Putting while looking at the hole

Practice
#61

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.

3 Likes
#62

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.

1 Like
#63

@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)

1 Like
#64

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”!!!

2 Likes
#65

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.

2 Likes
#66

I have been looking at the hole on shorter putts. Maybe 10-15 ft or less I feel like I can look at the hole and the stroke is still short enough that I don’t really mishit it. Longer putts I have been looking at the hole for a bit and when I get my eyes back to the ball I try to pull the trigger pretty quickly. I feel like I’m putting better overall, but not really making much. Lots of lipouts lately, but this time of year the greens are slower and I seem to be over reading the break. The pro said they should be rolling much better this weekend…I’ll probably be blowing it by!

2 Likes
#67

I’ve found in doing this for a little less than a year now (started near the end of last season) that at first, longer putts were super uncomfortable while looking at the hole…but now I look at the hole on all length putts.
I’ve found most of my success isn’t so much in making a ton more (my practice time is limited)…but more in 3 putt avoidance.
Added bonus…I feel soooooo much more comfortable over 4 feet an in. Turning my brain off of mechanics is invaluable to me.

4 Likes
#68

Or, you could just hit the damned ball…

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#69

I’ve been going on and off with this, and am finding that on mid to long putts, my distance control is much better when I look at the hole. And I completely forget about my mechanics, which helps. On the shorter ones where the line is more important, I look at the ball.

4 Likes
#70

I definitely like it for letting go of mechanics and “just hitting the damn ball”…

It’s funny, I think putting is almost a form of zen where you are aware of everything and nothing…

3 Likes
#71

Love his “Unconscious Putting”!

And… thinking about it now… seems to me that all the good stuff he teaches could apply to “heads up” putting…?

2 Likes
#72

I haven’t ready Stockton’s “Unconscious Putting”…I’ll check it out…but “Instinct Putting” is a great introduction to “heads up” putting for sure.

2 Likes
#73

Only if the intended putting line is straight to the hole.