Can't follow the ball after I hit it, need help.

Hello folks.

I am desperate for some help and please don't think I am being silly about this.

I am a pretty good player, around a 10 hdcp. Swing is decent for my age, good putter, still have the ability to hit far. But I have one big problem that keeps me away from trying to play tournament golf these days. I can't find the ball in the air after i hit it. Occasionally I will see my wedges in the air, but even if I have a 100 yard approach to the green with a wedge I often can't track the ball in the air until it hits the green.

It is very frustrating to hit a good drive, or at least I feel like I hit a good drive but can never follow the ball. I usually have to ask my playing partners where the ball went to even have an idea where to look for it, something that makes walking and/or playing by yourself impossible. Today I was in the rough on a par five, hit what I thought was a great five wood, and then took like 20 minutes to eventually find the thing after asking for help from my playing partners. Obviously there is no way I can play anything close to serious golf like this and it is driving me crazy. Even on the range I can't track a shot. The last time I played by myself I lost four or five balls that felt really good coming off the club face, but could never find out where they land. Sometimes they just go up in the air and disappear, sometimes I do not see them at all.

Any suggestions and help would be greatly appreciated.

Have you seen an optometrist about this issue? Sounds like something they may be better suited to address than us.

The only thing I can think of are some of those sunglasses I've seen advertised that apparently enhance contrast.

Can you follow other player's balls? I often fail to see where my own ball has gone but can always follow other player's.

So far the only thing that really helped was playing Callaway Pink Supersofts. Those balls are very visible in the air and from a distance. Unfortunately (and bizarrely) they are difficult for anyone to see close up. It became a running (un)funny joke. We'd all follow the ball's flight, we'd see it after it had come to a stop and then we'd get within ten yards and suddenly no one could see it.

Maddening for me and hilarious for everyone else :-/

Sounds like you'll need to pay a visit to your optometrist. Could be alot of cause for not able to floow the golf ball in the sky ( especially in those Grey glaring days ). Could be the beginning of cataract. https://facty.com/conditions/cataracts/10-symptoms-of-cataracts-know-the-signs/?style=quick&utm_source=bing-up&utm_medium=c-search&utm_term=cataract%20symptoms&utm_campaign=Facty%20Health%20-%20USA%20Optimized%20-%20Cataracts%20-%20desktop&msclkid=844ede24b5a7183a336682db44deccc0

Here is an article regarding using the tinted glasses for golfers from the golfweek.

https://golftips.golfweek.com/sunglasses-lens-color-golf-20313.html

+1 to see your optometrist. I say that as someone who can or cannot see the ball depending on if I have my glasses on (very light Rx)

I second (or +5) to seeing an eye care professional. The only other thing I may try is switching to a vibrant-colored ball. My son likes to play a bright orange ball, and I have found that it is easier to spot in the air and on the ground.

Thanks for you help so far, my optometrist has told me I am about a year from getting cataracts taken off my eyes, one of the prices we sports officials pay for umpiring sports in the summer sun for decades. I sometimes play optic green Bridgestone B-330rxs' in optic green, but they do not help often. Now that I play ProV1's color is a problem.

I wonder if it is a mechanical fault of some type, maybe its not.

As we age the framerate processing of our optical input slows down. It is actually partially responsible for why time seems to pass faster as we age. You will notice this in high frame rate activities such as cars driving by and golf balls flying.

Guessing this is partly to blame.

Just ordered prescription sunglasses because of this issue. Finally got tired of losing the occasional ball on a not so bad swing.

> @jkumpire said:

> Thanks for you help so far, my optometrist has told me I am about a year from getting cataracts taken off my eyes, one of the prices we sports officials pay for umpiring sports in the summer sun for decades. I sometimes play optic green Bridgestone B-330rxs' in optic green, but they do not help often. Now that I play ProV1's color is a problem.

> I wonder if it is a mechanical fault of some type, maybe its not.

Your not supposed to say the part about umpiring lol. I havent done summer ball in years since I started playing two nights a week league golf plus having some mowing contracts for a few hours at most that paid more than a whole week of doing summer ball I used to do.

Its not a mechanical issue unless you're constantly putting idiot marks off your driver/woods/hybrids.

I had the same problem as OP for the same reason, cataracts. Problem solved quickly and painlessly with intraocular lens replacement. 20/20 in both eyes now. Can see the driver come down and roll out. Games a lot more fun when you can follow the ball.

Steve

Play colored balls. Oakley makes golf specific Rx lenses, I have the progressive lens equivalent, they're magical.

So you're saying if they are coming at you . . . .

Sorry couldn't resist. Betting on the cataracts and maybe see an ophthalmologist about that schedule just in case.

Would definitely get eyes checked obviously. But, also, try something VERY visible like a Project A yellow ball that is really more neon green.

I played like this for about a year. Eventually my right (dominant) eye got so bad I could see the ball clearly on the ground. Couldn't tell what kind of lie I had. Couldn't read putts or judge distance.

Stress your condition to your eye Dr. There's nothing like walking down the middle of the fairway not having a clue where your ball is.

Good luck

I don't know about your club, or financial situation, but if it's that important, you might want to find a caddie.

When I was a kid I used to caddie for a guy who couldn't follow the ball.

I can follow my ball, but I also am outdriving my eyes these days. One, my eyes are getting worse, but two, I'm hitting the ball further than ever.

Also, your pupils get smaller as you age. Fact. Not many people know this.

anyone play the Project A ball?

I had the same issue before my cataract surgery. Had to play bright orange balls to even hope to follow. All good now, though. Except I have 4 dozen bright orange balls left that I can't seem to lose. Tell your doc that it is interfering with your life and seek a referral to a surgeon. Let him make the call.

Its funny, I play with a few guys like this. I got glasses that give me some insane eyesight. As soon as they hit the ball they just look right at me lol. Before these glasses, I was just like them

> @jkumpire said:

> anyone play the Project A ball?

yes, the yellow (neon green) one. Love it. I recommended it above. It seems especially "bright."

> @jkumpire said:

> Thanks for you help so far, my optometrist has told me I am about a year from getting cataracts taken off my eyes, one of the prices we sports officials pay for umpiring sports in the summer sun for decades. I sometimes play optic green Bridgestone B-330rxs' in optic green, but they do not help often. Now that I play ProV1's color is a problem.

> I wonder if it is a mechanical fault of some type, maybe its not.

Cataracts are a huge problem. Are you wearing progressive lenses as well?

Hey OP super random thought........... so take it with a grain of salt.

Out side of the optometrist comments at that seems the most obvious. personal experience thoughts

Prior life required me to be precise and track "Shots" over long distances.

What I mean during my time when calculating distance, depending on my breathing and "pull" I could tell if my long distance impacts would be low, high, left or right. With my "partner" I would call the shots with him, I would say either it was center, or low and left etc.... This would help my "partner" trace shots as well as myself to figure out my tendencies for the day. While outside influence could affect long range. I can still tell if I was squeezing properly or breathing properly and if was heavier on my tool , it would go left or if I was lighter it would go right. Or if rushed a shot prior to my momentary pause it would likely be higher... I knew my tendencies base on my interpreted feel .

In my opinion when you reach a "certain" proficiency. You should be able to "FEEL" where the shot goes. What do I mean. Personally I know I cant track my shots all the time, yet I have 20/20 vision. MY playing partners, that are much older surely cant track it either. But MOST times I go off the feel. I can feel when I pull the ball, I can feel when I block the ball.

You say you feel like you hit a good one. I know I hit many good center faced contacts, BUT at times the face is closed at impact or open at impact, But based on how my hands feel I know that its going left or right, OR if I am swiping at the ball its getting cut spin so starting left and going right or starting right and going further right.

HOW are you at tracking your FEEL on the ball. So without even looking can you TELL by feel where the ball is going?

How about some training. The next time you go to the range, if you can get a buddy to help track. dont ever look at the ball and call your shots with your buddy. Keep your head down, Dont look, hit a shot. and call it. Straight, left, right, low, high. At the same time of the shot be cognitive of the feeling. If you think its left did you notice your right hand turn over more than normal, or did your left wrest pull more than normal. If it you think it went right, did you notice your right hand stuck and not turn over or did you PULL the handle more than normal.

If a buddy is not present, maybe a range attendant can help you, make a friend in the hitting stall next to you or If your are technically proficient, get an setup with your phone or a Go pro or recording device and record the shot while taking notes.

Try to see if you can "FEEL" your shot FIRST before you visually trace it. this may help with confidence in your strikes and then ultimately know WHICH way to actually look for the ball when it leaves the club head. Again, if you feel it went left, and you LOOK left it should be there... But if your buddy tracks it right and its constantly you know now your Feeling is opposite and when the feeling pops up you look RIGHT instead and the ball should be there.

GL OP!

My opthamologist, who happens to be a golfer as well as reasonably close to my age, says it's normal for us to lose the ability to follow the ball as we age.

One more vote for cataract surgery/lens replacement. I still struggle in some skies, but a whole lot better. 20/25 in one eye. 20/20 in the other.

> @TheCityGame said:

> I don't know about your club, or financial situation, but if it's that important, you might want to find a caddie.

>

> When I was a kid I used to caddie for a guy who couldn't follow the ball.

>

> I can follow my ball, but I also am outdriving my eyes these days. One, my eyes are getting worse, but two, I'm hitting the ball further than ever.

>

> Also, your pupils get smaller as you age. Fact. Not many people know this.

>

>

City,

No clubs with caddies close to me, and my limited cash can only get me on the course. I did know about pupil size shrinking, makes at least 2 of us. Thanks for your help.

> @Socrates said:

> > @jkumpire said:

> > Thanks for you help so far, my optometrist has told me I am about a year from getting cataracts taken off my eyes, one of the prices we sports officials pay for umpiring sports in the summer sun for decades. I sometimes play optic green Bridgestone B-330rxs' in optic green, but they do not help often. Now that I play ProV1's color is a problem.

> > I wonder if it is a mechanical fault of some type, maybe its not.

>

> Cataracts are a huge problem. Are you wearing progressive lenses as well?

Yes I am, :s :( :/

> @Exactice808 said:

> Hey OP super random thought........... so take it with a grain of salt.

> Out side of the optometrist comments at that seems the most obvious. personal experience thoughts

> Prior life required me to be precise and track "Shots" over long distances.

>

> What I mean during my time when calculating distance, depending on my breathing and "pull" I could tell if my long distance impacts would be low, high, left or right. With my "partner" I would call the shots with him, I would say either it was center, or low and left etc.... This would help my "partner" trace shots as well as myself to figure out my tendencies for the day. While outside influence could affect long range. I can still tell if I was squeezing properly or breathing properly and if was heavier on my tool , it would go left or if I was lighter it would go right. Or if rushed a shot prior to my momentary pause it would likely be higher... I knew my tendencies base on my interpreted feel .

>

> In my opinion when you reach a "certain" proficiency. You should be able to "FEEL" where the shot goes. What do I mean. Personally I know I cant track my shots all the time, yet I have 20/20 vision. MY playing partners, that are much older surely cant track it either. But MOST times I go off the feel. I can feel when I pull the ball, I can feel when I block the ball.

>

> You say you feel like you hit a good one. I know I hit many good center faced contacts, BUT at times the face is closed at impact or open at impact, But based on how my hands feel I know that its going left or right, OR if I am swiping at the ball its getting cut spin so starting left and going right or starting right and going further right.

>

> HOW are you at tracking your FEEL on the ball. So without even looking can you TELL by feel where the ball is going?

>

> How about some training. The next time you go to the range, if you can get a buddy to help track. dont ever look at the ball and call your shots with your buddy. Keep your head down, Dont look, hit a shot. and call it. Straight, left, right, low, high. At the same time of the shot be cognitive of the feeling. If you think its left did you notice your right hand turn over more than normal, or did your left wrest pull more than normal. If it you think it went right, did you notice your right hand stuck and not turn over or did you PULL the handle more than normal.

>

> If a buddy is not present, maybe a range attendant can help you, make a friend in the hitting stall next to you or If your are technically proficient, get an setup with your phone or a Go pro or recording device and record the shot while taking notes.

>

> Try to see if you can "FEEL" your shot FIRST before you visually trace it. this may help with confidence in your strikes and then ultimately know WHICH way to actually look for the ball when it leaves the club head. Again, if you feel it went left, and you LOOK left it should be there... But if your buddy tracks it right and its constantly you know now your Feeling is opposite and when the feeling pops up you look RIGHT instead and the ball should be there.

>

> GL OP!

Thanks for the thoughts, yes, I can feel bad shots and try to follow them, will have to try some of your ideas.

Something else to consider if you already use a GPS device is to use the measure distance feature (or work out the resulting distance to the hole). If you know your club distances that at least narrows the target area down to an arc. I've found that helps a lot when playing alone.

As @Exactice808 posted feel can also be useful. I usually know the rough direction and characteristic so I generally know whether to be looking on the right side or left side. And if using the distance trick bear in mind that a slice or hook will reduce the overall distance and that even a fade or draw can make the ball bounce a surprising way off line.

> @jkumpire said:

> > @Socrates said:

> > > @jkumpire said:

> > > Thanks for you help so far, my optometrist has told me I am about a year from getting cataracts taken off my eyes, one of the prices we sports officials pay for umpiring sports in the summer sun for decades. I sometimes play optic green Bridgestone B-330rxs' in optic green, but they do not help often. Now that I play ProV1's color is a problem.

> > > I wonder if it is a mechanical fault of some type, maybe its not.

> >

> > Cataracts are a huge problem. Are you wearing progressive lenses as well?

>

> Yes I am, :s :( :/

When I wear my progressive lens glasses, I **always lose the ball in flight**. I can follow the ball for about 100 yards and then it's gone. It is very hard to track a ball with progressives since you are moving your vision through different focal lengths and you can't do it fast or accurately enough to follow the ball. It just vanishes at some point in flight.

I have absolutely no problem when I wear contacts. Either wear contacts or get single vision lenses for golf and you will see where the ball goes.

> @jkumpire said:

> > @Socrates said:

> > > @jkumpire said:

> > > Thanks for you help so far, my optometrist has told me I am about a year from getting cataracts taken off my eyes, one of the prices we sports officials pay for umpiring sports in the summer sun for decades. I sometimes play optic green Bridgestone B-330rxs' in optic green, but they do not help often. Now that I play ProV1's color is a problem.

> > > I wonder if it is a mechanical fault of some type, maybe its not.

> >

> > Cataracts are a huge problem. Are you wearing progressive lenses as well?

>

> Yes I am, :s :( :/

I know you said you were a year out from cataracts surgery but is there any option to move up the date?

Probably at least worth a conversation with your doctor if you haven't already.

It would really annoy me to not enjoy golf because of an easily correctable issue. Assuming the cataracts is the main issue.