Instruction
How eye dominance affects your golf swing
The influence your eyes and vision have on your golf game is obvious. They control depth perception, reading break on a green, planning your attack on a hole, avoiding trouble and many other tasks and obstacles.
I also believe there is a less obvious visual reaction, which takes place during the act of striking the golf ball and can have a huge effect on your body’s ability to turn. To correctly understand how your eyes effect the execution of your golf shot, you need to identify which eye is your dominant eye. Although most of us are fortunate enough to have two eyes, one eye is responsible for taking the reigns, or leading the second eye, in what you see.
I’ll take you through a quick test to help you acquire that information, and then share some thoughts about how eye dominance effects the golf swing.
A simple way to identify your dominant eye is to get ready to strike a golf ball. Then, close one eye at a time. If the golf ball noticeably moves when one eye is closed, your closed eye is your dominant eye.
There are varying degrees as to how much your eye dominance effects your technique. Like so many other characteristics in life, these observations do not always apply. There are no absolutes, but the following traits tend to be pronounced based upon your dominant eye.
Backswing Eye
If your backswing eye is your dominant eye (that’s the right eye for right-handed golfers), you have two primary body tendencies that affect your technique. You tend to have a shorter turn during your backswing and tend to be more open with your body at impact.
To have a simpler understanding of these characteristics, close your target eye during your golf swing. If you have a big nose, a big shoulder turn on your backswing or too upright of a posture, you will lose sight of the golf ball at a sooner point on your backswing than you would with your target eye. On the downswing, to have a better look at the object you are striking, your backswing eye wants to get those same offending body parts that were effecting your view on the backswing out of the way.
Address position for a backswing dominant eye (BDE) player.
Note a shorter backswing for this BDE player. His target shoulder is obstructing his view of the golf ball.
This BDE player’s chest is more open at impact compared with a Target Dominant Eye player. The trail shoulder does not obstruct his view of the golf ball.
Target Eye
If your target eye is your dominant eye, you have the exact opposite tendencies. Your body motion tends to produce a bigger turn on your back swing, and your body tends to unwind slower or later sequentially, on the downswing.
Again, to understand those tendencies, close your backswing eye during your golf swing. On your backswing, your turn can be less restricted, because your nose, shoulder and other body parts are less obtrusive in impeding your view of the golf ball as you swing your golf club backwards. On the downswing, your nose, shoulder and body tends to stay out of the way to give your target eye the best possible view of the golf ball as you strike it. Any one of those body parts will obstruct your view of the golf ball if you unwind too quickly during the downswing sequence.
Address position for a Target Dominant Eye (TDE) player.
Note the bigger backswing for the TDE. The target shoulder does not obstruct this player’s view of the golf ball.
This TDE player’s chest is more closed at impact compared with a BDE player. The trail shoulder can obstruct his view of the golf ball.
If you have read one of my previous stories, you will know your body motion plays a huge role in your ability to return a club face to square consistently. Identifying your eye dominance might help you understand the tendencies of your body motion throughout your golf swing.
Both eye dominance characteristics produce world class golfers. Let’s discuss the two world class players in the photos below who have traits of extreme eye dominance patterns.
Former U.S. Open Champion Justin Rose has the traits of a target eye dominant player. He makes a larger turn away from the golf ball on his backswing. On the downswing, his trail shoulder is sequentially later than a backswing dominant eye player in passing the point of impact. Other examples include Lee Westwood, Dustin Johnson, Jack Nicklaus and Michelle Wie.
Former PGA Champion Jason Dufner has the mannerisms of a backswing eye dominant player. He makes a shorter turn away from the golf ball, due to his target shoulder getting in the way of his view of the golf ball. On the downswing, Dufner wants to get his target shoulder out of the way to give him a better view of the ball with his dominant eye as he strikes. Other examples include David Duval, Inbee Park and Annika Sorenstam. It is important for me to note that I do not know unequivocally the eye dominance patterns of the players listed above. These are educated guesses, based upon my research and the golfer’s movement patterns.
Note both players at the top of their backswing. Dufner’s target shoulder is restricting his view and backswing.
Note how Rose’s trail shoulder is lagging behind Dufner’s just prior to impact.
Note how Dufner’s chest is more open to the target than Rose’s when the trail arm is parallel to the ground.
This information can potentially help you understand your golf game better than ever before. We are all trying to find the best technique for our own individual needs, and your inherent vision just might be the last clue to help you achieve your golfing goals. Or, for beginners, it might be a wonderful place to start the task of building a game for a life time.
I would also like to thank @JimHPGA, a mentor to me both on and off the course for close to 20 years, for his help with writing this article.
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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steve
May 14, 2017 at 1:52 pm
right eye dominant right hand golfer; great short game due to open stance, get beat up on driver because of squareness of setup, guess we should be hitting high fade off the tee
Jerry Bryan
May 21, 2016 at 6:34 pm
I am left eye dominant, right handed. The biggest detriment to this condition is putting. I have discovered I always line up to the left of the hole. I have a putter device that kicks the ball back to you when the ball goes in. I practiced with this for a long time on my carpet. If I stand behind the ball, and lay down a string parallel to the hole, then get in my set up position, the string looks way right of the target. I suspect I have this same alignment problem on all my shots.
Joey
Sep 21, 2018 at 5:46 am
Mike Malaska has a great drill for that on youtube, search for him and putting and you’ll find it. Basically he has a test to see how “off” you are. He puts a marker down on line between your ball and the hole, then covers it with his hand, then he asks you to line up, then he pulls his hand back and if you are OK it should still look straight — the student in the video said it looked like it was pointed left. He knows it’s straight but somehow his mind’s eye sees it left.
Mike
Jul 9, 2015 at 3:10 pm
I agree totally ive worked on setup for five years and still haven’t found a way been to instructors talk to good golfers, can’t repeat it but I’m right eye dominant and right handed, and for me to play good have to move ball up in stance because that’s what I’m seeing and my nose to pointing at. I cannot get my head and nose even with my body even as I type this my left eye isn’t even on the screen I’m so right sided its crazy even had a few instructors laugh said never seen nothing like it.
wineyax
Oct 3, 2014 at 2:22 pm
I am a right eye dominant player. I was not paying any special attention to this fact.
I recently started cocking my head to the right because I read somewhere that it was what many great players did. Since then I have been hitting more fat shots than usual. Very slightly fat, not by much. My driver has been hitting the ball more on the middle to lower section of the driver face too.
Whenever I would slack off and just setup without thought I would hit good iron shots and driver would hit from middle to upper section of the driver face (no head cock to the right).
I have a feeling that adjusting my setup to let my dominant eye see the ball more might be a cure for this… What do you think?
Saevel25
Sep 30, 2014 at 9:58 am
Sadly I am right eye dominant, a right handed golfer and I have a big shoulder turn and do not have my hips more open at impact. Sorry but I break your generalization. I would like to see actual numbers, maybe an actual large sample size study. To take two players and draw a generalization is a poor analysis.
I would note I am not convinced that set up can tell you if a person is right eye or left eye dominant. Unless you actually test them, that is a poor assumption.
Overall it is an interesting idea, but needs a lot more work before it should have been put into an article making claims.
Eugenio Grosso
Sep 25, 2014 at 6:32 am
As an italian Optometrist and a golf teacher i just can add some big compliments to Mr. Mitchell.
Still a lot will come but the research is important,obviously we all have to understand what to take from it,what to change from now on and most important what to leave the way it is.
I can assure you that even in 2014 “Vision” and sight are the most underestimated aspects of this amazing sport.
P.s About the Brian’s reply i agree to be carefull to change ball position just in accordance with the eye dominance but i totally disagree with the lack of importance of dominant eye when, in a body motion(backswing)an average hcp or novice has significant difference of vision beetween his dominant eye and non dominant (ex N.D.E visus 10/20 D.E. visus 20/20).
Tony
Sep 18, 2014 at 4:02 am
Guys;
The game is hard enough already, without thinking of another thing to think of.
The average handicap hasn’t come below 16 for the last 30 years, doesn’t that tell yous something. There is to much info now about what to concentrate on instead of trusting your own ability and mind to swing the club. To many mechanical thoughts just freeze your swing and you get worse not better. Try trusting your mind and picture your shots before you hit your shot. While standing over your ball, look at your target and then when ready just swing. You’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll play this great game.
Tim Mitchell
Sep 18, 2014 at 8:44 pm
Tony… Thanks for your comment, but to play the devils advocate, aren’t you suggesting another thing to think of by encouraging players to visualize their shots? To me, each golfer as an individual, is an athlete and a scientist. If the athlete is failing, or not performing as consistently as he would like, the scientist needs to help the athlete better understand why he is failing. There is a time and place where each characteristic needs to be taking the reins to help achieve maximum performance. Check out this post, it might make you think differently about when it is good to think like a scientist and when it is good to perform like an athlete.
http://www.golfwrx.com/131447/the-three-personalities-you-need-on-the-golf-course/
Good luck!
M59O
Sep 20, 2014 at 7:51 am
Good explanation. I also see the suggestion to look at your target and then swing to be in support of the article, not in opposition. It is letting vision play it’s natural role, without us consciously interfering. This lesson experience may help clarify one use of this information.
I had a video lesson which identified a small “over” move which was; with one simple drill, put on a much better path. The instructor then said the last thing I would like to see is your head at impact to be in this position (described a TDE position like Justin Rose’s) and not like it is (a BDE position like Jason Dufner’s). We went on to have the conversation that since I was right eye dominant my head would natural want to seek it’s current position (like Dufner’s), of which we then agreed. To attempt to achieve a TDE position, could have sent me down many months of frustrating and needless attempts to overcome what my vision, as it leads my body, wants to naturally do.
The problem often is not with the information, but in its application.
Richard Taylor, PGA
Sep 17, 2014 at 4:33 pm
As a golf instructor, I often under estimate the importance of eye dominance. This is a great article. In my own swing, I can see it. Although it would be difficult to get some students to grasp this concept, there those it might give the right insight (pun intended). Thanks for publishing!
Sam M
Sep 17, 2014 at 1:08 pm
I’m off scratch and play right handed, right eye dominant. Would you suggest practising with this eye closed to stop the tendency to stay on the right hand side?
Tim Mitchell
Sep 18, 2014 at 8:19 pm
Hi Sam. There is just too many factors to consider to give you a proper and accurate answer… For example, do you have physical limitations that make it hard for you to transfer your weight? Is your ball position too far back? Is your golf club getting steep on the downswing? What direction does your golf ball start? How does it curve afterwards? Do you hit the golf ball high or low? What is your ball contact this? Sorry! Wish you were closer so I could take a look at ya!
Richard (Dick) Baney
Sep 15, 2014 at 1:36 am
Tim,you’re right on target with your article concerning the dominant eye.As a former member of the MLB ( BIG RED MACHINE) CINCINNATI REDS,I often listened to comments of some of the best hitters in baseball, talk about the same subject.Baseball hitters are concerned with a baseball being delivered at 90+ mph.It makes sense that a golfer should concern himself also with a ball sitting still and his dominant eye……(nice job, Tim)
M59O
Sep 14, 2014 at 7:18 am
Article matches with what I’ve read before (if it was accurate):
Jack Nicklaus – famous head preset before swing – left eye dominant
Sam Snead – head swivel throughout swing – right eye dominant
M59O
Sep 14, 2014 at 7:04 am
Thanks for an article to put in perspective how eye dominance can affect alignment and motion tendencies.
Few basic points not already posted in replies to comments.
Vision guides motor (ex. drive your car and keep looking left, your car will start to go left).
Dominant eye is a consideration in a hitting a baseball. You don’t want you dominant eye turned away from the pitcher.
You wouldn’t want to block you dominant (vision leading) eye, as some golf instruction asks. As soon as you go to swing it is going to want to take the lead.
Tim Mitchell
Sep 15, 2014 at 1:38 pm
M590…I wanted to thank you for your added insight and knowledge to this article. If you’re open to this, I’d like to ask you some additional questions. Please message me at your convenience.
M59O
Sep 20, 2014 at 8:26 am
Certainly. You can look for the email I sent you at the tim.mitchell@davidleadbetter.com address.
James
Sep 13, 2014 at 5:12 pm
This is the stupidest article I have ever read.
Now your gonna have hackers standing over the ball on the first tee asking themselves which eye they are looking at the ball with…thanks for making golf harder than it needs to be… AGAIN
M59O
Sep 14, 2014 at 6:27 am
I agree, this is certainly something you don’t want to be thinking about as you play. It would serve no purpose, unless you want to mess with your buddies head, along with do they inhale or exhale as the swing.
That being said, however-
It is one of the best articles I have read that actually takes proper consideration in how eye dominance can affect setup and motion tendencies. I have seen many instruction articles which ask students to do things completely contrary to their eye dominance. It’s not going to happen. So if you are working on something that would be totally unnatural for you, this could be of benefit to know.
Curt
Sep 14, 2014 at 11:23 am
What a stupid comment. We all want to understand as much as we can about about our swings and why things occur. This is a simple thing to understand and factor in.
MHendon
Sep 13, 2014 at 11:04 am
weather eye dominance matters or not I don’t know but I’m target eye dominant and those swing tendencies pretty much apply to me.
Bethpage Golfer
Sep 21, 2014 at 8:12 pm
Same here………..
Desmond
Sep 13, 2014 at 10:41 am
I am a right handed player but my dominant eye is the left eye … so contrary to your general statement, not all right handed golfers have a backswing eye. So ask your student if he is naturally left handed but plays right handed — the left eye is probably dominant.
Also, once one is a US Open Champion, one is always a US Open Champion — you might try saying 2013 US Open Champion Justin Rose..
You also might try stating the obvious to correct these issues … the golfer with the left hand dominant eye may have overswing issues, and not activating the hips/shoulders sufficiently in the downswing…
M59O
Sep 14, 2014 at 6:13 am
Either I’m not understanding your point, or you mistook the author’s example as applying to all. It does not say all right handed players are right eye dominant, merely if you’re backswing eye is dominant and you are right handed, it will be your right eye. Just trying to explain his terminology. Eye hand dominance is roughly 60-40. Same hand/eye dominant 60%, cross dominant (opposite eye/hand) 40%.
sk33tr
Sep 13, 2014 at 7:31 am
Dufner pins his right arm into his right side early in the backswing. That’s what restricts his left shoulder. It was mentioned in Golf Magazine last year when they were analyzing his swing.
Crespo
Sep 12, 2014 at 4:20 pm
I am target eye dominant (left eye on a right-handed swing). I am quite open at contact and like Sorenstam (?) – my head is turned as well. But I don’t make a conscious effort to keep my eye on the ball until contact. Maybe if I did, it would make a difference in my swing.
handicap-2
Sep 12, 2014 at 3:08 pm
What would you recommend on how I should address my position when I close both my eyes throughout my swing?
Thank you-
Ant Lockyer
Sep 12, 2014 at 1:22 pm
If I turn my head away from the target to bring my target eye looking at the ball I hit a draw and prevent my destructive block/push.
Jafar
Sep 12, 2014 at 1:22 pm
Interesting, I’ll see if I can find a pattern of tendencies with my own game.
George Hanson
Sep 12, 2014 at 12:07 pm
I think this is worth considering.
I’m RH golfer, LEFT eye dominant (TDE). Last year I experimented with a mixed contact prescription, called “mono vision–” instead of bifocals for reading, one of my eyes (I chose my left, dominant eye) to be “under-prescribed” by about 1.5.
this allows me to read easily without reading glasses (thru my left eye) and see distances with my right eye.
However, this has a very negative effect on my golf game!!!!! The lack of clarity in my dominant eye has the same effect as having a hangover.
The solution is easy– I have a fully corrective set of lenses for golfing or any similar activity.
I often wondered if I had “under corrected” my non dominant eye, whether I would’ve had the same issue.
IN the meantime, as a pistol shooter (LH), the mono vision has an enormously positive effect– I can see the pistol sight clearly, AND see the target clearly, with both eyes open.
Brian
Sep 12, 2014 at 11:58 am
You should look up what neuroscience has to say about eye dominance and the two visual systems the body uses. The “parvo cellular” and the “magno cellular”. Geoff mangum the putting coach also writes a lot about the fallacies of eye dominance and proves it does not need to be taken into account as many instructors believe. The modern research in brain science proves this and that eye dominance in an action sport, besides merely sighting a target, does not effect body motions and movements. It also has shown it does not need to be taken into account concerning ball position, stance, etc. like many people think. There is so much more to the visual systems of the body than most people realize. Go to geoff mangums site and their are plenty of links to learn from!
Philip
Sep 12, 2014 at 12:12 pm
Any research can be presented to show pretty much anything. How many times have scientists PROVEN something just to realize years later they were 100% incorrect because of trying to prove assumptions/theories instead of gathering facts.
As this article states, this information may or not be useful or even applicable for each of us. It is just some relevant info that may help some people understand their swing better.
For me it is relevant. I am a lefty who is right-eye dominant who happened to play golf right-handed because I couldn’t get left-handed clubs when I was a kid. What I always found interesting is that when I set up left-handed I play a natural draw and when set up right handed I play a natural fade. Now I acknowledge that this may indeed not even be my eyes, but the natural tendency of my hips and legs that determine my stance. I seem to mirror myself with my stance.
However, being BDE definitely tends to get me to put the ball way too far back in my stance and thus too far away from me. That being said I will check out what you mentioned.
Philip
Sep 12, 2014 at 12:13 pm
Also, don’t forget that golf is not really an action sport per say. So it indeed may have a greater effect.
M59O
Sep 14, 2014 at 6:41 am
Parvo cellular, mango cellular has more to do with “focal or ambient”, or you may better relate to the terms “central and peripheral” vision. This has more to do with locking in on a target (focal or central) and then be able to be aware of and move to (track) another target (ambient or peripheral). I think of this as relating more to a dynamic flow to vision and not eye dominance. Eye dominance is more a tendency to align sight. The dominant eye processes information faster than the non-dominant eye, so it is the leader.
Philip
Sep 12, 2014 at 11:23 am
Are you guys dialed in with me or what. Every time I gain a clearer understanding of a part of the golf swing (in relation to me) you release an article on it the next day.
I’m a BDE player and have been going in circles with ball position and stance. Yet when I set up to the ball without thinking I nail it. I’m always aiming right of my target and hitting on the toe because I have the ball too far back and away from me and a cut is often the result. If I only look at the target it is better for mid and short irons, but long irons and woods are still crappy.
I decided to just set up with my right eye closed and all is well. So instead of fighting myself I am going to set up right of my target, close my right eye and set my hips to target, adjust my club face for ball flight, and then let it rip.
This article helps me understand my swing even better. THANKS!
Zak Kozuchowski
Sep 12, 2014 at 11:48 am
Thanks Phillip. We’re so happy that you’re liking our content. We were proud to publish this latest story from Tim Mitchell!
Robin
Sep 12, 2014 at 6:23 pm
I did the same as Philip, non-dominant right eye closed left target eye open. Significant improvement in ball striking. I practised using the Nike SPARQ Vapor Strobe eyewear to try and train this into my swing. I believe the reduced field of vision required me to maintain a more constant head position which in turn maintained my torso and pelvic position over the ball. Outcome was much better ball compression with long irons. I think your onto something Philip!!
cb
Sep 12, 2014 at 11:14 am
Like where you are going with this Tim but I feel like you should make a series out of it. I play left handed but am right eye dominant so I know of the frustrations. There is a big difference in “feel” for the two types of players. that is why a player should take caution when they are told to feel a certain thing. we all feel differently but its especially true for cross dominant players. its better to be put in the position and then determine for yourself what the feel is. Also you could have included some players who you know FOR SURE are cross dominant: phil, jack, and the shark. Tiger woods is even left eye dominant. also, some suggest that hogan was a cross dominant player. hogan started out playing left handed and then switched to right to make it easier to find clubs.
Scott
Sep 12, 2014 at 10:57 am
I wonder if there is a correlation with grip? Seems the backswing eye players would (on average) have stronger grips (or play cuts) while the target eye players would have weaker ones (or play draws).
Tim Mitchell
Sep 18, 2014 at 8:25 pm
Those are pretty spot on observations Scott. If you read my other suggested post, you would see that matches up with my research. Although there are always exceptions to those rules!
Jason
Sep 12, 2014 at 10:33 am
Interesting article. Recently, while practicing I had the thought of hitting balls with one eye or the other closed. I’m a right handed player and I’m right eye dominant. For the irons and hybrids/fairway woods, I found that closing my right eye allowed me to have a more downward strike on the ball. Then, for driver, I closed my left eye and hit balls. I tended to have a more sweeping strike.
The reason I had this thought is that I tend to rotate my head through impact which makes me come out of my posture. So, I thought that by closing my right eye, I wouldn’t be able to see the ball with my left eye if my head rotated too much. Seemed to work fairly well. I practice at Golftec and was able to confirm my feeling in video.
Shot
Sep 12, 2014 at 10:16 am
Dufner looks like that because he predominantly hits a cut-based ball, and Rose looks that because he predominantly hits a draw. Their hand positions are based on that, which is also how their grips set according to the way they want to hit the ball, which sets their shoulder plane, which sets their hip rotation, which sets their alignment, which sets their direction. Simples!
Nothing to do with vision.
Philip
Sep 12, 2014 at 11:26 am
Unless it starts with vision … and the rest follows
James
Sep 12, 2014 at 1:48 pm
Great article Tim!
I agree with you Philip–I am a right handed golfer with a BDE and play a strong grip.
Whenever I warm up, I usually work on a drill that helps with feeling weight shift/follow through by taking practice swings left handed. When I switch over to lefty, my grip position is much more neutral to weak versus strong to super strong.
After reading this article I definitely believe there is a correlation between eye dominance and grip, and that maybe it does start with vision and the rest follows. Then again, Tim may come out with another article in an hour and I’ll have another “eureka!” moment.