It’s easy… Just line up your eyes to make more putts. We show you how.

The importance of putting in the game of golf has been proven time and again. As with any other facet of the game, a good set-up is vital if one wants to achieve a measure of consistency.

One part of this set-up is the position of the eyes relative to the ball and therefore also the line of the putt. Ideally one would strive for a position in which the eyes are aligned as close to directly above the ball as possible. This position will result in the body automatically being the correct distance from the ball, the arms will be in a relaxed position and the eyes will be able to track the correct starting line that the ball should take.

The most common error is that the eyes are positioned too far inside the ball position, leading to faulty body positions and the optical illusion that the hole is more to the right than it actually is, in turn leading to a faulty swing path if repeated over time.

An easy method to check for the correct eye position is to take up the normal address position, then hold a ball directly next to the right eye, hold steady and let it drop freely (see the pictures above). The point at which the ball strikes the ground indicates the position of the eyes relative to the ball. Slightly inside the line is acceptable, but beware of too far inside or anywhere outside the line.

Happy golfing and may more putts drop!

(This instruction was provided by Erich Kliem, the teaching professional at Stellenbosch Golf Club. He has been a member of the PGA of South Africa for eight years and is fluent in English, Afrikaans and German. To contact Erich, call +27 21 880 0244.)