Eye Dominance

[HighFade]

Just read a forum where someone mentioned he was right eye dominant, and it reminded me of a lesson I had years ago when the instructor had me do some goofy trick to determine eye dominance. Either I did it wrong or I don't have an eye dominance.

Anyone have a good method for determining it? and better yet, once it's determined, what do I do with that info?

[sp0rtsfan86]

Just read a forum where someone mentioned he was right eye dominant, and it reminded me of a lesson I had years ago when the instructor had me do some goofy trick to determine eye dominance. Either I did it wrong or I don't have an eye dominance.

Anyone have a good method for determining it? and better yet, once it's determined, what do I do with that info?

 

I've heard the cover your eye test and see which one moves. Ironically, I'm pretty even, although I'm 90 percent sure I'm right eye dominant to some degree.

 

As for what you can do with it? Probably there's some stance things that can be worked out, although I've never really found someone that says that changed their game.

[Kenny B]

Just read a forum where someone mentioned he was right eye dominant, and it reminded me of a lesson I had years ago when the instructor had me do some goofy trick to determine eye dominance. Either I did it wrong or I don't have an eye dominance.

Anyone have a good method for determining it? and better yet, once it's determined, what do I do with that info?

 

 

I am right eye dominant. I am not sure that there is anything to DO with that information except to understand it.  It affected my putting but it seemed that when I understood that it might be because my right eye dominance could be the reason, I could line up my putts and trust what I saw standing over the ball.   

 

Hold your finger up at arm's length in front of you pointing to a reference point with both eyes open.  Close one eye, open, then close the other.  Your finger will remain in the same location when viewed with the dominant eye.  It will appear to move when using the other eye.

[jpcgolf]

then I am right I dominant, although I have no idea how this will affect anything.

[furu]

I'm left eye dominant. And I've ordered a centre shaft Wilson Infinite South Side. Centre shaft and no offset is supposed to be better for me, and it performed extremely well during testing. I never believe in anything But this - yes.

[TIBA_Putt - Kyle]

To determine my eye/hand dominance, my coach had me cover one eye and had me look straight ahead with the open eye. He stood off center to me and held up his hand. I had to point to it with the hand of the open eye(right eye open, point with right hand). Then point with left hand. Then switched and did the same with left eye open.

 

Apparently the strong eye/hand combo will point at the target correctly and a wrong combo will point way off. But that's something only the other person can tell with this test as it all looked correct from my perspective. 😀

 

I didn't ask the particulars of the process, so there's no way I could repeat it with anyone to determine theirs, but it was the most involved process I'd ever done to determine eye/hand dominance.

 

Knowing this, I just have to keep it in mind when lining things up to make sure I'm square. Things can look square for me but I'm pointed way right. Jist something I have to be aware of in my setup.

[silver & black]

My right eye was injured when I was 10 years old in a rifle shooting accident. A 22 shell ejected into my eye and it filled with blood. I was left with a hole/tear in my iris on the outer edge. none of the eye doctors I have seen over the years can believe it has remained round. Anyway... I have a cataract in that eye that is in need of removal. Unfortunately, the doctor says it's risky, and I should leave it go as long as possible.n I have 20-45 - 20-50 vision out of that eye. I'm pretty sure I'm left eye dominant...lol.

 

What type of putter fits a left eye dominant person?

[furu]

Centre shaft with no offset fits left eye dominant players. 

[Mr_Theoo]

Im left eye dominant, no clue what it does for me but its good to know I suppose.

[Kenny B]

Im left eye dominant, no clue what it does for me but its good to know I suppose.

I don't know if it is the same for everyone, but being right eye dominant, my tendency was to miss putts to the right. I would line up putts from behind the ball, but standing over the ball it just didn't look correct, and I must have compensated in the stroke somehow. When I found out that eye dominance might be a factor, I spent hours on the putting green on straight putts. I found a straight putt; lined it up, and made putts until what I was seeing standing over the ball "seemed right". It took a while!

[HighFade]

I don't know if it is the same for everyone, but being right eye dominant, my tendency was to miss putts to the right. I would line up putts from behind the ball, but standing over the ball it just didn't look correct, and I must have compensated in the stroke somehow. When I found out that eye dominance might be a factor, I spent hours on the putting green on straight putts. I found a straight putt; lined it up, and made putts until what I was seeing standing over the ball "seemed right". It took a while!

Interesting. I did a check today and I think I am right eye dominant. And I miss putts to the right A LOT.

[mr_divots]

It's interesting how different some play with the same eye dominance. Both Jack and Tiger are left eye dominant.

Jack used a pretty open stance to putt as I recall. Which sometimes, someone with right eye dominance will see the line better with an open stance. So I don't think there are any hard and fast rules about eye dominance. Very individual.

[Kenny B]

It's interesting how different some play with the same eye dominance. Both Jack and Tiger are left eye dominant.

Jack used a pretty open stance to putt as I recall. Which sometimes, someone with right eye dominance will see the line better with an open stance. So I don't think there are any hard and fast rules about eye dominance. Very individual.

 

Agree.  When I found out about my right eye dominance, I started putting with an open stance like Jack. It helped, particularly on long putts for a good lag, but I was inconsistent on making shorter putts.  That's when I went back to a more conventional stance and "trained" my brain to trust my read, no matter what my eyes were telling me over the ball.  I won't go back to the open stance, except for my chip/putt from just off the green with one of my SCORs.

[Tinkering]

I'm left eye dominant. And I've ordered a centre shaft Wilson Infinite South Side. Centre shaft and no offset is supposed to be better for me, and it performed extremely well during testing. I never believe in anything But this - yes.

 

I am also left eye dominant and have gravitated toward center shaft no offset. seems to work well for me, so I would say you should be happy.

[Mike Z]

Interesting info here.  I had never thought much about it.  I am left eye dominant - or more precisely, right eye limited.  I have never had a center-shafted putter.  Never even tried one.  Next time I see one on a rack I am going to have to play around a little bit.

 

The bigger challenge I have is depth perception and to a lesser extent reading greens.  I am planning on doing an Aimpoint Express class to help with that.  As it is I frequently walk adjacent to my line to feel the slope.  I have been known to use a level app on my phone during practice to check what I am feeling. 

[Kenny B]

Interesting info here.  I had never thought much about it.  I am left eye dominant - or more precisely, right eye limited.  I have never had a center-shafted putter.  Never even tried one.  Next time I see one on a rack I am going to have to play around a little bit.

 

The bigger challenge I have is depth perception and to a lesser extent reading greens.  I am planning on doing an Aimpoint Express class to help with that.  As it is I frequently walk adjacent to my line to feel the slope.  I have been known to use a level app on my phone during practice to check what I am feeling. 

 

I have also never tried a center shafted putter.  They never looked good to me, and I understand why now since I am right eye dominant.  

 

I cannot stress enough how much it helped my putting to spend a lot of time practicing.  I know, I know...  we all need to practice!      But I really didn't like putting practice because it didn't seem like what I was doing paid off on the course.  However, when I found out that I was right eye dominant, I spent a lot of time lining up practice putts, short straight ones to start with.  I kept doing that until I was confident that my mind was trusting my read, and not what my eyes were telling me over the ball.  Eventually, I could stand over the ball and it would look OK.

 

I haven't tried Aimpoint.  At some point maybe I'll see if there is a benefit.  I generally putt pretty well as it is now; at least until I get on Bermuda greens, but that discussed in another thread.  

[BIG STU]

This is interesting to say the least. I know I am left eye dominate because I have to take a physical every 2 years for my medical certificate for my Commercial Drivers License and that is what it always shows. Now the funny thing is that several have mentioned the center shaft putter and an open stance. I cannot putt with a center shaft putter at all in fact my whole life I have putted with a heel shafted putter with a square stance. I am not disputing anyone at all here because maybe I am the exception to the general rule

[Aotearoa_Brad]

This is really interesting - I'm right eye dominant. I have a big problem of setting up (especially with driver) at my target but am apparently aimed significantly right of my target (i asked my playing partners a few times to check after I'd hit beautiful drives straight OB right...). Come to think of it, my putting miss is also consistently right.

 

What's the fix then? Set up left of the target or is there a better option?

[Kenny B]

This is really interesting - I'm right eye dominant. I have a big problem of setting up (especially with driver) at my target but am apparently aimed significantly right of my target (i asked my playing partners a few times to check after I'd hit beautiful drives straight OB right...). Come to think of it, my putting miss is also consistently right.

 

What's the fix then? Set up left of the target or is there a better option?

Go up a few posts. I had the same problem putting, missing right. Not so much with the driver. I basically had to train my brain to adjust to what my eyes saw... and trust it. After awhile, it starts looking correct.

 

As I said earlier, for putting I would find a straight putt; line it up from behind the ball and when you stand over the ball, it may not look quite right but trust it and make the putt. After a lot of them it looks OK. I actually do the same when I tee it it. I mark my ball with a letter T, the stem being the alignment mark on a ball. I then square the club face to the top of the T. If you aim the T where you want the ball to go with a square club face, then if the ball doesn't go there, you put a bad swing on it. Putting alignment is the same. Point the T to the line you want and square the putter to the back of the T. It works for me, but my wife hates it. I guess it doesn't work for everyone, but I won't do it any other way.