See it with Your Ears

Someone once said to me, “You see it with your ears,” and I’ve always loved that.

In putting, we’re often so desperate to see if the ball has gone in that we move too soon. The head comes up, the eyes chase the ball, and the stroke gets a little disturbed.

This is where the idea of the quiet eye comes in. Dr. Joan Vickers from the University of Calgary discovered and developed the quiet eye concept, which looks at how skilled athletes use a steady visual focus before and during performance. In putting, that means taking in the hole, then bringing your eyes back to a small spot just behind the ball and keeping them calm and quiet as you make the stroke.

Try this instead: make your stroke, keep your eyes softly focused just behind the ball, and listen for it to drop.

It’s simple, but it can really help you stay quiet through the stroke.

May the Frog be with you. 🐸
Valerie x