What and where your eyes focus on?

[KaiL]

Just before you start your backswing

[uttexas]

I focus on one dimple on the back of the ball for all shots from driver to putter.

[KaiL]

I guess I have to clarify the question a little bit more.

I assume most people will look at some part of the club face and some part of the ball and may be back and forth between the two. or may be the grass surface etc.

So, do you fixate on that one spot just before the take away and during the backswing etc. or, for example focus on the bottem edge of the club face just before the take away and then move the focus to the ball during the backswing?

[Ty Haegs]

I guess I focus on exactly where I want to hit the ball but at the same time use my peripheral vision to make sure my club goes back properly in my backswing.

[uttexas]

I suppose I first focus on the ultimate target and determine distance to that target. After looking at what sort of lie the ball has and mentally picturing the type of strike (sweeping/ descending/ etc) and swing (fade/draw/high/low) for the ball/target situation, I then focus on the final target and ball flight needed to get there, then I square the clubface behind the ball to the final target. Then align feet to initial flight path direction. Waggle. Just before take away, I focus on one dimple on the back of the ball and maintain that focus on that dimple during the backswing.

I have done all the planning prior to aligning feet. Once the feet are aligned, waggle and pull the trigger.

The prior description is what works for me. Focusing on the ultimate target during the preshot routine. Then once in aligned position to reach the ultimate target, during the swing) I focus on the immediate target (the ball).

[Zeph]

I have developed a bad habit where I trail the club with the eyes while going back. During the downswing I'm not sure where I look. I've thought about making something I can put in my cap or hat which blocks my view from the ball and backwards. Like the patches horses have on the side of their eyes so they are not distracted.

Same thing with my bowling swing. I'm just looking at the ground right in front of me. When I do manage to aim at my arrow, I usually hit it.

[kafka01]

I have developed a bad habit where I trail the club with the eyes while going back.

at the same time use my peripheral vision to make sure my club goes back properly in my backswing.

Why would you do that? Dont you "feel" if your backswing/takeaway is screwed up and interrupt it? IMO there is no necessity to follow your club back - just keep your eyes on the dimple of the ball and do what you practiced thousands of times on the range.

[dragonflyin]

I have developed a bad habit where I trail the club with the eyes while going back. During the downswing I'm not sure where I look. I've thought about making something I can put in my cap or hat which blocks my view from the ball and backwards. Like the patches horses have on the side of their eyes so they are not distracted.

I've had the same problem myself until last month. I decided to actually focus my eyes on the ball throughout the entire swing. It feels odd... However, it makes me a heck of a lot more consistent. It really helps me with hitting the ball first then the turf.

[Ty Haegs]

Why would you do that? Dont you "feel" if your backswing/takeaway is screwed up and interrupt it? IMO there is no necessity to follow your club back - just keep your eyes on the dimple of the ball and do what you practiced thousands of times on the range.

well it has never affected me, and it is not like I follow the club all the way back...maybe just a few inches to make sure the club goes back straight.

having your eyes on the ball the entire time isn't necessary (as long as your head does not move!). For instance think of a baseball pitcher. They can go through their whole windup up until the stride before looking at the catcher's glove and still hit the target. The same to me applies in a golf swing. I believe that as long as you find a spot on a ball before you start your downswing you will be ok once again as long as your head is still.

[Zeph]

Why would you do that? Dont you "feel" if your backswing/takeaway is screwed up and interrupt it? IMO there is no necessity to follow your club back - just keep your eyes on the dimple of the ball and do what you practiced thousands of times on the range.

Hence, "bad habit". I don't want to do it, but once you've gotten something into the memory, it's hard to get rid of. I've always looked behind the ball or followed the club. Never paid any attention to it, but I'm sure I've suffered from it. It's something I'll have to work on.

It's no surprise my misses are mostly fat shots.

[NativeTxn]

Once I get set in my address position, I focus on the ground just in front of the ball, and try to stay focused there throughout the swing. Since I want the bottom of my swing arc to be just in front of the ball, and theoretically, you strike where you aim, it helps me hit the ball with a descending blow.

Before, when I would focus on the ball itself, I was hitting a LOT of fat shots. Focusing in front of the ball has helped me reduce the number of fat shots dramatically.

[Saint]

I pick a dimple or a letter or something on the front of the ball for my short irons. Long irons, putter, and driver, somewhere on the top of the ball. Like native said, it helps me from hitting fat shots looking at the front, and i get cleaner contact.

[Ovalevader]

Usually a spot about 2 inches behind and inside of the ball, I've always had trouble with my swing path and almost always hit a straight shot when I remember to do this.

[lumpuckeroo]

I focus on one dimple on the back of the ball for all shots from driver to putter.

Same for me, with the driver and putter however, I try and put the blue dots I mark my ball with, towards the back.

[mikelz]

Just before you start your backswing

The back of the ball.

When I tee it up or putt, I place the ball name in the back with just a white showing on top. That gives me something even smaller on which to focus.

[leezer99]

I close my eyes... it's kind of like watching a train wreck about to happen.

[KaiL]

I asked the question because I was having quite a few consistency problems with fats and thins no matter where I focus on just the moment before I move my club back.(in front of the ball, on specific places on the ball, inside of the ball etc.)

Then it darns on me that if I want to chop something with accuracy down to millimeters with a knife, I would like to know where the knife edge is before I lift the knife. So, I experimented (after all the usual alignment stuff) with looking at the bottom edge of the club face just before I move my club back, then the rest of the time on specific points on the ball. My consistency went way up and hitting the ball solid with this subtle change.

I think if I concentrate on looking at the ball, I have lost my reference of the club head momentary and that makes a big difference.

[Smiffy]

The pro at my old club gave me a tip when I was having lessons and that was to put the makers name (Titleist) of the ball at the back of it and keep focussed on that when I swung, thereby encouraging me to hit into the back of it. I still do it today.