Putting looking at the hole.

[ger147]

More putting mojo. Never tried it and seems nonsense. Would you drive and not be looking at the ball. Keep still and focus on line and length. Putting isn't that hard unless people make it so

Standard practice in many sports. In snooker for example, convential wisdom and all the top level coaches teach looking at the object ball when you're trying to play a shot e.g. if you're trying to pot a red ball, you look at the red ball when you strike the cue ball i.e. you're not looking at the ball you're striking but the target. Most of the top players sight their shots in that way.

 

[Curls]

Mmm, I'm not so sure about the snooker comparison really, I mean the cue ball is inches from your hand and within your peripheral vision, stroking a putt from 5 feet neither of those is true. Agree that target-focus is key in many sports but with golf the target is your ball for the most part. I think you'd want absolutely nailed on technique (like Speith) and something within you that is allows this approach to be natural, which I ain't got! More power to you if you do and it works.

 

[3565]

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"

It's like all new techniques or teachings you got to practise it, Ingrain a routine and learn to trust it.
So what will you do when you miss a putt with your new, keep head down, listern for the sweet sound technique?

 

[Curls]

It's like all new techniques or teachings you got to practise it, Ingrain a routine and learn to trust it.
So what will you do when you miss a putt with your new, keep head down, listern for the sweet sound technique?

Buy a new putter probably.

I'm just saying it didn't feel right for me, felt alien, and while it might have become less so with practice I'm really not comfortable pursuing it. Like I say, if it works for you, great. I think it's a bit more "out there" than keeping your head still, which is a fundemental I was terrible at. I did and will miss plenty putts listening out but its the technique I feel will suit me better to practice in the long run.

 

[3565]

Buy a new putter probably.

I'm just saying it didn't feel right for me, felt alien, and while it might have become less so with practice I'm really not comfortable pursuing it. Like I say, if it works for you, great. I think it's a bit more "out there" than keeping your head still, which is a fundemental I was terrible at. I did and will miss plenty putts listening out but its the technique I feel will suit me better to practice in the long run.

Yeah there are plenty of putters to be had......

im not critising your opinion or thoughts or your technique either. Think it was a more tongue in cheek comment and I at times forget to put a emoji after it.

It felt alien to me to, it freaked me out as you kind of give up some control but that might be the point of this drill! But I seem to be holing more then my fair share but like you said somewhere (and I have) missed some too.

 

[effayjay]

After reading this thread I went up to the Club and had a go on the practice area this afternoon.

The bowls analogy did it for me, it seemed to work a treat so long as I began my routine by focusing on the putter head being properly positioned at the ball then focusing my attention in rather than at the hole.

Lets see how it works with a card in my hand now!

 

[garyinderry]

Never one to dismiss things so I've been giving this a whirl again the last 3 games and I am really enjoying it for long lag putts.

I don't really have the confidence to do it close in.

Been working an absolute charm. I went to it after I 3 putted 5 times in a row from 3 putt country. Thought I couldn't do any worse.

Sticking with it for the foreseeable. Lagged everything really well today, holed a monster and left another in the jaws.