An SI.com and CNN Network Site
An SI.com and CNN Network Site. Visit SI.com An SI.com and CNN Network Site. Visit CNN.com Subscribe to Sports Illustrated Golf Plus Subscribe to Golf Magazine
Skip to main content
SI GOLFNation

Join the Nation!

Keep up with your scores, stats and golf buddies with our new game-tracking and social-networking tool.

The New Way to Putt: Look at the Hole

Exclusive research shows that looking at the hole while you putt can lead to big improvement, fast!


Published: October 01, 2005

  • Share
  • Single Page
  • E-mail
  • Print
  • Sign up for free newsletter

It's Easy to Learn!


Perhaps the most surprising aspect of these findings was how quickly the group that looked at the hole improved. Before switching to looking at the hole, on putts from three feet to 43 feet, the experimental group (and the control group) averaged a leave of about 29 inches.

After just 45 putts, the group that looked at the hole was leaving just over 20 inches to the hole on average on putts from three feet to 43 feet.

That's a 27.5 percent improvement over when they looked at the ball. Overall, the experimental l group imp roved nearly twice as much as the control group with same minimal amount of practice.


Rather than looking at the ball (left photo) as they made their stroke, the subjects were told to look (right photo) at the hole the entire time.