Eyes Down

Eyes Down is the usual address setup when you are putting. The question is where exactly should you look?

The answer to this question depends on whom you listen to. Some experts say you should focus on the ball; others say that you should focus on anything but the ball.

While there may be disagreement as to the location of your focus, all agree that shifting eyes can be detrimental to your putting.

It is important that your eyes don't follow your putter back on the backstroke and the path of your ball in the forward stroke. If your eyes move, your head tends to move, and so does your upper body. By keeping your eyes steady you also help to keep your head steady.

According to research by Dr Joan Vickers of the University of Calgary good putters have 'Quiet Eyes'. This means that they keep their eyes absolutely still for a few seconds before and after striking their putt.

Poor putters, however, move their eyes rapidly darting back and forth and fail to fix their gaze on a specific location.

So if everyone recommends that the focus of your eyes should remain fixed, where exactly should your focus be?

Ball

The obvious answer is that you should look at the ball. There is some suggestion that you should fixate on the line (logo) on top of the ball, the ball number, or the back of the ball. However, this may not be the best solution.

Research has also shown that when putters focus on their ball, their brain instinctively wants to track the ball after it is hit.

There is also a danger that if you stare intently at your ball, you will become ball-bound. This will lead to a natural urge to hit the ball rather than put a smooth stroke on it.

At the Hole

It is easier to execute a free flowing stroke when looking at the hole rather than with your eyes down. The idea is that you should look at the hole, not the ball, from the moment you set your putter down until you complete your putting stroke.

However, this solution is not that simple, as the hole on most putts is seldom the target at which you should be aiming. Looking at the hole gives you a sense of distance, but for accuracy you need to be aligning your putterface to another target.

In Front of the Ball

Dave Stockton keeps his eyes focussed on a spot an inch or two in front of his ball and on his line of putt throughout the stroke with the intention of seeing his ball roll over that spot.

This method, similar to spot putting, enables him to stroke smoothly through the ball without hitting at it.

Behind the Ball

A number of golfers leave a small gap between their putter and the ball. This enables them to focus of the small patch of grass in between. By keeping their eyes glued to this small gap between putter and ball, they are able to keep their head steady during their stroke.

In the execution of any putt you want to make a smooth stroke without any movement of your head and body. Unfortunately most average golfers don't keep their eyes still and this leads to poor putting.

Where you should look, eyes down or not, is a matter of preference. However, whatever location you choose, the trick is to putt with 'Quiet Eyes'.

Image Source
1 = Illustration Dave Stockton's Book Putt to Win