I wanted to clarify some thoughts about the use of the eyes at various times in the routine and stroke.
Firstly, I am completely at ease with gaze, head turn, enjoying the scene at your feet, and spiders et al.
I am interested in using the eyes more efficiently for training one's stroke. Seeing that a lot of feedback is generated through the eyes, would it make any sense in limiting, reducing, enhancing, or enhancing with technology(ie microscopes) the use of the eyes to improve our other senses?
Another area that I am looking to clear up is the relationship of the eyes to the various brain processes in pressure situations. Is being aware of reduced focus relevant? Can you dictate to the brain and body by controlling your eyes? How do you train your eyes to switch on, switch off? I realize that a stable pivot is a key to returning your putter back to square at the bottom of the stroke, but I find this difficult to sense and manage. Is eye management(or still eyes) the next best thing? Can you discuss what a wandering eye, or eye plane will do to the stroke?
Do the eyes have a relationship with one's stroke tempo?
What has been eye opening for you about your study of eyes, and the entrainment that you have subjected yourself to over the years?
What lies ahead, in your opinion, in terms of superior understanding and training with respect to our eyes?
The eyes are the only exposed extension of the brain. The eye focus anchors the body to the ball so that you are able to establish a stable pivot for your putting stroke.
The hands, arms and shoulders must be trained through practice to execute the putting stroke consistently, and the feedback you get during the comparatively slow putting stroke allows you to develop "feel" for what you are doing.
Vision of the ball is entirely conscious, and this enables you to maintain your body stability so your hands, arms, shoulders can stroke through feel consciousness. If your eyes wander excessively, you may be suffering from "eye yips" (you heard it here first !) and an inability to focus on the ball with "quiet eyes". I suspect it's a psychological stress reaction rather than a physiological problem.
In putting you must ensure that the variables are under control and the constants are secure, otherwise you are putting as a child would putt, letting everything go in all directions. As your eyes move, so does your body. That is not meant to be demeaning but just providing an example of what can happen, on a lesser scale for adults. Geoff may have a more extensive analysis, but this is my approach to consistent putting.