33 putts today…Zero 3 putts again, lots of tap ins on the 2nd. I’m liking the look at the hole technique so far. I do agree however that longer lag putts - 20 ft+ - are uncomfortable. I don’t feel like I can take the putter back far enough smoothly while looking at the hole. Adjusted the really long ones today to looking at/near the ball…with success.
I love the speed control using this technique!
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The no three putts is the key to me… Just eliminating those means you are getting the ball close to the hole… hopefully as the technique improves and you “get a hot hand” it means you start sinking some of those…
Honestly, one of the things I’m really trying to work on next season is focusing on having different goals for different ranges… With some exceptions for break, expecting to make everything inside 6 feet, hoping to get to easy tap in from 6-15 feet and then consistently two putting from 15+ feet… If I can get that down, my putting will be significantly improved.
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Instinct putting is a technique that’s long proven. I’ve been using it for years. It’s nice to have 2nd putts of less than a foot. There’s a book, Instinct Putting, but I’ve forgotten the author’s name. No golfer should ignore the technique without trying it. How many free throws can you make without looking at the basket?
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Yeah, I do wonder if going on feel is a better process for weekend Warriors who don’t have the time to develop perfect mechanics (what Bryson has done)… it’s definitely on my list for this season to try!
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Here’s what Frank Thomas had to say when I asked him: https://youtu.be/BPev-UE2jBQ
The book is still available (used prices are better) from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1592403530/?tag=mh0b-20&hvadid=3521828707&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_3r3doo7n2a_e
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Background: 71 and 10 handicap. I started looking at the hole as a cure to the yips on long putts. It worked and it worked well. It was incredible. I had never putted so well. My buddies couldn’t believe it. Of course, you’re more apt to get distracted with movement in and around the green if you’re looking at the hole and not the ball. It worked so well that I started using for all my putts. I took that approach for last 2-3 years. It continued to worked well UNTIL, I started scuffing my putter and that started happening far too often. I tried to cure that problem–reminding myself before I putted not to scuff it–but I haven’t been very successful and my putting has suffered. I just recently went back to the traditional method. Good luck!
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Very interesting article. I’m definitely going to work on this.
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Assume your stance and align the club so the gaze is on the back of the ball.
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After setting up over the ball, fix your gaze on the hole. Fixations toward the hole should be made no more than 3 times.
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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.
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No gaze should be directed to the clubhead during the backswing or foreswing.
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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!
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FYI - I’ve kept up with putting while looking at the hole. Not claiming any miracles, but I am putting relatively well, especially the 6-12’ zone, and it’s gotten really comfortable to do so.
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I’m still on the bandwagon as well! Though I’m not playing much due to weather. I feel like I’m very unlikely to three putt now that I’ve been using this technique…I just need to make more one putts.
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When I was at the peak of my worst putting, I decided to start practicing with my eyes closed… Sadly, it improved my putting… I had a very jabby stroke, and having my eyes closed forced me into a more tempo driven stroke, as I couldn’t see the ball…
I’d wager part of the reason looking at the hole helps is it forces you to trust your stroke and make a more consistent, tempo based putt… I’m sure looking directly at your target line helps too!
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The book says it all 
…it’s just so logical.
“Instinct Putting: Putt Your Best Using the Breakthrough, Science-based Target Vision Putting Technique”
Book by Eric Alpenfels
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Almost certainly true. When I’m looking at the hole, I’m not staring it down or anything (and for long lag putts my eyes aren’t even on it), instead it’s a more quiet focus.
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Since I posted I bought a Perfect Practice mat. It’s been a life changer. After I practiced on it for about a month, hitting literally thousands of putts, we’ve gone to FL and I played. The practice paid off. I started hitting putts without looking at the hole and forgot that I had previously had the yips on those long putts. The stroke ingrained on the mat and with the practice has helped immensely.
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Curious to hear if you guys are still sticking with this method. I heard Tony Finau was doing it at the Masters. I’m tempted to try it when I play tomorrow.
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I still put looking at the hole - now on both short and long putts. It really seems to be helping me with speed control. Very few 3 putts…that is on my relatively flat greened home course. When I’ve played other courses with serious breaks/undulations, it hasn’t worked out as well…not due to the technique…but more due to me typically being on relatively flat greens.
I’m sold on the technique for my game, for sure.
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I tried the “hole-look” on the practice green last week with mixed results. I was equal-to-better than regular procedure from 3’; beyond that it was sketchy.
In my last 20 rounds of last season, I had 6 three putts in 360 holes, so I don’t see an issue. HOWEVER, if I can avoid some 3-putts this Summer, it might make a difference between an 80 and a 79 , so not much of a scoring difference but a significant psychological difference.
I’m intending to devote some practice time to this between now and when golf gets “serious”, so who knows? As you suggest, I may have to pick my spots on when to use it.
On a side issue, on breaking putts, would you “eye” the apex?
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So yes…though heavy breakers are still a work in progress. For breaking putts that are “reasonable”…say 3 cups or less (common on the course I typically play), I look at the straight line through the apex to the hole…meaning, I pick the apex, determine the final break is maybe a cup or two and look at that point to the side of the hole.
I noticed on the greens (not my regular course) last week on “severe” breaks…ie change in tier, well over a foot of break…I just hit to the apex or fall line and look at exactly where I wanted the put to “die” and start down the fall line, vs the point outside of the hole.
Not sure if I explained that very well…
The whole technique has definitely taken practice though. It started in my basement and I took it to the course late last year…again all winter in my basement, and now back on the course for spring.
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Ah, makes sense on the breakers. Thanks for your narrative on your ‘journey’; it will help calibrate my expectations.
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I tried this tonight at my 9 hole league with virtually no practice. I like it. My speed was spot on. And it was just kind of fun. I went from stressing about 3 putting to thinking I had a chance to make almost every putt.
Will definitely give it another shot next time i play.
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