Golf Performance Enhancement was scheduled to meet at Western Skies in Gilbert this morning, but the weather had other ideas. We woke up to rain, lightning, and flooding – in June! That didn’t make the class any less interesting, however. After a discussion about positive self-talk, the conversation shifted to chipping and putting with your eyes closed.
I’ve heard of putting and chipping while looking at the hole. Jordan Spieth did it on his way to winning The Masters in April. But apparently, LPGA Tour star Suzann Pettersen has been putting with her eyes closed off and on since 2007. Pettersen says she feels “a lot freer” when she closes her eyes.
I’ve also heard it said that closing your eyes while putting is a great way to cure you of any yips you may be experiencing because it forces you to focus on the feel of the stroke rather than the outcome.
Our homework this week is to go out and try it on our own – chipping and putting while looking at the hole and chipping and putting with our eyes closed. There are plenty of golf tips on YouTube demonstrating the “eyes closed” method. Here, Dan Martin demonstrates chipping with your eyes closed: