Jordan Spieth Putting

[Tomputt]

Recently tried the Jordan Spieth "look at the hole instead of the putter head" appraoch for four footters and less.  Took a few practice swings then looked at the hole during the putt...made five putts today out of five from that distance.  I would normally choke or pull to the left.  Thanks Jordan!  I bet this becomes a trend.

[Mr. Desmond]

Recently tried the Jordan Spieth "look at the hole instead of the putter head" appraoch for four footters and less.  Took a few practice swings then looked at the hole during the putt...made five putts today out of five from that distance.  I would normally choke or pull to the left.  Thanks Jordan!  I bet this becomes a trend.

I use it as a practice drill. I believe Spieth said it allows him to become less ball focused -- yes.  Another similar technique is to look at a spot that goes over your line just in front of the ball. I've found that also allows you to become less ball focused.

[Crim]

I tried it for awhile last year when I noticed Spieth doing it (there's another thread around here about this somewhere).

I can't get the hang of it, my putting from 5 feet and in is pretty dang good anyway so I don't think I'll every try it again.

[dkolo]

I tried it for awhile last year when I noticed Spieth doing it (there's another thread around here about this somewhere).

I can't get the hang of it, my putting from 5 feet and in is pretty dang good anyway so I don't think I'll every try it again.

Yeah, my intuition is that I think there has to be a high baseline of talent / incredibly repeatable swing before it's something that's worth considering.

The announcers sure do love talking about it, don't they? Haha.

[BuckeyeNut]

Anyone try it?

I was working on my best round of the year so far and didn't want to screw it up..............but the urge struck to try anyway.  I had about a 5 foot par save knee knocker on my 15th hole.......I'll be damned, it went in!!  LOL    I can't imagine doing this under tourney pressure!!!    The putt did mean something because I was deep into a good round, but during a tourney?

I had a 5 footer for birdie on the last too, but didn't have the guts to look at the hole. HEH...  it went in too.

[Strandly]

I seem to be pretty terrible at putting when I try to eyeball it.  Yesterday I tried to pick a line and then use the hashmark on the club to hit down it and I seemed to have decent results, much better than the last couple times out anyway.

[trickyputt]

Am I at a bad tv camera angle when I say it looks like his left foot is open but his right foot is square to the putts?

[pumaAttack]

I tried this at the practice greens last night. It went very well for me.  Something I will try to place into my game.

It makes sense to me because I play hockey and you don't look at the puck when you take a shot at net...

[Unforgiven93]

I actually used to do this for long putts all the time. I always still looked at the ball on short putts. I don't remember where I heard it, but the "basketball players dont look at the ball when they shoot, they look at the target" thing is what made me try it. Currently I still do this when practicing for longer putts. I step up to the ball and get a good setup, look at the hole, and hit it before I even have time to think about speed and how hard to hit it. It helps me develop natural feel for how hard to hit putts. Then I incorporate that style into my actual lag putt routine on the course. I look at the hole for my two practice strokes, get a feel for how hard to hit it, then I step up to the ball, stay looking at the ball, and go. Usually works. Sometimes it doesn't :P

[ChiralClubs]

I remember reading an article about this a few years back and found it:

Article

Book

[SavvySwede]

I actually used to do this for long putts all the time. I always still looked at the ball on short putts. I don't remember where I heard it, but the "basketball players dont look at the ball when they shoot, they look at the target" thing is what made me try it.

Currently I still do this when practicing for longer putts. I step up to the ball and get a good setup, look at the hole, and hit it before I even have time to think about speed and how hard to hit it. It helps me develop natural feel for how hard to hit putts.

Then I incorporate that style into my actual lag putt routine on the course. I look at the hole for my two practice strokes, get a feel for how hard to hit it, then I step up to the ball, stay looking at the ball, and go.

Usually works. Sometimes it doesn't :P

I don't like the basket ball analogy. Every sport which requires some sort of implement to move the ball has the athlete look at the ball. The golf equivalent of looking at the basketball when shooting would be looking at the putter.

[1badbadger]

I don't like the basket ball analogy. Every sport which requires some sort of implement to move the ball has the athlete look at the ball. The golf equivalent of looking at the basketball when shooting would be looking at the putter.

I actually used to do this for long putts all the time. I always still looked at the ball on short putts. I don't remember where I heard it, but the "basketball players dont look at the ball when they shoot, they look at the target" thing is what made me try it.

Currently I still do this when practicing for longer putts. I step up to the ball and get a good setup, look at the hole, and hit it before I even have time to think about speed and how hard to hit it. It helps me develop natural feel for how hard to hit putts.

Then I incorporate that style into my actual lag putt routine on the course. I look at the hole for my two practice strokes, get a feel for how hard to hit it, then I step up to the ball, stay looking at the ball, and go.

Usually works. Sometimes it doesn't :P

I don't like the basket ball analogy. Every sport which requires some sort of implement to move the ball has the athlete look at the ball. The golf equivalent of looking at the basketball when shooting would be looking at the putter.

I actually agree with the basketball analogy but might have an even better one, and an example of a sport where the ball being "moved" isn't looked at.  Pool.

When shooting pool, the player doesn't look at the cue ball (which would be like looking at the golf ball), you look at your target which is the object ball.  The alignment and aiming is set as the player takes his stance, then the focus is directed at the spot on the object ball which would be like looking at the hole.  Obviously other sports that involve hitting a moving ball like baseball or tennis or when kicking a ball and the player is moving like football or soccer it's necessary to look at the ball, but otherwise we look at the target.  A hockey player looks at the puck on a slap shot (which would be like a full swing in golf) but on a wrist shot they're looking at where they want it to go.

I'll admit it's a little unsettling at first and I definitely recommend putting in some reps on the practice green before trying this method on the course, but I think it could also be effective on longer putts.  The "target" might not be the hole...it might be the break point on a curving putt or the crest of a slope on a down-hiller, but for players who struggle with distance control or getting the feel for the right speed it can be helpful.

[Golfingdad]

I actually agree with the basketball analogy but might have an even better one, and an example of a sport where the ball being "moved" isn't looked at.  Pool.   When shooting pool, the player doesn't look at the cue ball (which would be like looking at the golf ball), you look at your target which is the object ball.  The alignment and aiming is set as the player takes his stance, then the focus is directed at the spot on the object ball which would be like looking at the hole.  Obviously other sports that involve hitting a moving ball like baseball or tennis or when kicking a ball and the player is moving like football or soccer it's necessary to look at the ball, but otherwise we look at the target.  A hockey player looks at the puck on a slap shot (which would be like a full swing in golf) but on a wrist shot they're looking at where they want it to go. I'll admit it's a little unsettling at first and I definitely recommend putting in some reps on the practice green before trying this method on the course, but I think it could also be effective on longer putts.  The "target" might not be the hole...it might be the break point on a curving putt or the crest of a slope on a down-hiller, but for players who struggle with distance control or getting the feel for the right speed it can be helpful.

The basketball analogy doesn't work because you're already in contact with the ball. Of course you don't need to look at the ball because you're holding it. And your billiards analogy makes even less sense. Looking at the spot on the cue ball that you want to hit is not the same as looking at the hole, it's the same as looking at the spot on the ball you want your putter to contact. And your hockey analogy is similar to the basketball one. You're not looking at the puck during a wrist shot because you're "holding" the puck with you're stick.

[pumaAttack]

The basketball analogy doesn't work because you're already in contact with the ball. Of course you don't need to look at the ball because you're holding it. And your billiards analogy makes even less sense. Looking at the spot on the cue ball that you want to hit is not the same as looking at the hole, it's the same as looking at the spot on the ball you want your putter to contact. And your hockey analogy is similar to the basketball one. You're not looking at the puck during a wrist shot because you're "holding" the puck with you're stick.

Have you played ice hockey?! You are not holding onto the puck at all. Nowhere close to basketball.

[Golfingdad]

Have you played ice hockey?! You are not holding onto the puck at all.

Yes.

[pumaAttack]

Yes.

And you hold onto the puck like you do in basketball?? It's much much much closer to putting. The puck is slightly ahead of your stick then you make a shooting motion while looking at the target.

[1badbadger]

The basketball analogy doesn't work because you're already in contact with the ball. Of course you don't need to look at the ball because you're holding it.

And your billiards analogy makes even less sense. Looking at the spot on the cue ball that you want to hit is not the same as looking at the hole, it's the same as looking at the spot on the ball you want your putter to contact.

And your hockey analogy is similar to the basketball one. You're not looking at the puck during a wrist shot because you're "holding" the puck with you're stick.

The billiard analogy is actually the best one you just misunderstood it...I didn't say looking at the cue ball would be like looking at the hole, I said it would be like looking at the golf ball.  The other examples were just to make a point that the target is what we look at in other sports (not all, but quite often) so it might make sense to try to do it when putting too.  Does that make sense?

[Golfingdad]

The billiard analogy is actually the best one you just misunderstood it...I didn't say looking at the cue ball would be like looking at the hole, I said it would be like looking at the golf ball.  The other examples were just to make a point that the target is what we look at in other sports (not all, but quite often) so it might make sense to try to do it when putting too.  Does that make sense?

You're right, my bad.  I misread "object ball" as "cue ball."  Sorry about that.

And you hold onto the puck like you do in basketball??

It's much much much closer to putting. The puck is slightly ahead of your stick then you make a shooting motion while looking at the target.

That's the thing - the puck isn't ahead of your stick, its on your stick ... hence the "holding" and the reason why you have the ability to look at your target.  A putting stroke is more similar to a slap shot where you swing the stick back away from the ball/puck.

But since the golf ball is sitting still, that is why Spieth and some others feel like they don't have to look at the ball I guess.  I can't do it.  (I think - never actually tried it)