Where are you looking....

[juanrjackson]

during your swing? I try to look at the front of the ball on irons & the back of the ball with the driver/3 wood.

[saevel25]

The guy on the golf fix had a good theory behind this one. You do not want to look at anything specifically...

Get behind the ball, get a visual of the ball flight and were you want it to go. Concentrate on the target in the distance. Now address the ball and continue to think about that target, imagine it in your head. Swing.

You do not want to look at a specific point. what will happen is you will have a complete view of the ground and the ball, taking everything in your whole field of vision. This will allow you to swing freely because you are not trying to drive the ball into one point, but letting the club naturally take its swing arc, and you happen to just put the ball were it needs to be. So this is more letting the club do the work. I like this idea because if you think about the game of darts, you focus in on one point and you throw the dart there. Well to me when you focus in on one point you are trying to get the club there in the shortest route. This can mess you up, you might end up not letting the natural arc of the swing occur.

[James_Black]

I look at the target then the ball.....

[senorchipotle]

well, i look at the ball. but i don't focus on it. i'm thinking about my swing plane(do i wanna play a fade/draw), rhythm/tempo, and extension, cause if those three are on point then everything else that follows will be good.

[Zeph]

I look in the area of the ball, not focusing on a specific point. With irons I sometimes look in front of the ball to make sure I get the forward swing bottom. I mostly do it when chipping actually. I set up properly, but sometimes fail to hit the ball first. If I look in front of the ball, I'm almost guaranteed solid contact.

[ks8829]

When I hit all my shots with every club I watch my back swing. I do the same with my putter backswing. It odd, but it works for me.

[abraxas]

so for whatever reason today i tried something new
instead of looking at the ball which is usually what i do
i tried looking at a point an inch in front of the ball

what a difference!
i was making more solid contact on my wedges and irons
realized i thought about my swing less and focused more on keeping my head down
cant wait to try this out tomorrow on the course and see if its legit
or simply just a one time thing...

[GaijinGolfer]

I look at the ball.

[shortstop20]

I look at the area around the ball and the ball, don't really focus on anything per say.

I don't even really see the club during the impact zone.

[Goowa]

I've been trying the "look 4" in front of the ball" routine as describe in Impact Zone. It not very natural for me and I find that my best shots are actually looking at either the front of the ball or about an inch in front of it. Any further than this and I tend to hit at too steep of an angle.

As long as I'm not looking at the back of the ball I make pretty good contact.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I dont really look at anything as im ready to begin the swing. I pick out a target and im just imagining swinging out to it.

[akgolfnut]

look at the back of the ball, focus on the target. Looking at the back of the ball helps keep my head behind the ball. Its interesting, with other sports, like baseball and tennis, I have no problem keeping my eye on the ball but focusing on where I want to hit it...yet with golf, somehow it is so hard to focus on the target. I'm getting better, but its been a project.

[saevel25]

I wouldn't focus on the ball at all, no point in particular. The reason is when i do this it messes me up, my head stays to still in the swing and i tend not to get a good weights shift. Your head will naturally move during the swing, its impossible to keep it still. It also almost impossible to see the ball make contact with the ball.

[shortstop20]

It also almost impossible to see the ball make contact with the ball.

Can't say I've ever tried.

[Tifosinumerouno]

I stand behind the ball and pick out my short range target to line my clubface up with, then when addressing the ball, I pick out a spot in front of the ball (to the right if I want to draw, to the left if I want to fade) to which I want to feel like I'm swinging the clubhead through. Think of it as a narrow Y, where the bottom part is the target line, the intersection is the ball placement, and either arm is where I want to swing through.

[David Lake]

I have always subscribed to the idea that you should be looking at the back of the ball at impact when playing any wood. The reason being that if you are seeing the back of the ball then you are properly staying behind the ball at and through impact. If not then you have probably swayed laterally in front of the ball which will de-loft and open the club-face resulting in a slice or push to the right.

David Lake, President
1 Iron Golf, Inc.
Golf Club

[anthony]

I actually look at the top of the club before my swing starts. It's right behind the ball obviously. But when the swing starts I don't focus on anything in particular other than my posture and following through.

[sean_miller]

When I'm working on something at the range, like hitting off hardpan, I might look at certain parts of the ball. While playing though, I kind of zone out while hitting.

I look at the clubface alignment, then ball position at address, but during the actual swing your guess is as good as mine.