Putting while looking at the hole

[MJTortella]

I guess it’s a whatever works for you kinda deal. I was actually taught LHLow putting style. I went to Conventional after after about 10 years and depending on green speed I go back and forth with no discernable difference. I like LHLow on slower greens. That said, how twitchy is everyone out there with claw grip, pencil grip, arm bars, reverse arm bars etc…I mean really, if a broomstick and rake would work, I guess it’s ok? Look at the hole, close your eyes, look at the sky…I mean wow. Maybe, they’ll invent the Al Cervik–Radar Putter for real one day right!

[MJTortella]

I played ice hockey in college after I gave up basketball dreams…puck is already on your stick for wristers but slap shots you have to look at the puck or you’ll whiff! I like the free-throw analogy that you look at the hoop, but the ball is in your hand, you are not hitting it. I have a decent putting stroke, but I’m definitely not grooved enough to hit center of clubface consistently not looking at the ball. Too scary,

[kenk]

I still need to work this out. Like you, MJ, I still feel more confident looking at the ball. But, I’ve golfed that way since 1973. I’ll still give ‘hole look” a look.

One thing I am satisfied with preseason testing in trying the double interlock grip. At this point, it seems to take my wrist flippiness out of play and keeps putter face square to the ball throughout the stroke. We’ll see once the season starts.

[Bh18]

Stuck with this again today, and had an all-time best score. So I’d say it’s working for me! 30 putts for 18 holes.
I did have two 3-putts, one I just misjudged how uphill it was, and one was about a 70 footer that I hit way off the toe and it came up way short. So I’m thinking maybe with the really long ones it might be better to look at the ball.
But on anything 30 feet or less, my touch was right on and I didn’t have any long 2nd putts.

[kenk]

Well, 3-putting is not a mortal sin. It looks like this might be sticking with you

My preseason practice has been encouraging enough to continue the Grand Experience. What has been working, so far, is using a double interlock grip. It seems to help keep putter face from waving around. We’ll see.

[CoryO]

I went back to looking at the ball when I switched putters (to a PXG Blackjack they gave me as part of my 0211 testing). With my SeeMore, the putts still felt struck solid with eyes on the hole, but this one doesn’t. Might be going back to the SeeMore though, so we’ll see what happens with my eyes.

[Craigers]

Im a huge seemore fan

[hackandsmile]

Update…finally got the ‘stones’ to commit to do this in a round…got to say, my best putting performance in terms of length for a while. Every second putt was well within my ‘circle of confidence’. A few were a little off the heel of the putter (Spider X so quite forgiving on off center hits) and the line wasn’t always right but the only 3 putt was from about 60 feet so willing to forgive that. Should add it was a new course to me so not familiar with the greens.

I may be a convert!

[CoryO]

The Play Smart blog at Golf.com recently did a piece on “Heads Up” putting with some good tips:
https://golf.com/instruction/putting/heads-up-putting-technique/

I think a key one is to not necessarily look at the hole.
“On breaking putts, don’t look at the hole. Look at the point where the putt will break off. On putts without a severe break, I’ve found success looking at the entry portions of the hole: The left edge, for instance, or the back of the cup. Remember that looking up isn’t the same as looking at the hole, so pick a specific spot.”

[TSmith]

Great article. I agree…I look at the “straight line” of where I want the putting line to go on breakers…not the hole. On relatively small breaks or straight puts I do pick a part of the hole (very precise) and look at it…usually something at the back of the cup to make sure I don’t leave it short.

[Jon_UK]

I think I’ll be giving this a go next time out. Just getting back into regular play after our winter of discontent and shot my year’s best (87) with SIX three putts the other day… Just seem to have zero touch with the longer lag putts right now, so I know where to focus my immediate efforts.

[kenk]

Yep, it was an interesting article. My other ‘takeaway’ is for a golfer to look at the hole only when he is comfortable doing so. A good bit of toe-dipping to build comfort and confidence.

[willwagner]

I just wanted to “re-up” my comment from last november. I tried it for awhile and I never really felt comfortable looking all the way to the hole and feeling like i’m swinging blindly at the ball. If you do feel like that our your contact isn’t great, I’d highly recommend looking at a spot about 12in away from the hole on the line you want the ball to travel as a good “compromise”. I feel like i get the same benefit that I felt looking at the hole without the discomfort. Not trying to spam this thread but 6 months in, i’m still loving it.

[CoryO]

That all speaks to the Finau “feel it, don’t force it” comment I think. Gotta find what works for you and that feel might change round to round.

[berninghausen]

20 foot birdie today, uphill slider. Looking at hole. One last week, too. Settles it for me.

[hackandsmile]

I now use it on anything 20ft and in. Longer ones I look back from the hole along my line to the ball as I was finding with having to have a longer swing the strike purity (ha) was really suffering.

[Craigers]

@Craigers

1. Assume your stance and align the club so the gaze is on the back of the ball.
2. After setting up over the ball, fix your gaze on the hole. Fixations toward the hole should be made no more than 3 times.
3. The final fixation should be a QE on the back of the ball. The onset of the QE should occur before the stroke begins and last for 2 to 3 seconds.
4. No gaze should be directed to the clubhead during the backswing or foreswing.
5. The QE should remain on the green for 200 to 300 ms after the club contacts the ball.

Next, the QE-trained group were asked to improve aspects of their gaze control based on these feedback points and what they had learned from viewing the elite prototype. Both groups then performed a further 15 putts, during which performance and gaze control measures were recorded.

Seems interesting and doable… I just finished unconscious putting and really want to build a better overall putting routine… my basic thought for myself is read the line from behind, verify from below the line, pick where the ball is going to fall into the hole, pick my target, address the ball and putt… I think the quiet eye can be incorporated as I move from the target to over the ball… we will see!

I haven’t done any of this! This is the quiet eye stuff, not putting while looking at the hole… I think I’m going to try to incorporate it, as I’ve been WAY to focused on my stroke.

[Craigers]

What is 'heads up' putting? I tried it, and now I'm hooked for good

@mpatrickriley Linked this on twitter today… I think it’s a good breakdown… My putting has definitely suffered because my eyes jump around on the putting green… I’ve documented that my putting can’t get worse (it’s gotten better, but I still had 38 putts yesterday… it was a long day on the greens… I put NOTHING close and didn’t make any mid range putts)

[TSmith]

Shout out to @jon and @Adamyounggolf for talking through “Heads up Putting” and connecting with the target on the latest episode of “The Sweet Spot”!!!

[Craigers]

So i’ve started my round warm up putting while looking at the hole… just trying to get a “feel” for speed and making sure my stroke has good tempo without staring at the head.

Highly recommended if you are on the fence about trying it. Very easy to practice with, and I think it has some tangible benefits.