Your golf vision, how you see things can save shots

Golf is an optical illusion that can play havoc with your targetting, judgement of distance and score.

Golf designers are playing tricks with you.

Golf courses have been designed to draw your attention, your visual focus and thoughts to the traps and hazards.

Have you ever noticed how you can be so aware of that bunker or the water that you go in it?

Also the course is designed to play with your perception of depth and distances. The pin looks really close to the edge of that bunker. Yet when you get there you had plenty of green to work with.

Knowing how much room you have to work with can improve your confidence and save you valuable shots.

Get to know your course. Walk any course you are going to play, backwards. You'll be amazed what you learn. Create a game plan as you go.

Golf vision is what we see with our eyes and what we see in our minds

Zero in on your target with your eyes and mind. We think using the 5 senses. We see, hear, feel ,taste and smell things in our mind.

Some people can visualise easily and others struggle with it. The point is to focus on your target - where you want to go, with your mind however you do that and your eyes.

How you see is important

Ben Hogan was known as 'The Hawk' because he used to gaze with incredible focus and concentration on his target. Then he would simply notice the ball as he played his shot to where his focus was - to the target.

Really narrow your focus on your target so it is the only thing you see. Make a decision and commit to it.

When you are over the ball see if you can see your target through the corner of your eye whilst looking at the ball. Keep your attention on the target. That's where you are going.

This is your peripheral vision. When you use it you will simply notice the ball in what is called soft vision.

Make your golf vision work for you - know where you are going

Stand behind the ball when targetting rather than picking your target and line when you are over the ball. You will be able to pick a more accurate line. Align the clubface to that line and target.

Pick a line, zero in on a small target. Play with precision to that line and target.

Look at the impact point and follow the ball

I often here golf professionals telling people not to move their heads. The reality is you head will naturally move a bit through the rotation of the swing. A better way to look at it is to keep your eye on the ball.

Throughout your shot notice the impact point of where you are going to hit through, play through the ball and literally see the ball to your target.

Your own mind can play tricks with your golf vision

Ever played a par 3 and your perception is you don't have much room to move. It is really narrow with little room for error. And you make errors easily.

Yet on a par 5 you have lots of room to move and you can your shot precisely to a line and land the ball on a dime.

Your mind can distort your thinking and what you see. To overcome this, focus on what you want, narrow your focus and play to it.

Be aware of your golf vision, use your eyes and save shots.