Putting looking at the hole.

[Deleted member 15344]

Yeah it definitely seemed nonsensical when Spieth romped it at Augusta

:thup:

 

[garyinderry]

I probably won't do this either but I would assume looking at the hole while putt might actually help on long putts rather than shirt ones. It distance control you are after on long putts. Looking at the desired distance while putting and letting the body react to that.

Its something many people do I suppose when weighing up the putt trying to get a feel for the distance. big Phil does it every time with his pre putt routine.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Yeah it definitely seemed nonsensical when Spieth romped it at Augusta

Top world class player v average club golfer with putting issues (Delc and his well documented issues). Bit of a misnomer and difference in ability (with due respect to DelC)

 

[delc]

There may be something in this. After all when playing snooker you look at the object ball rather than the cue ball or the tip of the cue when actually playing your shot. When playing darts you look at what you are aiming at, not the point of the dart. Also stops you lifting your head to see where the ball has gone, because you see that anyway.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Also stops you lifting your head to see where the ball has gone, because you see that anyway.

Pick a dimple and keep looking at it until after the ball has gone

 

[delc]

Pick a dimple and keep looking at it until after the ball has gone

Isn't the dimple part of the ball, and doesn't that move as soon as you strike it?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Isn't the dimple part of the ball, and doesn't that move as soon as you strike it?

The point is you have a single point to focus and by looking at the same spot until after the ball has gone keeps the head still. Been a tip doing the rounds for years in mags

 

[One Planer]

I must be the only one who's eyes follow the putter head during the stroke.

Works for me so I do it.

Never tried looking at the hole. Not sure I ever will if I'm honest.

 

[anotherdouble]

I have tried it and it works for me. The big big difference I noticed using this method was that I stayed down on the shot all of the time. As you are constantly looking at the hole there is no need to rise and move the head

 

[shortstuff]

I must be the only one who's eyes follow the putter head during the stroke.

Works for me so I do it.

Never tried looking at the hole. Not sure I ever will if I'm honest.

So do I on long putts; exactly the same when chipping.

 

[Slab]

I messed about with the technique on the practice green the week after the Masters & didn't see any improvement on the short ones so not for me

 

[dufferman]

Here's a question - on a breaking putt, do you look at the hole still or do you look at the point where you're aiming?

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Here's a question - on a breaking putt, do you look at the hole still or do you look at the point where you're aiming?

Different people's minds work in different ways so there's no one answer to that.

I find that if I aim at a point to the left of the hole on a putt with left to right break and focus on that point prior to my putt, then that's where I send the ball - as in, my mind subconciously compensates for the break and I send the ball even further left and it goes to the place I was focussing on rather than the hole. Similarly, if I aim at a point short of the hole or beyond the hole, my mind subconciously takes into account the slope and I will leave it short or belt it miles. Other people might find the opposite.

I don't go in for looking at the hole while putting, but what I have found to be very effective is Dave Stockton's approach of looking at the hole and then looking at the ball and pulling the trigger almost immediately before I can start thinking about anything else. Also, I take my practice stroke on the same line (but behind) the ball so it has the same perspective as when I'm stood over the ball, and I look only at the hole when taking my practice stroke.

 

[3565]

Here's a question - on a breaking putt, do you look at the hole still or do you look at the point where you're aiming?

Me personally after Ive aimed my ball line to my spot and then lined my putter to that line, I look at the hole as that's where I want it to end up at. I've holed more 5,6,7 ft putts doing 'The Speith' then I have the other way.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

The point is you have a single point to focus and by looking at the same spot until after the ball has gone keeps the head still. Been a tip doing the rounds for years in mags

I think a better way is to look at a spot an inch in front of the ball. Works for me at least.

 

[Slab]

Here's a question - on a breaking putt, do you look at the hole still or do you look at the point where you're aiming?

On any putt I've picked a spot 3-4 inches in front of the ball for my line so when at address i'll take a last look at the overall distance to the hole for pace but my only intention re line is to set the ball off directly over the spot just in front of the ball, in essence every putt I have is under 6 inches, some just need more pace than others

 

[gazr99]

Here's a question - on a breaking putt, do you look at the hole still or do you look at the point where you're aiming?

Well if you follow the technique from Spieth to a tee, you don't do it on a breaking putt only straight putts

 

[Curls]

I went from zero to hero with my putting yesterday evening and I only made one change. On putts of less than 6 feet I didn't see a single putt drop, but lots of them did. I realised I was basically looking at the ball from the moment it left the putter to the moment it missed the hole, so kept perfectly still and listened for that sweet sound. Small change, huge improvement.

I guess looking at the hole means you're not moving your head! Therein lies the advantage. But like many on this thread I tried it, holed some, missed one, and thought "that's enough of that"

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Top world class player v average club golfer with putting issues (Delc and his well documented issues). Bit of a misnomer and difference in ability (with due respect to DelC)

Maybe those putting issues could be solved by doing this!

Or, maybe you just want to mock/ridicule Del like you normally do in response to his musings?

 

[CirenBhoy]

I use it on short putts (probably inside 5 feet). Its working well so far, takes all the focus off the swing and onto the target. I find my aim and speed of putts is greatly improved.

I look at it a bit bowling / snooker etc. In these sports you don't look at the ball in your hand or the cue ball, the focus is on the target. Trust the technique and away you go