| What's the difference between a good putter and | | | | missed putts. |
| a bad putter? Usually, we attribute the difference | | | | Under stress, the Quiet Eye is often the first |
| to mechanics. Good mechanics produces good | | | | thing to go. It moves with the stroke, and golfers |
| putting. Bad mechanics produces bad putting. At | | | | lose their ability to stabilize their gaze as they putt. |
| least, that's what I've always stressed and taught | | | | When you choke, the billion cells in your brain lose |
| in my golf lessons and golf tips. | | | | their effective complexity in solving the slope, |
| However, research shows that mechanics may | | | | curvature distance and location problems. So even |
| not be the only difference between good putters | | | | dozens of golf instruction sessions focused on |
| and bad putters. According to Dr. Joan Vickers, | | | | mechanics may not always be able to save you |
| University of Calgary, the difference may lie in | | | | when the pressure is on, but proper mechanics |
| how you use your eyes. The secret to good | | | | builds confidence and that helps. |
| putting, she says, may be using your eyes to | | | | Developing a Quiet Eye |
| detect the right information about distance and | | | | Research shows that the average player can |
| direction; then using your mind to relay the | | | | develop a Quiet Eye. A Quiet Eye routine on |
| information to the rest of your body, so you can | | | | straight, flat putts has the following characteristics, |
| consistently sink the putt. The Quiet Eye, as it is | | | | which can be learned through golf lessons like any |
| called, may someday help explain what being "in | | | | other skill.o Focus on the hole |
| the Zone" means, she says. | | | | As soon as your putterhead is set behind the ball, |
| So what exactly is the Quiet Eye? It's when your | | | | pick a specific location onthe hole where you want |
| gaze remains absolutely still on the ball just before | | | | the ball to go, such as a blade of grass or a small |
| and as the stroke is performed. There are two | | | | featureon the front of the cup.o "See" the ball go |
| important aspects to this basic yet essential skill: | | | | in |
| location and duration. Which is better? Both are | | | | Look at this location for about two second, and |
| effective in improving accuracy, but evidence is | | | | visualize the ball going into the hole. Visualization is |
| beginning to favor the back of the ball. In putting | | | | a keep technique in this procedure.o Scan from |
| as well as other hand-eye-target skills, the Quiet | | | | the hole to the ball |
| Eye is emerging as an indicator of optimal focus | | | | Smoothly shift your gaze without interruption |
| and concentration. And it's something that can be | | | | from the target to the back of the ball. Your |
| taught in golf instruction sessions. | | | | gaze should move efficiently and calmly.o Eye on |
| Good Putter versus Bad Putter | | | | the ball |
| Having watched many players putt during golf | | | | Fixate on the back of the ball and imagine just |
| lessons, I can see how the eyes play a part in | | | | the right contact of the putterhead on the ball. |
| good putting. The good putter focuses his gaze | | | | Picture a line through this contact point to your |
| on a precise spot, his or her scans from the hole | | | | spot on the hole.o Stay steady |
| are more precise, and he or she fixates his or her | | | | Maintain a Quiet Eye on the one spot on the back |
| gaze on a specific spot inside the cup. A good | | | | of the ball during the backstroke and |
| putter picks out a specific location at the hole, like | | | | forwardstroke, and through contact. Don't peek! |
| a blade of grass on the lip. The target isn't the | | | | Take a look at your ball goingin the hole only after |
| hole and certainly not around it. Instead, the | | | | putting. |
| putter's gaze focuses on a target only a few | | | | The idea of being in the Zone, or the "flow," has |
| millimeters wide. | | | | been around for a long time. It's when you |
| The poor putter does not fixate on a specific | | | | absolutely can't miss. But until now there has been |
| target, but instead directs his gaze to a number | | | | little scientific evidence that the Zone exists, let |
| of locations in and around the hole. There's no | | | | alone can be measured. Perhaps the Quiet Eye will |
| clear definition of his target or his line of gaze | | | | emerge as one of the objective measures of |
| from the ball to the target. His gaze is all over the | | | | being in the Zone. Learning the Quite Eye |
| place. He has a shorter Quiet Eye duration | | | | technique can only help you lower your golf |
| because he is unable to keep his gaze quiet as he | | | | handicap. |
| strokes the ball. The end result, of course, is | | | | |