When I talk about putting with my students, I like to work on these top three skills:
- Ability to aim
- Ability start putt on the intended line
- Speed control
This tip will help you master the top two.
Everyone’s sights and visuals are different, so it is important to calibrate each player specifically and find out where they operate at their best.
The photo at right illustrates the position where my dominant eye is looking over the ball. I would like to see my players have their eyes directly over the ball, or inside their target line up to the width of two golf balls.
There is no exact, textbook eye position over the ball, but those are my parameters — however, I never want to see a student’s head and eyes outside the target line.
For players who have a very straight-back-and-through stroke with little amount of arc, I prefer to see their eyes sit directly over the ball. That will give them the truest indication of the proper line.
For players who have more arc to their stroke, I would like to see their eyes more inside the ball. Since the blade opens and closes slightly during the stroke, a slightly inside eye alignment can help square the putter face at impact.
These are just some basic examples to help you identify where your eyes should be over the ball. It’s up to the golfer to practice and measure to find out where is the most optimal eye position for them to perform at the highest level.
Again, if you are able to aim your putter blade more consistently and start your putt on your intended line, you should make more putts — assuming that the read and the speed are correct also.
Nam Padung, PGA, lives and teaches in Augusta, Georgia
