Watching the ball?

[Smilesy]

I worked out a couple of weeks ago that i wasn't really watching the ball, i was just looking the general direction of the ball. It was as usual on the 18th tee of an awful round that i worked this out. I told a mate this (he's off scratch) and he asked me where on the ball I'm looking and i had no idea. I have since started to focus on a point at the back of the ball, and my ball striking has hugely improved.
After that ramble, where do you look at the ball, do you have a specific spot or just generally at the ball.
Cheers

[kurtwainwright]

I had a caddie at Bandon Dunes this past summer who gave me a tip that I've started to use. He said (and I'm paraphrasing), it does no good to tell someone to keep their head down. Most people don't know how to translate that statement into action. Instead, he likes to tell his clients to "focus on a single dimple of the ball." That tip is actionable, and it forces you to keep your head down. I started focus on a dimple, and sure enough, I started hitting the ball straighter.

So, now, with every dozen balls that I purchase, I draw a small eyeball on a dimple of the ball to remind myself of that tip.

[King Cobra II]

I don't look at the ball. I focus on keeping my spine angle in tact, and I know that ball is positioned properly and this usually works. If I start hitting the ball a bit fat, I'll focus on the back of the ball, but I don't typically need to do this.

[zeg]

It varies for me, but for a while I was working on hitting down with my irons and found that focusing on a spot on the front of the ball was the best. It helped concentrate on hitting through rather than at the ball.

[misty_mountainhop]

I told a mate this (he's off scratch) and he asked me where on the ball I'm looking and i had no idea. I have since started to focus on a point at the back of the ball, and my ball striking has hugely improved.

I had similar advice years ago and it still works for me. It's a useful tip.

Instead, he likes to tell his clients to "focus on a single dimple of the ball." That tip is actionable, and it forces you to keep your head down. I started focus on a dimple, and sure enough, I started hitting the ball straighter.

Quite like that suggestion! The single dimple is good and the eye drawn on it should help the focus. Do you position the dimple you're focusing on at the back (i.e. where the impact will be) off the tee? What do you on the fairway etc when you can't lift and place?

[golfman43]

i usually draw a small red dot that i can focus on. it actually helps me a lot.

[Henry]

I know that i hit the ball best when i focus on a spot towards the back of the ball but often i let my concentration slip and just look in the general direction of the ball.

[microcrayfish]

I'm terrible at watching the ball. It's such a simple thing to do but I find with everything else I'm too busy worrying about with my swing I just forget about it.

[Jell0b0y]

i usually draw a small red dot that i can focus on. it actually helps me a lot.

Good idea, I am going to give this a try since I hit my Irons fat and take my eye off the ball.

[JonnyGolf]

I had a caddie at Bandon Dunes this past summer who gave me a tip that I've started to use. He said (and I'm paraphrasing), it does no good to tell someone to keep their head down. Most people don't know how to translate that statement into action. Instead, he likes to tell his clients to "focus on a single dimple of the ball." That tip is actionable, and it forces you to keep your head down. I started focus on a dimple, and sure enough, I started hitting the ball straighter.

"Don't lift your head" is like saying "stop sneezing" if someone asks what they should do about their allergies. Lifting your head is a symptom of losing your focus on the ball. For me, I create of a mental image of the club head addressing the ball and maintain that thought throughout the swing. I've found if you give your mind a picture, your body can execute it.

As a corollary, I think picturing the ball flight is only useful if your mind can translate that ball flight into ball contact. This means, you need to understand how the club face has to address the ball to create the desired ball flight. I think exceptional players do this automatically as they learn while in childhood. The rest of us have to work harder and really create this mental image to give our bodies a map to execute. Have fun, jg

[ks8829]

I actually don't watch the ball but instead I watch my backswing and the same for the putting.

[JonnyGolf]

I actually don't watch the ball but instead I watch my backswing and the same for the putting.

This is what is crazy about golf - two completely different techniques, yet solid results.

[hamletsdead]

I generally look directly in front of the ball and try to envision that as the bottom of my swing for full shots. Keeps me from topping it.
I don't need to do this for chipping/pitching for some reason, and instead can just focus on hitting down into the ball.

[divottool]

I usually look about a ball width in front of the ball so the divot is in front of the ball.

[kurtwainwright]

Quite like that suggestion! The single dimple is good and the eye drawn on it should help the focus. Do you position the dimple you're focusing on at the back (i.e. where the impact will be) off the tee? What do you on the fairway etc when you can't lift and place?

Obviously, I can't move the ball when its in play. So the only time I can put my ball mark where I want it is on the tee or on the green. When it's on the tee, I put my single-dimple ball mark pointing stright up at me as I'm standing over the ball in my swing stance. The mark is always in the center of the ball... not back or front. I don't usually have a problem pulling my head up when I'm putting, so I don't use it then. Although I could. (If only that third eye on my ball would help me read greens better then I'd be set! I hate 3-putting!)

[Baraethon]

As a corollary, I think picturing the ball flight is only useful if your mind can translate that ball flight into ball contact. This means, you need to understand how the club face has to address the ball to create the desired ball flight. I think exceptional players do this automatically as they learn while in childhood. The rest of us have to work harder and really create this mental image to give our bodies a map to execute.

Even though this is slightly off topic, I have to say thanks for posting this. I recently read Zen Golf, and have been trying to visualize the shots I hit, but I was still hitting about the same. It appears that I was doing it wrong...

Let's hope it works.

[noefi13b]

I tend to try and look at the same spot on the ground about half way between my left heel and my centre line... So depending on the club it depends if I focus on the ball or a blade of grass, twig etc...

Driver - face a logo to the club face and focus on that....

Hy/Long Irons - about 1 cm in front on the ball

Short irons - about a ball length in front

I always try and focus on something small but noticable rather than a general area..