Years ago, I developed a putting yip that eventually crept into my entire game. It is what drove me away from golf for the first time, for about a three year period.
The first time I experienced a “yip” was when I had a 4 foot putt to win the Pennsylvania State High School championship.
I had a 2 shot lead over future tour player Ted Tryba heading into the last hole. I had never been in position to win such a big tournament, so you can imagine the pressure and anxiety I was feeling.
Long story short, after several blunders on the last hole, a par 5 that I had never played worse than birdie, I still had a putt for par to win by 1 after Ted made birdie.
I didn’t even hit the hole, and it was because I had a major flinch right at impact.
Now, to be sure, I did not experience a yip like that for about six years. However, as you can imagine, it was always in the back of my mind.
When I was 23, the yips came at me in full force, starting in the Spring. I was able to win a tournament at the time even though the yips were really giving me problems. My ball striking at the time was that good.
However, within a few years, those yips seemed to have crept into my entire swing, and I literally had no control of any shot.
Fast forward to 15 years ago.
At the time, I was attending Hank Haney’s teaching seminar. I had not played much golf over the previous ten years, but I had decided to start teaching, and I thought I better go learn how to teach.
Hank was still working with Tiger Woods, and at the time, the cost of this seminar was only $750. I couldn’t pass it up.
I met with one of Hank’s senior instructors the day I arrived, and we went to the range. He assured me I did not have a full swing yip, which is what Hank himself had to overcome.
What causes the yips?
During the seminar, Hank explained that he had done some research on the causes of the yips.
The yips can actually affect athletes in other sports. I remember when Yankee 2nd basemen Chuck Knoblauch had the throwing yips. He struggled getting the ball over to 1st base.
Hank explained that the yips are caused by motor skill problems that cause the brain to distort the message being sent to the muscles.
For me, this distorted message would turn into a flinch in my right hand at impact. It was so bad that it was visible to the naked eye of anyone who was playing with me.
To overcome the yips, Hank recommends a combination of technical changes, such as grip and setup, to mental changes such as developing a completely different pre-shot routine.
All I did personally was change the way I held the putter so that my right hand could not be dominant in the stroke. The flinch was entirely in my right hand (my dominant hand), and this proved to be the cure.
I haven’t yipped a putt since.
3 step cure for the yips
I now have a 3 step cure for the yips for any player who is dealing with them.
First, change to a saw grip similar to what Hank introduced to Mark O’Meara. Any version will do. You’ve likely seen numerous players on tour switch to such a grip, including Phil Mickelson.
Second, drastically change your pre-shot routine. For instance, if you take 3 practice strokes before you putt, do zero.
Lastly, practice your putting in a way that focuses your attention on making perfect contact.
A great way to do this is by learning how to putt with your sand wedge.
You need to make perfect contact in the center of the ball with a very small surface area in order to make putts with your sand wedge.
Learn how to do that and it will give you more confidence with your putting.
Good luck!
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