The elite golfer typically takes acquiring a target for granted. You “see” your target and you figure out how to hit a ball there. Motion Parallax is one effect that almost everyone takes for granted and training to accentuate this will open up fine-tuning of distance control. Your brain is representing this target for use by other parts of your brain as “you figure out how” to hit the ball to it.

One example of this representation is encoding motion parallax in the brain middle temporal lobe as a gauge of relative distance.

The Motion Parallax effect can be demonstrated by choosing an object of focus (say a flag or at close proximity something on the table in front of you).

Choose two other objects to notice, one in front of the chosen object and one behind it. In the example depicted we illustrate the flag, the corner of the bunker in front and a rest of trees behind the flag as the 3 objects.

Moving your head slightly to the left and right while keeping the object in focus will result in the object in front moving in the opposite direction as you are. The object behind moves in the same direction that your head moves and the relative motion of those 3 objects constitutes motion parallax and conveys depth.

In the illustrations, the golfer moves 5 yards left of the target line and 5 yards right to elicit the same effect at an approach iron distance. Training using this phenomenon deliberately to your advantage can allow better distance control.

Next time you are playing a practice round, try accentuating motion parallax with every approach shot using the pin as your point of focus.