Hi Geoff,
I want to thank you for all the information here. It's definitely the best resource on the web for putting.

A while back, I asked for help from you because my putter was looking closed at address. Your response was that my eye gaze was too much down my cheeks which was definitely the case, but unfortunately I was never able to cure my problem despite working constantly on a straight gaze. It always felt like the axis my head was on was moving around and when my head came back to address, my eye line was in a new position. A few months ago, I had rotator cuff surgery and decided to dedicate myself to fixing this for good and I was successful. I haven't had any problems with my aim since. Here's how I fixed it.

I used a drill about 30 minutes every day and it worked like a charm to get my head rotating correctly. First, I took a strip of masking tape and made a line about 20 foot long with it in my living room. Second, I took a laser pointer and clinched it in my teeth. While standing up look straight ahead, I made sure the laser was pointing on the wall just below eye level. I would then assume my address position with the heel of my putter on the masking tape and the laser pointing on the tape. I would then track the laser down the tape and back 3 times, then putt the ball down that line. Initially, when I turned my head, the laser would track off to the inside. After much practice, I was able to get it to point down the line every time. One of the great aspects of this drill is that you eye gaze doesn't outrace you head and your eyes don't try to correct for faulty head motions. It's either right or wrong. I'm still using this drill every day and I can honestly say that for the first time in years, I have full confidence that I can aim my putter correctly every time.

Anyways, I thought this drill might help others as well and I wanted to thank you Geoff for all the help you have provided me.

Thank you,
Ryan

By the way, I made a little extension for the laser pointer, so that I didn't have it directly in my mouth. I don't think a brain tumor is worth good aim! Just joking, but seriously, metal in your mouth tastes like crap.

Dear Ryan,

That's a fantastic bit of problem solving you've been up to! Great.

So now you and I can design a great, inexpensive, effective training aid together (no kidding).

Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
Putting Theorist and Instructor
Geoff Mangum's PuttingZone
Golf's most advanced and comprehensive putting instruction.

Over 875,000 visits and growing strong ...

518 Woodlawn Ave
Greensboro NC 27401
336.230.0612 home

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I think the same goal(s) can be accomplished by using the proaim glasses, right?

Dear Bastiaan,

Almost! The ProAim glasses work the same as a laser described by Ryan IF you run the parallel lines of the virtual display along a well-defined straight line along the ground, as Ryan establishes with tape. You could also use a line on a tile floor or a string line or chalk line on a practice green or the length of a flag stick laying on the ground, etc.

Cheers!

Geoff Mangum
Putting Theorist and Instructor
Geoff Mangum's PuttingZone
Golf's most advanced and comprehensive putting instruction.

Over 875,000 visits and growing strong ...

518 Woodlawn Ave
Greensboro NC 27401
336.230.0612 home