Putting: The Eyes Have It!
TBD 25.08
When I came back to golf after nearly 15 yrs off, I was thrown by a shift in how my eyes saw the green when I set up to the side of the ball. After lining my putt up from behind the ball, I moved to set up at the side of the ball and the slope of the green looked completely different. I would stop, get behind the ball again, confirm my first read, set up to the side and not see the same slope. Each time, the read from behind the ball was the correct read. WTF! I started using a line on my ball to line up the putt and just “Trust the line!” The only thing that made sense to me was that my aging eyes peripheral vision was affecting my view when standing sideways. But was that really it?
Jump forward to a recent short game practice with another older golfer that wanted to work on putting as well. I worked with her on seeing the line and quickly realized that she was unable to consistently aim the putter head square to the target. I had her line the putter up, then I walked over and held it in place and had her get behind the ball and look at where the putter head was actually pointed…. Out to the left almost every time. We found that when behind the ball, she could see the line, but when at the side of the ball her putter line up was off. Hmmm…. Very similar to what I experienced.
Question: WTF Is Going on??!!!!
Answer: Vernier Acuity
Question: WTF is Vernier Acuity?
Answer: How well a person is able to line up 2 discontinuous lines ( - - ) or to judge perpendicular angle of two lines (+).
Elite athletes are sometimes tested for this to help in training and the world’s best putting coach tests for this to help elite professional golfers improve putting. It is also normal for our Vernier Acuity to degrade somewhat as we age. So what I and the other golfer experienced is normal. The good news is that with training, it can get better.
The Fix 1: Line it UP!
Many balls are now made with a directional line to aid putting alignment. Since I am able to square my putter, I am able to see the perpendicular angle between ball line and putter head, so the one ball line is enough for me. However, If a golfer has problems keeping the putter head perpendicular, they can add a perpendicular line bisecting the aiming line to help get the putter head square. Any golf store will have a little plastic gizmo (~$10) for drawing lines on your ball. Look for the perpendicular line as well. Simply snap it around your ball and use a Sharpie to draw the lines you want.
The Fix 2: Eyes Over the Ball!
A putting fault that many people may have and not even be aware of is not having their eyes properly aligned over the ball. This leads to improper aiming or squaring of the putter head. Now this is getting more technical than I’m able to comfortably guide you on and may be tied to improper posture as well. I can tell you that something many people use to help with eye alignment is a putting mirror. The idea is that your eyes should be lined up over the ball to see directly down the target line. As you look down at the mirror, you can see if your eyes are aligned or if they are too far over or behind. This is a specialized mirror, not a little compact mirror you pull out of your makeup bag. Sorry, if you want to try this, you’ll need to spend the money (~$30-$40) for the proper lined mirror.
The Fix 3: Putter Lines
This is very individualistic, but basically it comes down to whether you are able to line your ball up well with the center line on the putter. Some putters have a very short line on the top of the putter and some a long continuous line. Some putter shapes (blades) are basically bi-level, short line on top edge and then the back part of the putter drops down and another line continues so the lines are at different depths. If you have poor Verniers Acuity, you’ll probably want a single level long line on a putter head of single depth or a short line just on the top edge of a bi-level blade putter. My Odysee double wide blade is one of those where the back of the putter is bi-level. Many of the mallet putters have a single depth and have a long line. Golf Mart has a central area with a putting mat and several different putters just out there to try. You’d be amazed at all the different shaped putters out there now. If you think the putter is contributing to your inability to line up properly, go for a putter fitting and try different shapes and different lines.
The Fix 4: Putting Lessons
I think just about any teaching pro would be a good start for a putting lesson. They can get you started on correcting the usual faults. However, if you are a low HCP player and/or playing tournaments, you may want to put out the big bucks for a high tech putting lesson that’s going to involve cameras, computers, and lasers. Now that sounds like FUN!
TBD 25.08
When I came back to golf after nearly 15 yrs off, I was thrown by a shift in how my eyes saw the green when I set up to the side of the ball. After lining my putt up from behind the ball, I moved to set up at the side of the ball and the slope of the green looked completely different. I would stop, get behind the ball again, confirm my first read, set up to the side and not see the same slope. Each time, the read from behind the ball was the correct read. WTF! I started using a line on my ball to line up the putt and just “Trust the line!” The only thing that made sense to me was that my aging eyes peripheral vision was affecting my view when standing sideways. But was that really it?
Jump forward to a recent short game practice with another older golfer that wanted to work on putting as well. I worked with her on seeing the line and quickly realized that she was unable to consistently aim the putter head square to the target. I had her line the putter up, then I walked over and held it in place and had her get behind the ball and look at where the putter head was actually pointed…. Out to the left almost every time. We found that when behind the ball, she could see the line, but when at the side of the ball her putter line up was off. Hmmm…. Very similar to what I experienced.
Question: WTF Is Going on??!!!!
Answer: Vernier Acuity
Question: WTF is Vernier Acuity?
Answer: How well a person is able to line up 2 discontinuous lines ( - - ) or to judge perpendicular angle of two lines (+).
Elite athletes are sometimes tested for this to help in training and the world’s best putting coach tests for this to help elite professional golfers improve putting. It is also normal for our Vernier Acuity to degrade somewhat as we age. So what I and the other golfer experienced is normal. The good news is that with training, it can get better.
The Fix 1: Line it UP!
Many balls are now made with a directional line to aid putting alignment. Since I am able to square my putter, I am able to see the perpendicular angle between ball line and putter head, so the one ball line is enough for me. However, If a golfer has problems keeping the putter head perpendicular, they can add a perpendicular line bisecting the aiming line to help get the putter head square. Any golf store will have a little plastic gizmo (~$10) for drawing lines on your ball. Look for the perpendicular line as well. Simply snap it around your ball and use a Sharpie to draw the lines you want.
The Fix 2: Eyes Over the Ball!
A putting fault that many people may have and not even be aware of is not having their eyes properly aligned over the ball. This leads to improper aiming or squaring of the putter head. Now this is getting more technical than I’m able to comfortably guide you on and may be tied to improper posture as well. I can tell you that something many people use to help with eye alignment is a putting mirror. The idea is that your eyes should be lined up over the ball to see directly down the target line. As you look down at the mirror, you can see if your eyes are aligned or if they are too far over or behind. This is a specialized mirror, not a little compact mirror you pull out of your makeup bag. Sorry, if you want to try this, you’ll need to spend the money (~$30-$40) for the proper lined mirror.
The Fix 3: Putter Lines
This is very individualistic, but basically it comes down to whether you are able to line your ball up well with the center line on the putter. Some putters have a very short line on the top of the putter and some a long continuous line. Some putter shapes (blades) are basically bi-level, short line on top edge and then the back part of the putter drops down and another line continues so the lines are at different depths. If you have poor Verniers Acuity, you’ll probably want a single level long line on a putter head of single depth or a short line just on the top edge of a bi-level blade putter. My Odysee double wide blade is one of those where the back of the putter is bi-level. Many of the mallet putters have a single depth and have a long line. Golf Mart has a central area with a putting mat and several different putters just out there to try. You’d be amazed at all the different shaped putters out there now. If you think the putter is contributing to your inability to line up properly, go for a putter fitting and try different shapes and different lines.
The Fix 4: Putting Lessons
I think just about any teaching pro would be a good start for a putting lesson. They can get you started on correcting the usual faults. However, if you are a low HCP player and/or playing tournaments, you may want to put out the big bucks for a high tech putting lesson that’s going to involve cameras, computers, and lasers. Now that sounds like FUN!
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