This is a simple drill to get your eyes over the ball. All you need is an old dvd or cd-rom.
The eyes determine Direction
What you see is usually what you get. In putting it’s important to “see” the line that your ball will travel. The best way to make sure you “see” the true direction of your putt, you need to have your eyes over the ball.
The putter face is what starts the ball on its journey, and the ball follows the direction of the face…but the eyes are the final say in where the ball ultimately rolls. This is because we need to visually aim the putter face, and the eyes play a crucial part.
All good golfers do this
All good golfers get their eyes over the ball. Not behind, not in front…over! The eyes should be parallel to the “line” of the putt. If your eyes are outside the line you have selected, then you will pull the putter to realign it to the correct path…resulting in a pulled left putt. If you find that you pull your putts…then check out to see if your eyes are over the ball correctly using this drill!
Is it this easy? Yes!
Drills work best when
- They are easy to do
- Give great feedback
- Work
This drill does all three and in less than a minute you will be able to determine if your eyes are in the correct postion
- Grab your putter
- Take a dvd or cd-rom and place it label side down, the top of the dvd or cd-rom should look like a mini mirror
- Set up a ball in the center of the dvd/cd-rom
- Address the ball with your putter
- Look to see if your eyes are inside (closer to your feet) or outside (other side of the ball opposite of your feet)
- Your eyes are over the ball when the reflection you see in the dvd/cd-rom positions the ball where your nose would be
- For hits and giggles…move your head forward (away from your body) and backward, and notice the reflection
Easy Fix
If your current set up positions the reflection inside the line (basically your forehead is where the ball would be) then you need to get “over” the ball. I do this by tilting more at the waist or move closer to the ball at set up.
If your current set up positions the reflection outside the line (the ball would be in your mouth) then you need to either become more upright in stance or move slightly away from the ball.
When your eyes are properly over the ball, the magic in your putting stroke can begin!
I was about to order some putting mirror but before I did I found your article and you just saved me $25 bucks! Thanks
Glad to help Brent! I hope it makes your next round of golf a little less expensive and you make more putts.
I disagree with this article completly. Your eyes need to be in a position where you see a straight line and that could be anywhere. Line up 5 balls in a line on a chalk line so you know that they are straight then set up to putt the first ball through the second but dont hit it. If you look down the line of balls and they dont look straight then your eyes are in the wrong position. Use a mirror board to find out where your eyes need to be to see a straight line, they could be outside the line, inside the line…who knows where you need to be as it’s individual.
Touche Billy. As a director of golf, and very well learned, your observation is spot on, but you need to remember that there are many ways to skin a cat. The goal of this post was to help people get their eyes closer to the top of the ball, as I have witnessed, and sure you have too, that many people do not pay attention to the position of their eyes in relationship to the “line” that they putt. Your method is superior and more complex, mine is “completely” simple and begins the process to becoming a better putter. Cheers!
Eyes over the ball is, IMHO, bad advise. The problem is that it sounds intuitive and that’s why the myth continues. Worse, it can ruin an otherwise good stance and or grip.
Just try and explain exactly what parallax error is causing the problem. The aim-line is not there so it can’t be that, the only thing you can line up is the tips of your toes. The putter face is at right angles to the aim line so thats a left right problem.