Improve Your Tennis (And Golf) Using “The Quiet Eye” Technique

Imagine you are the server’s partner in a doubles match. Your partner has just put in a terrific first serve which the receiver barely gets back. It is floating straight to your powerful forehand volley, an easy put away if you simply spike the center T. But what happens? You get a little too excited, miss-hit the ball and it falls weakly into the bottom of the net. This one event causes a loss of confidence leading to a string of unforced errors. You end up telling yourself that today is definitely not your day.

To help remedy this situation which happens on the tennis court (and golf course) everyday you need to develop “The Quiet Eye”. So named by Dr. Joan M. Vickers at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, this is simply your ability to maintain a steady gaze on the ball just before and during contact. Using a sophisticated eye tracking device, she found that the eyes of the inexperienced player dart quickly back and forth between ball and target during stroke execution. This, of course, disrupts the stroke path causing miss-hits or even whiffs.

In an article for GolfDigest.com (January, 2004) about putting, Dr. Vickers wrote:

“Why is it essential that you develop a Quiet Eye when you [stroke]? It's simple -- your hands are controlled by your brain, which gets valuable information about what to do from your eyes. As you [stroke], your brain needs to organize more than 100 billion neurons. These neural networks are informed by your gaze, and control your hands, arms and body as the stroke is performed. These networks will stay organized for only a short period of time; a window of opportunity opens that must be used when it is at its most optimal. This is The Quiet Eye period.”

The experienced player has learned to maintain a very steady gaze on the back of the ball before and during contact. The target has already been selected so there is no need to look at it. In fact, he visualizes in advance the entire arced trajectory of the ball, always trying to control the complete ball path. Early preparation and confidence ensure a straight, smooth swing resulting in solid contact. He does not worry about the outcome of the point; instead, his sole focus is on the execution of the shot at hand.

Dr. Vickers also suggests that developing The Quiet Eye may also be essential to playing in The Zone, that optimal state where you gain effortless control. She writes:

“The notion of being in The Zone or of "flow" in sport has been around for a long time. But until now there has been little scientific evidence that The Zone exists, let alone has measurable characteristics. Perhaps The Quiet Eye will emerge as one of the objective measures.

The Quiet Eye is the glue that keeps your neurons from being scrambled when under stress. It supplies the right information at the right time. Over all, The Quiet Eye has the essence of simplicity alluded to when a [tennis player] is in The Zone. More research will tell. In the meantime, The Quiet Eye is something you can learn and add to your [tennis] game today.”

The operating idea behind The Quiet Eye is simplicity itself, but it is often difficult to achieve. Maintain a steady gaze during your stroke. Pick your target early and, without looking at it, reach your palm straight out to it. Visualize the trajectory and stay calm. Good tennis is all about consistent shot execution and fear of losing is usually the main obstacle to this goal. Try not to put your self-esteem on the line when you play a match. Relax, have a good time, and take satisfaction from a well hit ball. Winning and losing should be irrelevant.