Suggestions for One-Eyed Golfers

by Herb Rubenstein and Dr. Craig Farnsworth, The Putt Doctor

Introduction

Monocular – one-eyed – golfers are faced with several challenges that are unique, compared to golfers that are able to use both eyes. We will address most of these challenges. Most important may be the recommendation at the conclusion of this article.

Sight-impaired golfers will increase as a significant part of the population that plays golf gets older. There are 10 ways a golfer who sees out of one eye only can help his or her chances of playing better golf. Many items on this list apply to people who see out of both eyes, but one eye is substantially better than the other eye. Overall, if one can see well out one eye, there is no reason why that person cannot become a better golfer with practice and incorporating these ten keys.

The Ten Keys

1. Because monocular golfers are considerably depth-challenged, assessing the distance from the ball to the cup or pin, for putting or shorter chip or pitch shots, provides better estimate of the slope – uphill, downhill or level – as well as often a better appreciation of the distance to the cup or pin.

2. One of the biggest challenges, if not the biggest, is when the ball is in the bunker. Since grounding your club to help you with the ball’s relationship to your club and feet, we recommend you avoid anything but minimal digging of your feet into the sand. This way, your feet can help you assess the distance from eyes to the ball. Another suggestion is to consider using yellow or multi-colored golf balls (like Tom Watson), especially is if you have trouble seeing your drives (as one of the authors of this article does.)

3. While on the subject of your feet, use them more than your eyes to help you determine the degree of slope on the greens to better gauge the amount of break on putts as well as the slope on uphill or downhill putts. Develop some type of measure or formula you can implement - we recommend AimPoint green reading system – for help in the break and the speed to hit putts.

4. If your back eye (right eye for right-handed golfers) is your good eye, while putting, tuck your chin so your forehead is flat in relation to the ground. Look toward the hole by rotating your head clockwise to the left so you are looking through the bridge of your nose at the target. This keeps your head and eyes parallel to the target line.

5. While lining up putts from behind the ball in a squatting position, it is recommended that your good eye be directly behind the ball instead of your nose.

6. We recommend using a tool to mark your ball with a long straight line on the ball, with a perpendicular line at the end of that line – EYELINEGOLF. Line up the long straight line for every shot where you can touch the ball, (tee shots and putts) exactly where you want to aim the ball. Additionally, use the back line to square your clubface to the line.

7. Position your good eye directly above or slightly behind the ball at address for putting.

8. For breaking putts, if possible, use clues in the background to assist you in aiming, like a tree, in the background, as your directional target. For speed guidance, pick a spot on the green short of the hole for downhill putts and past the hole for uphill putts.

9. Feel free to inform your playing partners that you are visually-challenged, so that they may assist you if you are unable to pick up your shots line after hitting.

10. When on the U.S. Olympics’ Vision & Safety Sub-committee, we made it mandatory for all athletes to wear qualified (U.S. Safety standards) eye protection in ball sports and mandatory for all one-eyed athletes in all sports. The chance of eye injury is always greater for the one-eyed athlete for obvious reasons.

Conclusion

So, if you are one-eyed, please consult your eye practioner for the recommended thickness and type of lens that is safety approved! You should wear them all the time for golfing, for UV protection and most importantly, for protection against trauma to your only good eye. It could be but a fraction of a second, and all is lost! As well, having a slightly lighter tint, where you can see your eyes through the lens when looking in a mirror – tint has nothing to do with UV protection – is also helpful for better appreciation of depth.

Make notes of the suggestions here and apply the ones that can help make your round more enjoyable. Most of all, have fun!