Putting - The Eyes

An article by: Bobby Eldridge on 12-18-2007
This article has been read 6019 times.

Putting Setup - Eye Position

The third part of the Set-Up is the positioning of your eyes. This is an absolute no questions asked, no grey, no excuses. This is it.

After you have positioned the golf ball in your stance and the putter is gripped and soled, you have to position your eyes over the first blade of grass directly behind the golf ball.(#14)

There is an invisible line that goes from the hole to the middle of your golf ball and then continues on indefinitely behind the golf ball. Remember the blade of grass directly behind the golf ball? Well that is the one you have to have your eyes looking down at.

If you want to know why allow me to explain. If the golf ball is in the center of your stance or slightly forward and the putter face is square at your target and your shoulders are aiming parallel to the target line, then your EYES will be directly over that blade of grass behind the golf ball.

Of course there is one more item we have to touch on however I am going to wait until the next chapter to explain it in greater detail.

The very reason this great game is so difficult to the masses is simple: We have to stand to the side of the golf ball when we make a swing including putting. The Rules of Golf states that the player must not make a stroke on the putting green from a stance astride, or with either foot touching the line of putt or an extension of that line behind the ball.(#15)

In 1967, golf legend Sam Snead is credited with innovating a different style of putting. It became known as croquet style of putting. Mr. Snead straddled the intended line the golf ball was going to roll on with both feet. The USGA deemed this method illegal. Mr. Snead was facing the target but he was not standing to the side of the golf ball.(#16)

Once the USGA deemed this method illegal Mr. Snead simply moved both feet to the side of the golf ball yet still facing the target and finished his career putting side-saddle.(#17)

Obviously Mr. Snead's style did not allow his eyes to look at the back of the golf ball. This had to be very difficult for him to SEE the line he wanted the golf ball to travel on. The single purpose of the eyes looking at the back of the golf ball is to give you as good of a chance of you SEEING the line on as straight of a line as possible.

If your eyes are not looking DIRECTLY behind the golf ball, you have too many moving parts to see the line.

If your eyes are lined up on the far side of the golf ball you will have a tendency to pull your putts and if your eyes are looking too far to the inside of the golf ball you will have a tendency to push your putts.