How to Cure the Yips in Golf

The yips are a conditioned response to certain situations that occur on the golf course and can be brought on by stress, fatigue or anxiety. The term "yips" can refer to any number of twitches, pauses, hand movements or other unexplained motor control abnormalities that occur during the course of a putting stroke. The yips adversely can affect a golfer's scores by more than five strokes per round and cause you to question every aspect of your game. The yips are considered to be a psychological condition and are treated with reconditioning drills.

Things You'll Need

  • Putter
  • Ball
  • Putting green
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine that the cause of your putting issues is the yips. If you are no longer able to make the puts you used to, unable to direct the ball in the direction of your choosing or if you repeatedly make the same errors when putting, you might have the yips.

    • 2

      Return to the fundamentals of putting and eliminate other factors. Face the hole and aim the printed logo on the ball at the hole on the line you wish to hit it. Reset your putting alignment and build a strong stance. Stand over the ball with your feet spread about as wide as your shoulders. Hang your arms straight down and tilt your head so that you are looking directly at the ball. Practice a pendulum swing back and through before striking.

    • 3

      Decide on your line and attempt your putt. Once you have lined up a putt and you are ready to hit the ball, focus on the hole and the ball and ignore anything in between. Many golfers psyche themselves out of hitting a good putt by bringing doubt and second guessing into the equation. Go with your first impression and hit the putt with confidence.

    • 4

      Eliminate head movement from your putting stroke. Instead of watching the putter swing back and forth as you make your putt, focus on the ground where your ball lies and do not leave this spot with your eyes until the ball is already on its way toward the hole. Head movement can affect the direction of your putt and the mechanics of your swing.

    • 5

      Focus on the mental aspects of the yips. If the mechanical fixes are not working for you, try to address the source of your anxiety or doubt. There are many ways to go about this process, but some of the simplest are thinking good thoughts, taking yourself out of the shot and thinking of other places and things, or remembering the last time you made a particularly difficult or lengthy putt and building some confidence around that accomplishment. Your goal should be to remove your mind from the putt and allow your reflexes and muscle memory to take over and get the job done.