Not sure where to start? Ask Mulligan
Tyler Ferrell is the only person in the world named to Golf Digest's list of Best Young Teachers in America AND its list of Best Golf Fitness Professionals in America.

Improve Your Visual Alignment for Better Putting Accuracy

After this video, you'll be able to:

  • Calibrate your eyes to see a straight line for improved aim
  • Use an alignment stick to enhance your visual perception of the target
  • Adjust your visual alignment to better control the putting stroke

In this drill, you'll learn how to calibrate your visual alignment to enhance your putting performance. By practicing with an alignment stick, you'll develop the ability to see a straight line to your target, which is crucial for controlling the start line of your putts.

Video Transcript
WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.400
This drill is visual alignment calibration so getting your eyes to see a

2
00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:07.000
straight line

3
00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:12.170
is really helpful for controlling start line and freeing up your ability to

4
00:00:12.170 --> 00:00:13.000
swing the putter

5
00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:17.720
and control the stroke or swing the putter without trying to guide the stroke

6
00:00:17.720 --> 00:00:18.320
too much

7
00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:20.840
but controlling your face control.

8
00:00:20.840 --> 00:00:26.010
So I use a three ball drill but in order to do that one you need a partner so

9
00:00:26.010 --> 00:00:26.640
this one's

10
00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:32.400
a little bit easier to implement but it can be challenging for some golfers.

11
00:00:32.400 --> 00:00:35.220
So basically what we're going to do is I'm going to get behind the ball and I'm

12
00:00:35.220 --> 00:00:35.560
going

13
00:00:35.560 --> 00:00:41.080
to aim this putt pretty straight so I'm going to point the alignment stick and

14
00:00:41.080 --> 00:00:41.840
in my case

15
00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:44.440
the line on the ball as well at the target.

16
00:00:44.440 --> 00:00:49.610
I've got about a straight 10 footer maybe 12 feet but I wouldn't do this too

17
00:00:49.610 --> 00:00:50.000
long or

18
00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:51.200
too short.

19
00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:54.200
You want your eyes to have to track a little bit.

20
00:00:54.200 --> 00:00:59.490
So a putt inside of six feet wouldn't work too well because your eyes wouldn't

21
00:00:59.490 --> 00:01:00.120
really

22
00:01:00.120 --> 00:01:02.800
have to track anything.

23
00:01:02.800 --> 00:01:09.380
So now I've got the alignment stick and I can use the line on the putter or the

24
00:01:09.380 --> 00:01:10.200
shaft on

25
00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:15.840
the putter to confirm that the alignment stick is aimed pretty much where I

26
00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:16.960
wanted to go.

27
00:01:16.960 --> 00:01:24.780
Now I'm going to get in my setup position and I'm just going to use my eyes and

28
00:01:24.780 --> 00:01:25.560
I'm going

29
00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:32.200
to walk down the stick and see where it looks like it's aimed and compared to

30
00:01:32.200 --> 00:01:33.160
the whole

31
00:01:33.160 --> 00:01:37.840
location when I first did that it looks like it's aimed to the left.

32
00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:43.890
So my next goal is to change my visual alignment so that I can adjust where

33
00:01:43.890 --> 00:01:45.400
this is looking.

34
00:01:45.400 --> 00:01:50.200
So there are a couple or there's five different ways I can move my alignment my

35
00:01:50.200 --> 00:01:51.440
visual alignment.

36
00:01:51.440 --> 00:01:54.360
I can move it out that way that makes it more left for me.

37
00:01:54.360 --> 00:01:58.630
I can move it that way you know that either those two don't have a big impact

38
00:01:58.630 --> 00:01:59.360
for me but

39
00:01:59.360 --> 00:02:03.240
they could move it enough for for some golfers.

40
00:02:03.240 --> 00:02:08.130
I could move it up that makes it more and that does make it a little bit better

41
00:02:08.130 --> 00:02:08.400
so I

42
00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:12.220
can move up and down and the one that doesn't make a whole lot of senses

43
00:02:12.220 --> 00:02:13.400
forward backward

44
00:02:13.400 --> 00:02:18.080
this way because that's basically the same thing as just a longer shorter putt.

45
00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:22.840
So then we get to the three rotations and these typically have a bigger impact.

46
00:02:22.840 --> 00:02:26.310
The first two are the ones that I use the most and then the last one would be a

47
00:02:26.310 --> 00:02:26.640
rare

48
00:02:26.640 --> 00:02:27.640
exception.

49
00:02:27.640 --> 00:02:33.910
So the first two would be either bringing my chin down which that does help

50
00:02:33.910 --> 00:02:34.960
some or bringing

51
00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:36.720
my chin up that makes it worse.

52
00:02:36.720 --> 00:02:40.540
So for me bringing chin down makes it better but I had a lesson on Friday where

53
00:02:40.540 --> 00:02:41.000
chin up

54
00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:42.000
made it better.

55
00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:46.400
This is something that you have to play around with and then tilt.

56
00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:51.620
So basically bringing my head a little bit to the right that helps a bit,

57
00:02:51.620 --> 00:02:52.600
bringing my

58
00:02:52.600 --> 00:02:56.080
head to the left and then if I track with my eyes that makes it worse.

59
00:02:56.080 --> 00:03:00.660
So I'm just measuring okay getting down made it better, tucking my chin made it

60
00:03:00.660 --> 00:03:01.280
better,

61
00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:05.050
right tilt made it better, the opposites made it worse and then the last one

62
00:03:05.050 --> 00:03:08.000
would be rotation.

63
00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:11.270
There it's hard for me to track and if I turn towards the target it makes it

64
00:03:11.270 --> 00:03:11.760
look more

65
00:03:11.760 --> 00:03:12.760
left.

66
00:03:12.760 --> 00:03:16.030
So that one seems like a wash that's the one that's rare that it really helps

67
00:03:16.030 --> 00:03:16.440
people.

68
00:03:16.440 --> 00:03:21.800
I like to have the rotation plane closer to neutral.

69
00:03:21.800 --> 00:03:28.070
So then once I have so now I'm going to kind of play with a combination of

70
00:03:28.070 --> 00:03:29.240
those until

71
00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:33.820
well that looks pretty straight right there and now to test it I'm going to

72
00:03:33.820 --> 00:03:34.400
bring a ball

73
00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:41.020
in and just put it parallel to the stick and I'm going to try and roll it

74
00:03:41.020 --> 00:03:42.280
straight down

75
00:03:42.280 --> 00:03:47.870
that stick or parallel to it and that looks to me now like this is a little bit

76
00:03:47.870 --> 00:03:52.120
more straight.

77
00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:56.700
So one of the reasons that you may be missing putts right away you know if you

78
00:03:56.700 --> 00:03:57.520
've been pulling

79
00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:01.560
putts or pushing putts could be because of your visual alignment.

80
00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:04.760
You can use something shorter like a pencil but I typically use an alignment

81
00:04:04.760 --> 00:04:05.340
stick because

82
00:04:05.340 --> 00:04:09.920
you'll have them in your bag and it's a long enough path that it gives you a

83
00:04:09.920 --> 00:04:10.760
good part

84
00:04:10.760 --> 00:04:15.360
of the path of a straight putt but it doesn't give you the whole thing.

85
00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:19.460
The other place where this is useful to calibrate is if you're just at home and

86
00:04:19.460 --> 00:04:20.560
you've got tile

87
00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:25.450
on the floor you can practice getting in your posture and tracing the line with

88
00:04:25.450 --> 00:04:26.040
your head

89
00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:29.580
and making sure that it looks straight because if you have a hard time seeing a

90
00:04:29.580 --> 00:04:30.800
straight putt

91
00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:35.380
you're going to have a harder time hitting a straight putt and that visual

92
00:04:35.380 --> 00:04:36.040
alignment

93
00:04:36.040 --> 00:04:39.440
and the face control is really important for controlling your start line.

Have questions?

Ask Mulligan for help

Unlock everything. Start improving today.

Subscribe to get full access to all videos, courses, and progress tracking.

Related topics
This video hasn't been assigned to any topics yet. Browse all topics in the sidebar.
Tyler Ferrell is the only person in the world named to Golf Digest's list of Best Young Teachers in America AND its list of Best Golf Fitness Professionals in America.

Improve Your Visual Alignment for Better Putting Accuracy

After this video, you'll be able to:

  • Calibrate your eyes to see a straight line for improved aim
  • Use an alignment stick to enhance your visual perception of the target
  • Adjust your visual alignment to better control the putting stroke

In this drill, you'll learn how to calibrate your visual alignment to enhance your putting performance. By practicing with an alignment stick, you'll develop the ability to see a straight line to your target, which is crucial for controlling the start line of your putts.

Video Transcript
WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.400
This drill is visual alignment calibration so getting your eyes to see a

2
00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:07.000
straight line

3
00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:12.170
is really helpful for controlling start line and freeing up your ability to

4
00:00:12.170 --> 00:00:13.000
swing the putter

5
00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:17.720
and control the stroke or swing the putter without trying to guide the stroke

6
00:00:17.720 --> 00:00:18.320
too much

7
00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:20.840
but controlling your face control.

8
00:00:20.840 --> 00:00:26.010
So I use a three ball drill but in order to do that one you need a partner so

9
00:00:26.010 --> 00:00:26.640
this one's

10
00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:32.400
a little bit easier to implement but it can be challenging for some golfers.

11
00:00:32.400 --> 00:00:35.220
So basically what we're going to do is I'm going to get behind the ball and I'm

12
00:00:35.220 --> 00:00:35.560
going

13
00:00:35.560 --> 00:00:41.080
to aim this putt pretty straight so I'm going to point the alignment stick and

14
00:00:41.080 --> 00:00:41.840
in my case

15
00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:44.440
the line on the ball as well at the target.

16
00:00:44.440 --> 00:00:49.610
I've got about a straight 10 footer maybe 12 feet but I wouldn't do this too

17
00:00:49.610 --> 00:00:50.000
long or

18
00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:51.200
too short.

19
00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:54.200
You want your eyes to have to track a little bit.

20
00:00:54.200 --> 00:00:59.490
So a putt inside of six feet wouldn't work too well because your eyes wouldn't

21
00:00:59.490 --> 00:01:00.120
really

22
00:01:00.120 --> 00:01:02.800
have to track anything.

23
00:01:02.800 --> 00:01:09.380
So now I've got the alignment stick and I can use the line on the putter or the

24
00:01:09.380 --> 00:01:10.200
shaft on

25
00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:15.840
the putter to confirm that the alignment stick is aimed pretty much where I

26
00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:16.960
wanted to go.

27
00:01:16.960 --> 00:01:24.780
Now I'm going to get in my setup position and I'm just going to use my eyes and

28
00:01:24.780 --> 00:01:25.560
I'm going

29
00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:32.200
to walk down the stick and see where it looks like it's aimed and compared to

30
00:01:32.200 --> 00:01:33.160
the whole

31
00:01:33.160 --> 00:01:37.840
location when I first did that it looks like it's aimed to the left.

32
00:01:37.840 --> 00:01:43.890
So my next goal is to change my visual alignment so that I can adjust where

33
00:01:43.890 --> 00:01:45.400
this is looking.

34
00:01:45.400 --> 00:01:50.200
So there are a couple or there's five different ways I can move my alignment my

35
00:01:50.200 --> 00:01:51.440
visual alignment.

36
00:01:51.440 --> 00:01:54.360
I can move it out that way that makes it more left for me.

37
00:01:54.360 --> 00:01:58.630
I can move it that way you know that either those two don't have a big impact

38
00:01:58.630 --> 00:01:59.360
for me but

39
00:01:59.360 --> 00:02:03.240
they could move it enough for for some golfers.

40
00:02:03.240 --> 00:02:08.130
I could move it up that makes it more and that does make it a little bit better

41
00:02:08.130 --> 00:02:08.400
so I

42
00:02:08.400 --> 00:02:12.220
can move up and down and the one that doesn't make a whole lot of senses

43
00:02:12.220 --> 00:02:13.400
forward backward

44
00:02:13.400 --> 00:02:18.080
this way because that's basically the same thing as just a longer shorter putt.

45
00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:22.840
So then we get to the three rotations and these typically have a bigger impact.

46
00:02:22.840 --> 00:02:26.310
The first two are the ones that I use the most and then the last one would be a

47
00:02:26.310 --> 00:02:26.640
rare

48
00:02:26.640 --> 00:02:27.640
exception.

49
00:02:27.640 --> 00:02:33.910
So the first two would be either bringing my chin down which that does help

50
00:02:33.910 --> 00:02:34.960
some or bringing

51
00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:36.720
my chin up that makes it worse.

52
00:02:36.720 --> 00:02:40.540
So for me bringing chin down makes it better but I had a lesson on Friday where

53
00:02:40.540 --> 00:02:41.000
chin up

54
00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:42.000
made it better.

55
00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:46.400
This is something that you have to play around with and then tilt.

56
00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:51.620
So basically bringing my head a little bit to the right that helps a bit,

57
00:02:51.620 --> 00:02:52.600
bringing my

58
00:02:52.600 --> 00:02:56.080
head to the left and then if I track with my eyes that makes it worse.

59
00:02:56.080 --> 00:03:00.660
So I'm just measuring okay getting down made it better, tucking my chin made it

60
00:03:00.660 --> 00:03:01.280
better,

61
00:03:01.280 --> 00:03:05.050
right tilt made it better, the opposites made it worse and then the last one

62
00:03:05.050 --> 00:03:08.000
would be rotation.

63
00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:11.270
There it's hard for me to track and if I turn towards the target it makes it

64
00:03:11.270 --> 00:03:11.760
look more

65
00:03:11.760 --> 00:03:12.760
left.

66
00:03:12.760 --> 00:03:16.030
So that one seems like a wash that's the one that's rare that it really helps

67
00:03:16.030 --> 00:03:16.440
people.

68
00:03:16.440 --> 00:03:21.800
I like to have the rotation plane closer to neutral.

69
00:03:21.800 --> 00:03:28.070
So then once I have so now I'm going to kind of play with a combination of

70
00:03:28.070 --> 00:03:29.240
those until

71
00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:33.820
well that looks pretty straight right there and now to test it I'm going to

72
00:03:33.820 --> 00:03:34.400
bring a ball

73
00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:41.020
in and just put it parallel to the stick and I'm going to try and roll it

74
00:03:41.020 --> 00:03:42.280
straight down

75
00:03:42.280 --> 00:03:47.870
that stick or parallel to it and that looks to me now like this is a little bit

76
00:03:47.870 --> 00:03:52.120
more straight.

77
00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:56.700
So one of the reasons that you may be missing putts right away you know if you

78
00:03:56.700 --> 00:03:57.520
've been pulling

79
00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:01.560
putts or pushing putts could be because of your visual alignment.

80
00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:04.760
You can use something shorter like a pencil but I typically use an alignment

81
00:04:04.760 --> 00:04:05.340
stick because

82
00:04:05.340 --> 00:04:09.920
you'll have them in your bag and it's a long enough path that it gives you a

83
00:04:09.920 --> 00:04:10.760
good part

84
00:04:10.760 --> 00:04:15.360
of the path of a straight putt but it doesn't give you the whole thing.

85
00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:19.460
The other place where this is useful to calibrate is if you're just at home and

86
00:04:19.460 --> 00:04:20.560
you've got tile

87
00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:25.450
on the floor you can practice getting in your posture and tracing the line with

88
00:04:25.450 --> 00:04:26.040
your head

89
00:04:26.040 --> 00:04:29.580
and making sure that it looks straight because if you have a hard time seeing a

90
00:04:29.580 --> 00:04:30.800
straight putt

91
00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:35.380
you're going to have a harder time hitting a straight putt and that visual

92
00:04:35.380 --> 00:04:36.040
alignment

93
00:04:36.040 --> 00:04:39.440
and the face control is really important for controlling your start line.

Have questions about this video?

Ask Mulligan for personalized guidance on technique, drills, or how to apply what you've learned.

Ask Mulligan
Related topics
This video hasn't been assigned to any topics yet. Browse all topics in the sidebar.
Subscribe now for full access to our video library. Subscribe now