Designing better putters with eye tracking

Putting demands more precision than any other part of golf. Even minor inconsistencies in alignment or focus can determine the outcome of a round. One concept closely tied to putting success is quiet eye (QE), defined as the final visual fixation on a target before starting movement. Research shows that longer QE durations are associated with better performance. 

Turning vision science into improved putting performance 

PING set out to explore whether putter design itself could influence this behavior. By using eye tracking with Tobii Pro Glasses 3 during development, PING launched its new Scottsdale Tec putter line featuring Eye-Q technology, designed to help improve visual focus when setting up for the putt. 

A legacy of engineering meets player-centric research 

For over 65 years, PING has combined engineering expertise and player insights to create equipment that enhances performance. With more than 100 engineers focused on understanding how golfers interact with their clubs, research remains at the core of every product decision. 

Eye tracking has been part of this approach for years, helping PING move beyond assumptions and directly measure how players see, aim, and execute shots. 

From quiet eye research to design hypothesis 

Quiet eye is not just about where a player looks, but how stable that gaze remains. Studies show that stabilizing the final fixation improves performance under pressure, even among elite golfers (Vine, Moore, & Wilson, 2011; Moore et al., 2012). Disruptions to that fixation reduce performance, even when visual information remains unchanged (Harris, Wilson, & Vine, 2023). 

QE is also linked to efficient motor preparation. Research suggests that performance differences may be associated with distinct neural patterns, including lower frontal theta activity, indicating a more focused and controlled state (Carey et al., 2024). 

Building on existing QE research, PING formulated a clear hypothesis: if putter design could influence gaze behavior, it could increase QE duration and improve putting outcomes. 

Embedding eye tracking across the entire design process 

Instead of viewing eye tracking as just a validation step, PING incorporated it throughout the entire product development process. 

Using Tobii Pro Glasses 3 and Tobii Pro Lab software, the team carried out multiple testing rounds, from early concepts to final prototypes. 

In early experiments, golfers wore eye tracking glasses while putting with a blank club head. Researchers added different visual elements to test how alignment features affected gaze behavior. This enabled the team to identify which design features most effectively guided visual attention. 

Across several structured studies, mostly conducted during prototyping, PING examined both performance outcomes and gaze data. Heat maps of the final fixation, along with the size and consistency of the visual focus area, helped identify designs that supported more stable and precise alignment.

Measurable gains in visual focus and performance 

The final design, branded as Eye Q technology, demonstrated clear impact. On average, QE duration increased by 23%, with 67% of golfers showing improvement when using the putter. 

Even before the official launch, professional adoption provided early validation. Players such as Tony Finau quickly included the putter in their bags, seeing immediate performance improvements on tour. 

A repeatable model for data-driven innovation 

PING continues to expand its use of eye tracking, with plans to take research beyond the lab and into real-world gaming settings. Since Tobii Pro Glasses 3 can record precise data both indoors and outdoors, this creates new opportunities to analyze performance in everyday environments. 

This approach emphasizes a key lesson: combining behavioral data with iterative design leads to measurable performance gains. By continuously testing hypotheses and refining based on real user data, PING has developed a repeatable model for innovation. 

References 

Quiet eye training expedites motor learning and aids performance under heightened anxiety: the roles of response programming and external attention, (Vine, Moore, & Wilson, 2011; Moore, Vine, Cooke, Ring, & Wilson, 2012) 

 The effect of performance pressure and error-feedback on anxiety and performance in an interceptive task, (Harris, Wilson, & Vine, 2023)  

Commit to your putting stroke: exploring the impact of quiet eye duration and neural activity on golf putting performance, (Carey et al., 2024)