Line or No Line?

Keeping It Simple

One of the questions with which I’m frequently presented is regarding my recommendation about using a line on the ball for lining up putts. While this may seem more like a question for a golf instructor than a mental training expert, there are definitely mental components to the use of the line.

My answer to the “line question” comes down to my basic philosophy that the fewer things in our head competing for our attention, the better. In other words, keeping it simple is nearly always preferable to over-complicating things. In my opinion, putting comes down to three basic elements- stroke, line, and speed. When on the golf course, I don’t want a player to be thinking about stroke, so that leaves line and speed to which to pay attention. For many players, if they do NOT use a line, they are over the ball at address THINKING that the face of the putter is aimed toward their intended target. Actually some stand over it HOPING it is aimed correctly! What I want is for a player to KNOW that it is aimed correctly…which is why I am a big advocate of using the line on the ball- particularly for relatively straight putts. The more that you KNOW that the line is good, the exercise of putting becomes one of simply focusing on speed- arguably the most important element.

Nearly all of the players with whom I work- from the professionals on Tour down through the juniors- find there is benefit to using the line. Some find after enough trials of using it that they prefer the line for every putt. Others find that they prefer to use the line only on putts in which they read very little break. In those instances, the player will not use the line for big breaking putts, but use the line for the straighter ones.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you, and the responsibility is yours to figure out what works best for you. I would say, however, that you may be pleasantly surprised at how helpful it is to use the line and be assured standing over the ball that you are aimed exactly to where you intend!

Anything you can do to reduce doubt in your mind over a golf shot is a good thing!