What part of the ball do you look at?

[Kenny B]

I must have "Bob Cousy" level peripheral vision because I can see the entire 1.68" diameter ball at once. Just a gift of birth, I imagine.

There are only 14 people here that know who Bob Cousy was.

[RoverRick]

I have been giving this a lot of thought and fear that at impact, I am not looking at the ball at all.

 

This may well be why my miss is to pull the ball way left. I am releasing my head too early.

 

I did not play this weekend (actually did not even leave the house other than to slip outside to hit some balls) but did notice that I look at the ball until my hands are almost back where they were at address, but by the time the club makes contact, I am looking up to find the ball.

 

Even so, if I keep my head back I hit it great, if I let my head drift forward, I pull hook the ball, but either way I seem to make solid contact not looking at the ball.

[NiftyNiblick]

The Google machine was made for obscure references.

 

But it's true. Ted Williams. Sugar Ray Robinson. Bob Cousy. I saw them all live in person. But I couldn't identify a pop song that was made in the past thirty years!

[RoverRick]

There are only 14 people here that know who Bob Cousy was.

Not me, I am not a basketball fan.

[Golfizit]

I look at the front slightly outside for all irons but for woods I look at the back slightly inside and focus on a single dimple if I haven't marked it but part of my ball mark is a filled in dimple. I think about a martial artist breaking a board. They don't look at the top of the board they are looking/imagining beyond the bottom of the board.  Makes sense and seems to help me get teh divot in the correct location.  Woods are different only because I am behind the ball so the mark/spot is a nail I am driving thru the ball in my mind.  Used to have to think about this but now it's second nature and consistency is getting much better. So now I set up its target, spot, target spot swing.

[TheDIYGolfer]

I honestly have never thought about what part of the golf ball I look at, but it certainly sounds like a topic that I would argue with my instructor about 

 

After consciously noticing, I determined that I look at the top of the golf ball (I'm slightly Stack N Tilt).

 

For getting setup the correct distance from the ball: 

 

1. Study tour players setups until you have a good idea of what is acceptable

 

 

2. Now practice over and over again in a full length mirror, or take a few pictures/videos of your setup.

 

I have found this to be the most objective way to setup correctly, primarily because when I try to do it by "feel," I end up getting way off.  This is because one position will feel entirely different to me over the course of a week, so what I feel is one position is actually another, and then I get all messed up

[Dana]

Until 4 years ago I never really took a divot.  After a few lessons and the thought of bottom of the swing is in front of the ball I started looking at the grass in front of the ball.  The ball flight is a lot better now and much more consistent. 

[revkev]

I know I mentioned earlier that my teacher told me not to worry about the ball but I will say that with irons I find that I hit it much better if I look at the outside of the ball - remember my issue is getting stuck too inside - I'm thinking that for most people looking at the inside of the ball would be best.

 

Divots are over rated.   That's what I got out of a recent Hank Haney article in one of the golf publications - basically he said not to worry about taking a divot with anything longer than a 7 iron.  I know that Tom Watson was not a big divot taker - my goal right now is to get a divot that points to the left of target - I'm getting close but they still are just a tad to the right.

 

I was on the range yesterday with a mini-tour player who is working on the same thing - he watched my swing for a couple of shots yesterday and told me not to worry about it because I'm right where I should be.  We'll see what my teacher says Friday.

[MGoBlue100]

For crisp and clean shots, focus on the front of the ball (nearest the hole). Trust me - it works!

I have always focused on a single dimple on the back of the ball, but twice (now three times!) in the last week I have read this "front of the ball" tip. I will definitely try it. Has to be on the range before I dare try it on the course, but it can't be a coincidence.

 

 

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[Badfish]

Full swings with short irons front of the ball.  Long irons back of the ball.  Not sure why..In fact I had to pay attention while I hit a few to even notice.  Though there are times I pick a spot past the ball, or behind it.  Bunkers come to mind for a spot behind.  If my swing is coming through too shallow (sweeping) I will sometimes look ahead of the ball for a couple shots to get me back on track. 

[scramble468]

Interesting topic. Once I am aligned for my shot, I look at the top of the ball. Once I get to the top of my backswing, I actually don't look at the ball anymore...i.e. Henrick Stenson and Annika Sorenstam.  When I do happen to watch the spot on my ball all the way thru the shot, I tend to hit it fat.

[jrmull]

I think it's Bill Haas, that made an adjustment, that now has him releasing his head through the swing before contact.

 

[thquote name=RoverRick" post="188051" timestamp="1452484763]

 

I have been giving this a lot of thought and fear that at impact, I am not looking at the ball at all.

 

This may well be why my miss is to pull the ball way left. I am releasing my head too early.

 

I did not play this weekend (actually did not even leave the house other than to slip outside to hit some balls) but did notice that I look at the ball until my hands are almost back where they were at address, but by the time the club makes contact, I am looking up to find the ball.

 

Even so, if I keep my head back I hit it great, if I let my head drift forward, I pull hook the ball, but either way I seem to make solid contact not looking at the ball.

[Dana]

I spent some time hitting 9 iron and chip shots Sunday about 80 shots. When I look about an inch in front of the ball I strike the ball much better.  On chips shots I never chunked a shot looking in front of the ball. Actually that surprised me 

[Fireinthehole]

I am so right eye dominant I have to look at the back. My driving suffers because I will turn my face to the ball so I have to be alert to it.

 

 

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[Undershooter]

I generally look at whatever part of the ball I can see sticking out of the rough.

[aaarrroonn]

I'm going to attempt to describe what part of the ball I look at. 

I don't look at the ball but rather the space where the the ball is. Instead of focusing my vision on the actual ball (ie: focusing on a dimple or a certain half/quadrant of the ball) I adjust my focus to the level of the ground. So, the easiest way to put it is that whenever I am about to hit a shot my eyes are pointed at the ball but focused past the ball onto the ground. I hope this makes sense to someone other than myself ha.

[808nation]

For my irons I like to look at the top and dead center, as for my driver, I always look at the back of the ball

 

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[bobcat]

I look at the back of the ball and imagine a square divided into 4 quadrants...I want my impact point to be the lower inside quadrant of that square.

 

[DownInOne]

Ive been working on looking at the front because as of late I have been chunking or blading the ball but I keep forgetting and going back to either starring at the back of the ball or just starring in general.......

[apprenti23]

All of it