Right eye dominate putting alignment

[treeleaf20]

I don't use the line on the ball because I focus on that too much so I pick a spot a couple of inches in front of the ball and that's my target line. I have a decent stroke and can get the ball started online but my eyes mess with me. I'm right-eye dominate and when I stand over a putt I would try and align the alignment marker on my putter with the target line. However, doing it this way the putter alignment line never really look close to my target line so I had* no confidence. 

Oddly enough, I realized the last round that when I am within a couple of feet and just hit it standing sideways for the most part with my right hand I noticed the alignment looks really good. For the back nine, I tried a different approach and stood with my chest facing the hole and aligned it like a one-hand putt, and then stood over the ball to putt. I putted a 1000% times better since I was already aligned with the target a couple of inches in front of the ball.

For the right eye dominate golfers, how do you align your putter to your target line? I'm experimenting with the same stance and putting my head directly over the ball, head slightly behind the putter head, head a couple inches closer to my body to see what gives me the best sight line to align the putter with my target spot. 

Any suggestions on what works well for you would be greatly appreciated!

[cnosil]

33 minutes ago, treeleaf20 said:

 

Any suggestions on what works well for you would be greatly appreciated!

There is no requirement to use a line on the ball for alignment; some just use a spot in front of the ball,  others use their putter, others use the apex of the putt, others  use a spot by the hole.....basically lots of ways.   Regarding the line not looking correct is called Parallax error.     I think this is the right video, but it basically talks about doing what you did to adjust your setup to enable you to see the line correctly.   

 

[Kenny B]

On 10/5/2022 at 6:47 PM, treeleaf20 said:

I don't use the line on the ball because I focus on that too much so I pick a spot a couple of inches in front of the ball and that's my target line. I have a decent stroke and can get the ball started online but my eyes mess with me. I'm right-eye dominate and when I stand over a putt I would try and align the alignment marker on my putter with the target line. However, doing it this way the putter alignment line never really look close to my target line so I had* no confidence. 

Oddly enough, I realized the last round that when I am within a couple of feet and just hit it standing sideways for the most part with my right hand I noticed the alignment looks really good. For the back nine, I tried a different approach and stood with my chest facing the hole and aligned it like a one-hand putt, and then stood over the ball to putt. I putted a 1000% times better since I was already aligned with the target a couple of inches in front of the ball.

For the right eye dominate golfers, how do you align your putter to your target line? I'm experimenting with the same stance and putting my head directly over the ball, head slightly behind the putter head, head a couple inches closer to my body to see what gives me the best sight line to align the putter with my target spot. 

Any suggestions on what works well for you would be greatly appreciated!

Probably to most famous golfer with an open putting stance was Jack Nicklaus.  I think even Brad Faxon was a little open because he was right eye dominant.  I was a horrible putter, but I was much better putting like Jack because I am right-eye dominant.  I could see the line better, but I couldn't get the speed of the putt correct; seemed like when I got the line and then looked back at the ball, I forgot how far it was to the hole!!  Maybe that was just old age.   In 2015 I made the decision to putt looking at the hole because it really helped my distance control.  The longer I did it, the more comfortable I became and I will never go back to looking at the ball... I tried it a few times with miserable results.

[cksurfdude]

On 10/5/2022 at 9:47 PM, treeleaf20 said:

For the right eye dominate golfers, how do you align your putter to your target line?

First I'd suggest that whatever you finally end up deciding on - ALWAYS DO IT THE SAME WAY EVERY TIME.
.. ie. changing your setup or your routine around will not contribute to increasing your putting confidence...

ok so another right-handed, right eye dominant golfer here; been working on my putting a lot and it's become one of the more reliable aspects of my game. Part of what I've done in the past few seasons was to attend an AimPoint clinic - I know it's not for everyone, but for me it was .. literally  .. a game changer. It helps me to quickly evaluate the line I want to start the ball on, so - assuming the first putt is outside of say 3-4 ft - I'm more focused on getting the right speed.

To align myself, I typically use the line on the ball to orient it onto my target line .. knowing that as I get older and my eyes get worse the parallax effect @cnosil mentioned above seems to become even more pronounced. My routine then includes step in square to the line on the ball, lean over so I'm looking straight down on top of it, bring the putterhead behind the ball and align the putter's line to the ball's .. holding the grip *very* loosely .. then take my stance taking care not to move/rotate the putterhead. 

Then trust it, make your stroke and don't second guess your alignment. After the putt is made is the time to evaluate if you may have mis-read the line, mis-judged the speed, or just mis-stroked the putt... 

[Kenny B]

6 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

First I'd suggest that whatever you finally end up deciding on - ALWAYS DO IT THE SAME WAY EVERY TIME.
.. ie. changing your setup or your routine around will not contribute to increasing your putting confidence...

ok so another right-handed, right eye dominant golfer here; been working on my putting a lot and it's become one of the more reliable aspects of my game. Part of what I've done in the past few seasons was to attend an AimPoint clinic - I know it's not for everyone, but for me it was .. literally  .. a game changer. It helps me to quickly evaluate the line I want to start the ball on, so - assuming the first putt is outside of say 3-4 ft - I'm more focused on getting the right speed.

To align myself, I typically use the line on the ball to orient it onto my target line .. knowing that as I get older and my eyes get worse the parallax effect @cnosil mentioned above seems to become even more pronounced. My routine then includes step in square to the line on the ball, lean over so I'm looking straight down on top of it, bring the putterhead behind the ball and align the putter's line to the ball's .. holding the grip *very* loosely .. then take my stance taking care not to move/rotate the putterhead. 

Then trust it, make your stroke and don't second guess your alignment. After the putt is made is the time to evaluate if you may have mis-read the line, mis-judged the speed, or just mis-stroked the putt... 

Yes, being right-eye dominant I do the same.  I don't use AimPoint, but I think it's almost essential to line up the ball on the line you determine, then line up the putter to that line... no second guessing!  I don't second guess because I'm not looking at the ball after I set my putter behind the ball.

It's critical that the face is aligned to your target; the ball goes where the face is pointed.  The path of the stroke is not that important compared to the face alignment.  Having the putter is square to the line allows all focus to be on the distance of the putt.

[treeleaf20]

Just out of curiosity and I know it's different for each golfer. What is your preference and easier to line up, the single line or a triple track? Traditionally, I've used the single line but interested on the thoughts of lining it up with the triple track instead and if you've had any better success or any other things you've found.

Edited November 2, 2022 by treeleaf20

[GF_SGCC99]

I was struggling with this early this year. I am right eye dominant and also see my line on a green as a straight line, not as the path the ball actually takes. This makes me very dependent on the line on the ball, and I consistently felt like I couldn’t get that line where I wanted it. No matter how many times I backed off and realigned I never felt comfortable. I was searching the internet for help, but came across something interesting watching Bryson play. He would use the shaft of his putter to draw a line between his spot and his ball. I picked this up and it has helped immensely. I find my spot to putt to, line my ball up to what should be that line, and check it by holding my putter shaft up and closing my left* eye. I look along the right side of my putter shaft to see the line on my ball follow my putter shaft to that spot. From there I feel comfortable to fully trust my line on the ball and putt. 
 

Hopefully that is descriptive enough to understand my process. Best of luck right-eye gang!

*edit

Edited November 15, 2022 by GF_SGCC99

[GolfSpy_APH]

Likely not going to be your solution, but try left handed. Even just in practice. I'm a lefty golfer but right handed and right eye dominant. 

Putting is easily my strength and say if not just for a small experiment see how it works. 

Honestly I believe more right handed golfers could benefit benefit from trying left handed putting. Your dominant arm is lead arm which I believe helps with the trail arm from flipping during the stroke and it also can be beneficial for speed control. 

Of course not going to be for many, but worth checking out.

[cksurfdude]

20 hours ago, GF_SGCC99 said:

I find my spot to putt to, line my ball up to what should be that line, and check it by holding my putter shaft up and closing my right eye.

Wouldn't you want to do that check using your dominant eye..?

[GF_SGCC99]

13 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

Wouldn't you want to do that check using your dominant eye..?

Correct, I meant close left eye.