How Do You Know If You Have The Yips?
Not every golfer will experience the putting yips during a career…
According to Wikipedia, Mayo Clinic researchers found that more than one-third of all serious golfers have had the yips at one time.
Long-time golfers, who have played for 25 years or more are more likely to get the golf yips. That’s a pretty big number, but at least half of all golfers never experience the yips in their career.
And you don’t want to assume you have the yips after having a poor putting round. Most young golfers do not get the yips because they are fearless and put with a child-like mindset.
Related Article: Your Mindset And The Yips When it Means More
What might the yips feel like if you have them?
Many golfers describe that they make a stabbing motion at impact. I call this a “hit impulse.”
Other golfers use terms to describe the yips, such as twitching, jerking, or flinching with their stroke or arms mostly near the impact zone when the club gets close to the ball.
If you just feel tense when you putt, I would not classify that as the yips.
Muscular tension is when you feel tight in the arms and do not swing the putter freely.
Your tension can come from anxiety about missing or worry about not playing well and embarrassing yourself.
I think when this gets extreme, it can turn into the putting yips. But most tension in the putting stroke does not turn into the golf yips…
Overcome The Yips and Enjoy Golf Again!
Golfers, do you suffer from:
- Anxiety, tension and over control of the stroke or swing?
- Performance anxiety about what others will think?
- Inability to wing the club freely on the course, despite the fact that you can in practice?
Check out: Breaking the Yips Cycle
Golfers: Learn how to overcome the fear that keeps you stuck in a vicious cycle
Instructors: Learn how to give your students the mental game edge.
Coaches: Help your team members play with freedom instead of fear or tension.
Breaking The Yips Cycle: How to Putt, Chip, And Pitch Freely and Enjoy Playing Golf Again
What are Golf Psychology Students Saying?
“I’ve had the yips for 30 years. With the anchor ban, I thought I needed to quit golf. It was frustrating hearing golf experts and commentators state that no amateur was going to quit golf because of the anchoring ban. Obviously, these experts don’t know anything about the yips. I’m so glad I found you. Your drills really helped. It might sound silly, but the biggest thing that helped me is knowing that the yips is mental. It might sound crazy, for someone to have the yips for 30 years, and not know it’s mental. I also believe I know my reason for having the yips, and I see how my insecurities in every day life contributed to the yips. Thank you for your help.”
~Kevin Stankewicz
“Yes! Awesome tips and they worked great. I was having a tough time mentally with putts inside of 4 feet for self imposed fear of missing them. After doing all of your drills I found myself just looking at the hole on the shorts putts similar to a free throw. Seems to be working. Thank you so much!”
~Shawn Barr
Download Our FREE Anti-Yips Putting Drills
Do you spend most of your practice time trapped by stroke or mechanics on the practice green?
Are you unsure how to practice to hep you overcome the putting yips?
Golfers: Learn how to putt with freedom using proven putting drills!
Download our FREE putting report and drills to help you unlock your putting potential today!
What are golfers saying about our putting yips drills?
“Patrick–something seems really weird here. You are giving out so much good material to help with the yips, and I feel like I am stealing from you! I really like your style! You don’t see that very often–ever as a mater of fact! You are an amazing guy!”
~O’Jay Omlid
“I went on to the putting green right after receiving your mail. What a great feeling of freedom. No tense at all, smiling and more consistent than ever before. I have great rounds during the years, but you have taken me to a new level with you tips for the yips. I am very grateful – if you visit Denmark I will invite you out for dinner.”
~Søren Meinertsen, Denmark
Overcome The Yips With Expert Mental Game Coaching!
Master mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn can help you overcome your mental game issues with personal coaching.
You can work with Dr. Patrick Cohn himself in Orlando, Florida or via Skype, FaceTime, or telephone. Call us toll free at 888-742-7225 or contact us for more information about the different coaching programs we offer!
What are our mental coaching students saying?
“I write you because it’s been 6 months since I started the program Breaking the Yips Cycle. Before that I was putting with a long putt and due to the ban on anchoring I switched to a short putt and started your program. The yips program has helped me a lot. I have been able to focus on what matters instead of thinking about the outcome or fearing a yippy stroke.”
~Ricardo Abogabir C.
“Yes Patrick, I’m a five handicap and also mentally handicapped by the yips. What worked for me was the aim, set and go drill. You don’t have time to think about yipping. I played today and not one yip. I owe you big time. Thanks again.”
~Mike Helms
Dr. Cohn,
I do receive your emails regularly and had once one of yur mental books helping well.
5 years ago i had a chirurgical intervention on the spinal column for low bac pain. I could still play around 10 hdcp but could’nt walk anymore. After revaidation it took me about 2 years to recover and to play 10 hdcp again. Even with a shorter game, I finf myself improved through better mind setting, but the worse is the erratic putting!
I am 67 now and can still hit drivers of 250m, but I can’t putt the small puts anymore since my recovering after surgery. Once after a 150 miles drive, I had to play on a beautiful course with some friends. Even on the putting green, I could not hit a putt without the spams you discribed, even puts of a longer distance.
I played very well the five first holes, all in regulation, all with 3 putts, the first with 4 putts!
On the 5th, I had to stop through a wrong movement that injured my bac(4 vertebres are fixed together).
Since I am thinking that there is certainly a mindset that can avoid or control yips, but the original flaw can in my case come from some entanglement of nerves not very much in the right place…?
Especially in performance situations, in match play situations, in stress situations in general, I do have enormes difficulties to try to control the yips. The result is a general lack of confidence and trying harder to compensate…
In the best rounds I played it still costs me 2 to 5 strokes more. Sometimes I am able to contol it better with strong positive feelings and especially thinking differently during the yips inducing strokes. Unfortunately these methods are not perfect and matter to wear out. Often changes as hand switching, 2 different putters and so on are helping also, but is is subjected to wear out as well. A totally new stable mental routine maybe…?
Greatings,
Guy Swaelens
Guy, yes in a few cases, past physical problems that required surgery can be the culprit. But in most cases it is mental. Changing your putter, routine, stance, and technique might help in the short term, but will only be temporary fixes to the yips in my opinion.
Patrick Cohn
I have been playing golf for over 50 years. Putting has always been a challenge for me but I learned to become a good putter. Well enough to win two club championships. Last year I changed country clubs. My new course has greens with a steep back to front pitch and the pins are often cut on side hills. I started missing a lot three footers. After a while my forearms started getting very tight, to the point where I can’t feel the putter. I have miss hit, decelerated and double hit putts. i even do this in practice rounds when no one is around. All I need do is play for a score and my forearms lock up. I thought that taking the winter off would have helped but I am still yipping. I am still playing pretty well from tee to green but my putting is a mess. I was getting so disgusted with putting that on some days I feel liking throwing the bag clubs and all into the pond. I thought it might be an age issue but there are plenty of good putters at my club, my age or older.