Putting Alignment

On Docs "Decent Putters Don't Read This" topic, myself and Raycastleunited both have problems using lines on golf balls to line-up putts. Over the ball both of us see the line on the golf ball aiming to the left of the hole (both right handed players).

Just made me think if this was a common problem. Could you guys have a quick check this weekend and find time to vote (if I have set it up correctly - didn't appear on the preview).

I'm not sure I follow what you mean, It doesn't matter what it looks like over the ball if you've lined it up properly from behind on the line you want to hit it.

Super,

Sorry for not being clear.

Take a straight putt from 5 feet. Line up the line on the top of the ball from behind the hole so that it faces the centre of the hole.

When I stand over the putt I see the line aiming about 2 inches wide of the hole (to the left) which is a bout 4.5 inches left of the centre of the hole.

I have a putter with a line on it. If I line-up the line on the putter with the ball I feel I am aiming way left of the hole. Using my normal stroke I miss is left every time. I must have compensated over time to correct my vision.

I always thought it was just me, but perhaps others have same / similar alignment problems.

I've no idea at the moment! Will check it out on a straight putt. Have posted a link to an interesting article on that other thread.

I tried for a long time to get my eyes over the ball when addressing putts, then read an article (Paul Hurrian?) which suggested that didn't work for everyone. Some need to have their eyes inside or outside the line of the putt - correct I have now proved- and that impacts how the line on your golf ball looks also - less easy to prove but works for me! As someone with little spatial awareness or depth perception I need all the help I can get and it really is necessary ( I now believe) to try a range of alternatives in alignment etc to see what works for you. Don't follow the standard "eyes over the ball, line the markers name with the hole/ line of break etc.
I hope that makes some sort of sense - has taken me a long time to find a process I trust and that works for me.

I have a feeling that your problem is more closely allied to the position of your eyes and the focal point.

When lining up the ball from behind, both your eyes are the same distance and height from the hole. When over the ball, you turn your head and they are then asymmetric to the hole, so one sees the hole in a different position to the other (stereoscopic vision or something like that). To see the line on the ball and the hole at the same time - which you would have to use peripheral vision for, then there is an issue regarding focus, so it is not surprising the line appears to be missing the hole.

If you want to use a line, aim it at a point nearer to the ball that is on the line you want to take, both ball and line should be in focus and hit over that. Forget the hole altogether.

Forget the hole altogether

Great tip that. Saw a Dave Stockton interview recently and he said the first thing he teaches is forget the hole and focus on the smallest point possble on your target line and if you roll at/over that then the hole will get in the way and it will drop. By making the target smaller than the hole itself it in effect makes the hole seem bigger than it is an effectively it does get in the wy and the ball drops

I've tried the forgetting the hole idea but I find it almost impossible to do that and get the weight correct. Often weight is more important than line. I have a look at the hole and try to keep that picture in mind through the putt

MustPuttBetter wrote:I've tried the forgetting the hole idea but I find it almost impossible to do that and get the weight correct. Often weight is more important than line. I have a look at the hole and try to keep that picture in mind through the putt

Weight is the most important thing. As I said on the other thread, as a junior I modelled my putting on Brad Faxon and still have the same stroke today, but one drill I picked up from reading his stuff and seeing his videos is about what to use as a target for putting.

The mind will always register the last thing you look at as your target so even if you picked out a line for the putt if the last thing you looked at was the hole (and not the target line) the bodies default action will be to hit at the hole(not the target line) this is a subconscious thing but something that happens in all of us.

So the thing Faxon said he did (something I personally do) was pick something on the line of the putt aim at that and once you know that's on your line look only at that and not the hole. This is also something Stockton mentioned in the interview I saw with him on recently.

Say for example you think the line is inside right lip. Don't look at the hole or the right lip, look for something specific inside the e.g. A small speck of dirt or specific blade of grass if it stands out and look only at that, focus on hitting that with the ball and imo it works but it might not be for everyone. But Stockton and Faxon 2 great putters so gotta be worth a try

That all makes sense Mav and you're right it is difficult to hit away from the hole whilst glancing at the hole. But how do you put the hole out of your mind for the line whilst at the same time keep it in mind for the weight? I'd be a right mess!

MPB easy, you don't need the hole in you mind when judging the weight. if you have that specific aim point e.g the spec of dirt inside the hole, your aim is to make the ball hit that target so you will naturally weight the putt to hit it hard enough to hit that spot. So you actually kill 2 birds with one stone by being aim specific.

A good drill I find for this is on the putting green select a put of say 15-20feet work out the break and specific aim point for it e.g tpsoeck of dirt inside right edge of cup the place a tee peg on direct line with this 18" behind the hole the aim to stop the ball between your aim point and the tee peg, you be amaxed how quickly you a)get the weight right more often and b) how many times the hole gets in the way and the ball drops in

Ok mate, I'm off to play now so I'll give that a little try cheers. I'll give any putting advice a go!

MustPuttBetter wrote:Ok mate, I'm off to play now so I'll give that a little try cheers. I'll give any putting advice a go!

How'd it go on the greens today MPB

Saturday i played quite well Mav, the putting was ok. I tried your thing about aiming for a point closer than the cup and i'm not sure i noticed a huge improvement but it was certainly no worse than usual so i will probably give it a bit of practise and see if it helps.
Played yesterday fro my electric score and also the first game of our winter league and i was truly awful - my putting being the only decent thing in my game, and you won't hear me say that often!