Overlooked Tip: Where to Focus Your Eyes on the Golf Ball

Let me ask you a question. When hitting a golf ball, do you focus on the entire ball? Or do you just focus on a part of the golf ball?

If you want to hit it better from tee to green while improving your golf swing, you need to work on your focus.

When you change your eye focus, you instantly straighten out a slice and improve from the bunkers. 

Where to Focus When Hitting Golf Ball

Did you know that a golf ball’s diameter is 1.68 inches?

Where you focus on the ball can change the impact on your points as well as the contact. While focusing on the golf ball can change the shot you are hitting, it makes it easier to hit certain types of shots.

Little things like your eye position, and shoulder alignment can have a huge impact on ball striking.

Now here’s how to approach your eye focus when it comes to the following shots:

Iron Shots 

Golf is a game of inches. When your divot is slightly behind the golf ball, you’ll hit it fat and most likely end up short of the green and maybe in a bunker. If you don’t have a divot you will probably thin it over the green.

But if you’re hitting behind the ball, sometimes changing your eye position to focus on just the front part of the ball can help. This will not only help you to compress the ball but also help in making a solid strike.

If you’re trying iron shots, you might also try the opposite and focus on the back of the golf ball. This will move your bottom point slightly back so you can make a solid divot.

Driver

To hit a driver, hit up on the golf ball to improve the launch angle instead of making a descending blow. Because, if you hit the descending blow, you will get too steep and hit the dreaded pop-up shot.  

By changing your eye position to the back of the ball it’s easier to swing up and make better contact. This leads to longer and straighter drives with a better swing plane.

Hooks and Slices

When you slice the ball, you are more likely to come in steeper and over the top at impact. This leads to a left divot pattern (or left start path with the driver) with a left-to-right spin.

But when it comes to hitting straighter, you need to shallow out and come from the inside on your downswing. This makes it easier to start the ball at the target and swing out more for a better path.  

How to Change Your Eye Position in Slices and Hooks

If you want to straighten out your slice, focus more on the inside right part of the ball. This will help you swing more from the inside and shallow the golf club.

When hitting a hook, focus more on the top right side of the ball to cut more across it. If you’re hitting a nasty hook you’re more likely to come too far on an in-to-out path.

For a straight shot, focus more on the back center of the golf ball.

Where to Focus on a Bunker Shot

Hit the sand (1-2 inches behind the ball) and let it carry the ball out instead of focusing on the golf ball. But if your eyes are in the wrong spot, you’re more likely to hit it thin and not get enough sand.

While hitting a bunker shot, don’t look at the golf ball at all. Instead, look 1-2 inches behind it as that is where the club will enter the sand.

The closer you hit the ball, the more it will check up with the spin. But if you hit it too close, you are likely to thin it over the green.

Focus about 2-3 inches behind the ball if you want to hit more of a “chunk and run”. This will help you take more sand so that the ball won’t spin and release toward the hole.

Where to Focus on Putting

Hit slightly up on the ball to impart spin- otherwise you might chop down on it like many golfers. This usually leads to the ball hopping as it comes off the face.

FAQ

Where do you focus your eyes with a driver?

For drivers, you want to hit up on the ball and should focus on the impact part of the golf ball.

Should your head move during the swing?

Yes, it’s okay for your head to move on the backswing. While it shouldn’t move as much, it’s fine to move slightly up and down.

This allows a few golfers to make a full turn and then rotate properly on the downswing.

How do you focus on a target in golf?

Visualize a clear target and shot shape in your mind as you take your practice swings. When you are over the ball, all you want to think about is your target.

If you pick an intermediate target, it will ensure your alignment is correct. When you walk up to the golf ball, aim the face of the club at that target, then build your stance to the long-range target.

Conclusion

Where you focus on the ball makes a big difference in club strikes. It can change our swing arc and swing path for both long and short game shots.

To hit the ball and improve your game, make sure you follow these points:

• For normal shots, focus on the back of the ball or inches ahead if you struggle with fat shots.

• For straight shots focus your eyes on the center part of the ball.

• In bunkers, pick a spot in the sand 1-2 inches behind the ball to change your low point instead of focusing on the ball.