The result of not using your dominant eye to focus on the ball while on the putting green is even more serious than when hitting a ball in a fairway wood golf swing. If you are right eye dominant, while in your putting stance, you tend to “see” the hole a little bit to the right of its actual location. The usual result is that what you think of as a correctly lined up putt gets pushed to the right. You make change and more often than not you will overcorrect and come outside in to pull the ball to the left of the hole. WIthout the right putting technique you have no chance.

About 70% of all golfers are right eye dominant. Here is how to find out. Make a little telescope out of your hands by folding the fingers on both hands to their thumbs. Hold your hands far out in front of you and focus both eyes on a distant object. Without moving your hands, close your left eye. If the distant object is still in the middle of your little telescope with only your right eye open then you are right eye dominant. If it stays in the telescope with your right eye closed and your left eye open then you are left eye dominant. It makes a difference even for people who use long putters.

When you set up to putt you want your dominant eye positioned directly over the ball. If you do not set up this way than your eyes and your brain are going to process a distorted position for the hole. Your lying eyes will require you to actually make an off-line putt to hole out. Your putting technique may be good but it won’t work. Sometimes it may but more often than not you will miss that birdie or saving par. Now you know why those putts miss right and what you can do about it to become a better putter and a better golfer.