What do you do? Do you stare at the ball at address?

[jamo]

In this video, Tiger Woods looks like he spends equal time looking at the target and the ball. Overall, it is a proven fact that most professional golfers look at the target for a greater time than they look at the ball. Once you know where the ball is, it's not going anywhere. So you need to focus on the target, which is much further away. One video of Tiger Woods does not change what most of the professionals do.

Link?

[billchao]

Once you know where the ball is, it's not going anywhere. So you need to focus on the target, which is much further away.

Why, is the target moving? Mine usually doesn't :-P By that logic, you don't have to look at the target very much either.

[whatwoodtigerdo]

In this video, Tiger Woods looks like he spends equal time looking at the target and the ball. Overall, it is a proven fact that most professional golfers look at the target for a greater time than they look at the ball. Once you know where the ball is, it's not going anywhere. So you need to focus on the target, which is much further away. One video of Tiger Woods does not change what most of the professionals do.

My target is only about a foot further away than the ball.

[BuckeyeNut]

I look at the ball with a focus on the back of the ball.

[mvmac]

In this video, Tiger Woods looks like he spends equal time looking at the target and the ball. Overall, it is a proven fact that most professional golfers look at the target for a greater time than they look at the ball. Once you know where the ball is, it's not going anywhere. So you need to focus on the target, which is much further away. One video of Tiger Woods does not change what most of the professionals do.

Proven fact? Can you provide some evidence?

[Lihu]

I think it's important to see the ball out of your central vision. I definitely see or look at the ball but I don't "focus" on it.

More on that here,

At address? I disagree. Just watch what the pros do.

He only glances briefly at the target a couple times. Interesting.

In this video, Tiger Woods looks like he spends equal time looking at the target and the ball. Overall, it is a proven fact that most professional golfers look at the target for a greater time than they look at the ball. Once you know where the ball is, it's not going anywhere. So you need to focus on the target, which is much further away. One video of Tiger Woods does not change what most of the professionals do.

I must be watching a different video.

[mvmac]

He only glances briefly at the target a couple times. Interesting.

Agree

I must be watching a different video.

You're not.

Here's some more. Thoughts @Archie Bunker ?

[joekelly]

Ball staring is rather inactive: nothing is happening, not with you and not with the ball, so attention wanders and the mind starts flipping around.

.  I have found that when i focus on keeping the distance from my nose to the ball constant, not changing, my strikes improve.  Here is an activity I am doing, can control and is helpful to me. Even when i am  swinging the club in the house, on the rug, i strive to keep that distance the same throughout the swing .  Of course, any distance increase or decrease is 100 percent due to me, my head motion.  That's what this tip is all about.

A great tip i read on these pages.  Author unk.

[iacas]

My target is only about a foot further away than the ball.

Mine too.

[JimHasseyGolf]

The post that mentioned "peripheral" vision was probably the closest. You could actually in theory make your golf swing with your eyes closed if it wasn't for the fact that we need to see our surroundings for balance. You should have the ball in your vision (which is different than looking at it) but your mind should be on your swing. If you have a key thought you're trying to accomplish (and everyone should have between 1 and 3) that's what your mind should be on. I tell everyone I'm working with "keep your eye on the ball and your mind on your hands." The hands (for the most part) control the swing. If the hands swing the club into the right positions, what the body is supposed to do (turn, weight-shift, etc) will happen much easier.

[MS256]

The post that mentioned "peripheral" vision was probably the closest. You could actually in theory make your golf swing with your eyes closed if it wasn't for the fact that we need to see our surroundings for balance.

Just for fun one day I experimented with closing my eyes at different points during my swing to see at which point my eyes made no difference.

Turned out that I could hit the ball just as well as long as I could see it at the very start of my downswing. It's not like the ball is going anywhere and probably couldn't reroute my downswing once it has started even if I wanted to.

[iacas]

Turned out that I could hit the ball just as well as long as I could see it at the very start of my downswing. It's not like the ball is going anywhere and probably couldn't reroute my downswing once it has started even if I wanted to.

Once your arms are horizontal to the ground you can't do much to change anything at all. It's pretty much in motion already.

That's partly why when your back foot slips often it doesn't result in a poor shot, unless it slips in the transition.