Yips

The yips are considered the most mysterious phenomenon in golf. The short game is almost always affected: short putts from one or two metres, less often chips and pitches. The player wants to strike the ball calmly, yet the hands twitch at impact, the club twists and the ball shoots past the hole. The phenomenon is explained as a mixture of neurological misfiring and mental tension — similar to Muscle Twitches under stress. It can affect players of any level, from club golfer to tour professional.

In practice, the yips show up in typical situations. An example: you have the birdie putt from a metre and a half, the round is going well, and right now the right hand cramps — the ball misses by a metre. Afterwards the fear of the next short putt grows and the vicious circle begins. Proven remedies are a change of technique: a long Putter with a different grip, the Cross Handed grip or a claw grip take control away from the twitching hands. A change of focus — on the ball instead of the hole, for example — also helps some players.

A typical misconception: the yips are not a sign of poor technique or a lack of practice. Anyone who has them can hole perfect putts on the Driving Range and still twitch on the course. Pure repetition rarely solves the problem — quite the opposite, it often increases the tension. More sensible are changes of routine, breathing techniques and a relaxed attitude to the result. A solid Preshot Routine is one of the most effective remedies of all.