No golfer in their right mind would ever think about putting with their eyes closed, right? Well, according to GOLF Top 100 Teacher Jon Tattersall, it might be worth giving it a shot on the practice green, because it may bring some serious benefits.
In the video above, Tattersall explains why he has his students close their eyes to practice putting — which he says can help them get the right calibration for their distance control.
“A calibration drill I get people to do is, and you just have to trust me on this, I’m actually going to close my eyes,” he says. “On the putting green, you don’t have to have a target. You’re just going to try and hit the same putt a couple of times. So I’m closing my eyes, trying to hit the same putt.”
Tattersall thinks that too many golfers worry about aiming their putts and looking at the putting line, and often overlook the most important part of the flatstick: thinking about the actual distance the ball is going to roll.
“I’m not going to look up and see how far the ball went. I’m just trying to rinse and repeat,” he says. “Can I calibrate how closely each one felt, and see where it went to?”
By getting the feel of each stroke, players can improve their putting distance control, leaving them with more consistent shots; and lower scores!
“If I can get them within a couple of feet, I know my calibration is pretty good. I know my feel’s pretty good.
“We talk about feel a lot, but you have to have something to base it off. By closing my eyes, I take away any chance of any feedback off the last putt, and now I can just try and replicate that sensation.”
It’s not recommended to putt with your eyes closed during a round, but while you’re on the practice green, give Tattersall’s calibration drill a try. Who knows, maybe you’ll pick up the proper speed and leave yourself with better results. That’s the goal, anyway.
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