how to conquer the golf yips

How to Cure the Yips in Golf

1. Forgive Yourself Seriously, I know this sounds corny but golfers love to personalize things. ...
2. Diagnose the Issue Once you’re in the right headspace to fix the issue, the next step is to act like a doctor and diagnose the issue at hand. ...
3. Take Action to Beat the Yips

Full Answer

How do I get Over the yips in golf?

Even when you have the yips you may be able to make the correct moves through the stroke when in slow motion. This can be a good way to conquer the problem. Start by practising a swing so slowly that the twitching is not present.

What are the causes of golf yips?

A Yipping problem is commonly thought to have two components to it: a physical issue and a mental issue. With the physical side, it is possible that golf yips are being caused by an insecurity towards the proper technique to master for a given shot.

Do you putt longer with the yips?

Indeed, whereas a lengthy distance to the cup can lead to a 3-putt situation at worst, executing a putt with the yips can easily send the ball off the green for any of those 3 putts.

Can the yips kill you in the golf game?

Suffering from the yips can be fatal for a game of golf because it leads to catastrophic shots. It can strike anytime, regardless of the club being used. Indeed, whereas a lengthy distance to the cup can lead to a 3-putt situation at worst, executing a putt with the yips can easily send the ball off the green for any of those 3 putts.

How do you get rid of the yips in golf?

TreatmentChange your grip. This technique works for many golfers, because it changes the muscles you use to make your putting stroke.Use a different putter. A longer putter allows you to use more of your arms and shoulders and less of your hands and wrists while putting. ... Mental skills training. ... Botox injection.

Why do I have the yips golf?

It's most likely related to overuse of a certain set of muscles, similar to writer's cramp. Anxiety worsens the effect. Some athletes become so anxious and self-focused — overthinking to the point of distraction — that their ability to execute a skill, such as putting, is impaired.

Can you get over the yips?

In general, how athletes get rid of the yips depends on the cause. If it's mainly due to focal dystonia, they'll change their grip or movement. Many athletes also overcome the yips by working with a sports psychologist and learning mental strategies.

Who has had the yips?

Here are the 10 worst, or most well-known, cases of the yips in professional golf.Bernhard Langer—a Career Long Battle with the Yips.Mark O'Meara—Saw Your Way Past the Yips. ... Sergio Garcia—the Long Island Waggles. ... Kevin Na—Can't Pull the Trigger. ... Tommy Armour—the Man Who Coined the Phrase. ... More items...

What are the full swing yips?

Stenson developed the full-swing yips—an issue that has sent an all-star cast of players into retirement (and often the broadcast booth) in the past two decades.

Why is it called The Yips?

The word "yips" was coined by touring golf pro and instructor Tommy Armour. He first experienced the golf yips in 1927 at the Shawnee Open, where h...

What are the yips in golf?

Mayo Clinic describes the golf yips as "involuntary wrist spasms that occur most commonly when golfers are trying to putt." Some people have the yi...

How do you get rid of yips in golf?

A Yipping problem is commonly thought to have two components: a physical issue and a mental issue. On the physical side, it is possible that golf y...

Who wrote the book Fix Your Yips Forever?

The celebrated former coach of Tiger Woods, Hank Haney, wrote a book called ‘Fix Your Yips Forever’ about his twenty year battle with the yips off the tee with the driver.

Who wrote the book The Inner Game of Golf?

As far back as the early 1970’s, Tim Gallwey wrote the groundbreaking book ‘ The Inner Game of Golf’ which had such widespread success and gained a hugely popular following.

What is the condition called when you play golf?

In high-level musicians, the condition is referred to as musician’s dystonia . In golf, we call it the yips. The cause of dystonia is, at this moment in time, not precisely understood. Misfiring of neurons in the sensorimotor cortex, a thin layer of neural tissue covering the brain, is thought to be the cause.

What does yips mean in golf?

The yips or even excess tension can affect your putting, chipping, pitching, or full shot. The yips cause golfers to overthink and over control their strokes…. Over control leads to tension, the death grip, and wobbly legs. The real fear: you are suddenly aware that everyone is watching you and the fear of embarrassment is overwhelming.

What helped Stenson overcome the full swing yips?

What helped Stenson to overcome the full swing yips and return to his successful ways? Stenson had the belief that the yips were not permanent. He had the mental fortitude to focus forward in order to work through the full stroke yips. That doesn’t mean he will forever hit the ball straight and true.

What is the fear of yips?

The real fear: you are suddenly aware that everyone is watching you and the fear of embarrassment is overwhelming. A game your once loved turns into agony when you have the yips and worry about how others view your game. The yips are almost a taboo topic for golfers.

How to overcome tips in golf?

You must stop searching for physical remedies and denying the mental part of your game. The first step to overcoming the tips is to accept that it’s a mental phenomenon. Fear of failure and embarrassment are the main culprits, not your putter, grip or mechanics. You mechanics only change because of your mind.

Can yips drive you out of golf?

This leads to tension and over control of the stroke causing your to flinch or jab at the ball. Imagine how difficult it is to play with the full swing yips! Yes, the yips can manifest in any part of ...

Is yips a taboo topic?

The yips are almost a taboo topic for golfers. Most golfers don’t even like to watch another golfer struggle with the yips for fear they may contract the yips by osmosis. Henrik Stenson had a difficult stint with the yips.

How to get better at yips?

1. Buy a new putter. Sometimes, you just need to look down at something a little different. A fresh start, and a clean break from the bad times. 2. Lots of short-putting drills. There’s no easy way around the yips. It takes lots of practice drilling short putts.

Does adding a little bit of movement help yips?

This was an interesting suggestion: One of our survivors said that adding a little bit of movement, rather than standing rock-solid still, helped relive some tension and cure their yips.

Does arm lock putting help yips?

Arm-lock putting is increasingly popular on Tour, and it could help cure your yips. Or you could take a page from Sam Snead’s book and give side-saddle putting a try. If it’s good enough for one of the best ever, it may extend the life of your career, too.

Full Swing Driver Yips

If you are struggling with the full swing yips then please don’t suffer in silence, drop me an email or call me. I hope I can help you just as I have helped lots of golfers with these problems over the last 20 years that I have been coaching yippers of all varieties.

Kevin Na Yips

Kevin Na had such a bad case of the yips that he could not pull the trigger on his tee shots. He had the driving yips, something I have helped many people overcome. He got so used to overanalysing his shots that his mind became stuck.