“When you lip out several putts in a row, you should never think that means that you’re putting well. When you’re putting well, the only question is what part of the hole it’s going to fall in, not if it’s going in.” - Jack Nicklaus

Post written by Ian Hardie

It never fails to amaze me

That while out there on the golf course

Most golfers will watch the other players in their group that day

As they putt

But unless you happen to be playing with someone who can putt as well as this guy used to

Or even the guy whose quote is at the start of this post

It’s going to do your game more harm than good

The reason?

As I wrote in the post ‘Why you should never watch another golfer hit’

Which if you haven’t read yet - you can check out here

When you watch another golfer play a shot

Subconsciously your brain is recording everything they do

And if the golfer you are watching putt

Is a lousy putter

Your brain is going to start blending your putting stroke with what you have watched

And start you on the way to becoming a lousy putter as well

So personally, just as I don’t want to see how the others in the group are hitting their full shots

When I’m playing

I never ever watch anyone putting either

I do however make a point of watching the balls path to the hole

If it happens to on a similar one to the putt I’m about to have

As well as watching on the odd occasion

To see how the borrow and speed of the green is affecting some putts

Clearly there is an advantage to doing that most of the time

And yes it does take a bit of trial and error

To be able to watch another golfers ball on its way to the hole

Without watching how it was hit

What’s the point of all this?

Take a look at this video clip on You tube

Then spend a minute or two considering just how your putting would be affected

If you watched that guy putt for an entire round

(I was only able to watch it a couple of times before I just had to stop)

So if like most golfers you spend your game

Intently watching the other golfers you are with hit every putt

You will probably finish up putting really poorly by the end of your game

As your brain will be subconsciously blending and adopting whatever it is they are doing

If you happen to watch all three of the other golfers you are with putt

That’s three totally different ways of putting

Being soaked up by your subconscious

Every game you play!

Which as you will have figured out by now

Is probably causing you problems with your own putting

And as I said in ‘Why you should never watch another golfer hit’

When I gave an example of how this happens in other parts of your life

‘Just being around people in a bad mood normally brings ours down – unless we distance ourselves from those people’

In golf it’s difficult to distance yourself from the other golfers you are with

When you are all on the putting green

So the best thing you can do

Is to not watch how they putt

Try it for a few games or more

You will be amazed at how much better you will putt

Which should give you lower scores

(And no nightmares about golfers with the yips)

Play well