just roll into view, something which on long putts I’m guilty of.

I’ve never took it out onto the course, but it definitely helps as a training technique.
Never duffed one either doing this or hit the ground. Again probably because I’m remaining quite still.

 

[Neeko1988]

I am going to give this a go.. the logic sounds good.

 

[Slab]

Meant to come back to this
Used it on the social round on Sunday and it 'felt' different to doing it on the practice green but stuck with it (on every single putt regardless of length) so there's definitely something to get used to when on the course

Long putts were so much better for pace, so no doubt in my mind it I'll do that again
I over-hit the ball a couple times on really short putts (<1 yard) but looking back I don't think I was concentrating properly on the distance I saw, so I will try this part again too just to see if it will/wont work there (I almost felt like I was sneaking a peak at the ball on peripheral vision on short putts which defeats the purpose of what I was testing)

None of my PP's noticed what I was doing and these are guys i play with regularly so it didn't look weird to them

So far it was well worth it on medium & long putts, jury still deliberating the short ones...

 

[jimjoachim]

I tried it at the weekend. I struggled a bit on "pace and line" putts. As in big breakers up or down hill.
Other than that I was definitely making more than I would normally.

I stopped using it for the longer putts then but reading this people seem to like it for them so maybe get back and work on it a bit. I found less control of pace by not looking at the ball but maybe takes a bit longer to get used to

 

[IanM]

Not sure the analogy of looking at the basket etc in basketball fits here, as the ball is in hand whereas the putter and ball are not connected until impact.

I can see how looking at the hole on some putts stops you looking at the putter, and you just keep it smooth

Whatever, do what works for you

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have been looking at the hole as I take my practice swing to get a feel for the putt. Maybe taking the step towards doing it with the ball there isn't that big a leap. Tempted to nip up to the club this week and give it a go.

 

[Capella]

I sometimes do this during practice. It helps me with the speed on longer putts, but I find it a bit harder to start the ball online, especially if I am not aiming directly at the hole but somewhere outside of it.

 

[Jacko_G]

I don't really understand the logic of it personally. For what reason could it actually help?

It shifts the focus from the stroke to the hole and "frees up the stroke".