Dominant eye

Alrite Chief

Does anyone use the knowledge that you are either right or left eye dominant at all in golf. I was listening to one of these golf psychology pod casts where the guy was interviewing Tony McMahon, ex PGA coach, who developed these pair of glasses which trained golfers into utilizing their dominant eye.

Just from a short bit of googling I can only see it having real importance with putting. Im fecked if im going around driving, pitching and chipping with one eye closed but has its merits with putting possibly.

Anyone know much about it or use it in any way?

Rikand

Is this what keegan bradley does when he stares down the line of a putt ?

Alrite Chief

Iv honestly no idea. It was the first i heard of anything like it associated with golf. He developed these glasses...

PARlance

I think there was a thread about it a few months ago... Or maybe just a discussion on it within a thread.
I know because I was one of the crazies talking about it
For 2 or 3 weeks it completely sorted my game however I haven't thought of it since, I can't even remember the drill I did to revolutionise my game

That said, I'd say there has to be something in eye dominance.

To find out which is your dominant eye.
1. Look down a narrow hollow tube (you could just scroll up a piece of paper)
2. Hold it in a position where you can see down it.
3. Close your eyes separately, you should be only able to still see through it with one of your eyes.

I'm right eye dominant (can't see through tube with my left eye)
For a right handed golfer they reckon its best to be Left eye dominant.

There's my excuse!

spacecoyote

Yeah that's the gist of it alright.

Was chatting with a guy who was on tour for a while and he said something similar, right handers who r left eye dominant tend to be better putters.

Can't remember the exact reasoning he had behind it. But I'm right hand hand right eye so I guess I'll never make a decent putter

GreeBo

I wonder is this why I always putt better with the ball forward in my stance...it might look strange but it just works for me...must do that test and see.

Seves Three Iron

Reading Dave Stockton's putting book at moment and he discusses the dominant eye situation quite a bit. I always believed your left eye should be directly over the ball when putting. He says it should in fact be your dominant eye which, in most cases, including mine, is your right eye.

In practice, it has the effect of moving the ball back slightly in your stance. He says the ball being further back is always better than having it too far forward. You keep the putter face on the ball for longer, encourage a low left hand through the putt and avoiding flipping the hands at impact.

GreeBo

Seves Three Iron wrote: »

He says the ball being further back is always better than having it too far forward. You keep the putter face on the ball for longer, encourage a low left hand through the putt and avoiding flipping the hands at impact.

Weird, when I have the ball middle or back I seem to hit down on it and flip at it.
With the ball forward and wrists locked I putt better.
Its pretty similar to what Mickelson does, so good enough, even for me!

allinthehead

never knew there was such a thing. did the test and i'm left eye dominant and right handed. i putt with ball forward in stance(worst part of my game) 38 points a few weeks ago with 6 3 putts:eek:

PARlance

GreeBo wrote: »

Weird, when I have the ball middle or back I seem to hit down on it and flip at it.
With the ball forward and wrists locked I putt better.
Its pretty similar to what Mickelson does, so good enough, even for me!

You may be left eye dominant?

There'll be some funny looks given tomorrow as golfers around the country are walking around courses with one eye closed

PARlance

Related link:
http://www.golf.com/instruction/how-find-and-use-your-dominant-eye

Seves Three Iron

GreeBo wrote: »

Weird, when I have the ball middle or back I seem to hit down on it and flip at it.
With the ball forward and wrists locked I putt better.
Its pretty similar to what Mickelson does, so good enough, even for me!

Strange alrite, Stockton goes on quite a bit about how he turned Mickelson's putting around! In fairness, his big thing is that putting is 1% mechanics, 99% feel and 'sensing' the line. I have to say its by far the best golf instruction book I've read yet. Liberates you from all the worries about technical stuff.

Alrite Chief

Coaches generally advise to have the ball at the front of your stance to encourage a truer impact. The face makes contact with the ball on the up thus giving it a nicer roll, not jumping, as it leaves the putter. Now if you are right handed and right eye dominant you are going to have you head off centre so thats why being left eye dominant is better.

Personally i putt with the ball in the middle of the stance with a slightly closed face on the putter. Just what works for me. I will be thinking of having my right eye above the ball from now on.

Listened to your man Bob Rotella tonight on putting and the main point to note were the following which ill also be applying:
-Putt to make the putt, ALWAYS. Not to make sure it goes past or not to 3 putt.
-Enjoy putting, love it! Love scoring.
-Trust your first instinct on the break
-When you are ready to hit look down, look at target, look down, stroke. Dont hesitate.
-Focus, visualise a picture, on the target not the pace you require. Your brain has a natural instinct to make an object go required distance

Alrite Chief

Best way i found to get your dominant eye is to make a circle with your two thumbs and index fingers you can look through like a scope.

Look through the scope at the clock on you wall. Or whatever.

Bring the scope towards your face.

Your hands will naturally be drawn to your dominant eye.

soundsham

Alrite Chief wrote: »

Best way i found to get your dominant eye is to make a circle with your two thumbs and index fingers you can look through like a scope.

Look through the scope at the clock on you wall. Or whatever.

Bring the scope towards your face.

Your hands will naturally be drawn to your dominant eye.

Just pretend your holding a gun and lining the sights up
Your dominant eye will be the one you use
Your other eye will be closed

Unless you choose to point it at your own head .......

gman127

hmmm, it seems I'm right handed and left eye dominant but still a crap putter.... what to do now??

GreeBo

gman127 wrote: »

hmmm, it seems I'm right handed and left eye dominant but still a crap putter.... what to do now??

Use your putter to poke out your dominant eye.

Peterdalkey

With your index finger about two feet in front of you eyes, align it with any fixed spot with both your eyes open. Close your left eye and the alignment stays the same. Open both eyes and close your left right eye and the finger appears to move right of target. You are right eye dominant and visa versa for left eye dominant QED!

One point about putting with one eye closed, you lose depth/ distance perception from the stereoscopic effect of looking with both eyes. Get the feel/ length of the putt first and only close the non dominant eye at the last peep down the line!

ssbob

soundsham wrote: »

Just pretend your holding a gun and lining the sights up
Your dominant eye will be the one you use
Your other eye will be closed

Unless you choose to point it at your own head .......

I am left eye dominant, which I know as I have a lazy right eye, but used be in the FCA and always found it hard to focus when shooting as you have to use your right eye for the sight's as the casing comes out the right side so your standing/lying on the left.

With golf, I putt with the ball in the middle of my stance, my stat's are currently 1.86 per hole although my GIR stat's are 2.13 per hole. I consider myself a good putter but then I am one of the lucky one's with the left eye dominance