Hank Haney’s Solution to the Yips [Part 1]

Overcoming The Yips [Part 1]

Golf instructor and analyst for ESPN Hank Haney battled the “yips” for twenty-years before developing a solution to overcome them.

He credits his strategy to more research aimed to identify the underlining source of the cause of the yips.

“Research shows that the yips are combination of motor skill problems that cause a player’s brain to distort the message being sent to the muscles,” said Haney.

To erase the yips from your putting stroke, Haney says players need to first identify whether or not the yips are the true cause of their putting problems.

One way to diagnose the yips is with a TOMI machine that uses sound waves to measure the consistency of your stroke and where the putter is traveling in space. This information is computerized and captures what the yips look like.

“If you’ve got the yips, I’ll probably be able to see it – and you’ll be able to feel it – but the machine confirms it,” says Haney.

However, you probably don’t have a TOMI machine sitting in your garage, so Haney also suggest using a putting exercise or test to diagnose the yips.

“If you have the yips, you won’t be able to do the test,” says Haney.

First, he says to set up with your feet pointed to the right of the hole about ten feet away. Then try to hook a putt back to the hole from an open stance.

“A yipper will be able to aim away left and push the ball back to the right,” says Haney.

If the diagnosis is the yips then you need to know what hand is yipping during your shot.

“If you’re a right-handed player, your yip is most likely happening in you right hand and vice versa,” said Haney.

Researchers believe this is because your dominant hand controls the club-face in a regular putting stroke.

Then you need to find out the volume of yip you have (light, medium, or heavy) when putting.

“Some player’s tremor early in the downswing, others feel it right before or at impact. A tremor at impact indicates that you are anticipating contact, and a yip early in the down stroke is more of a putter head control issue.”

Once you identify what hand yips and the volume of yip, you can begin experimenting with intervention.

He uses various methods to help golfers overcome the yips and most have to do with technical changes, such as changing your grip, a new putter, and set up.

These solutions sound temporary to me and doesn’t address the real cause of the yips:

Fear and worry.

In my next article, I’ll detail what mental game suggestions Haney suggestion for overcoming the yips in his book “Fix the Yips Forever.”

Download my free anti-yips putting drills to help you get started with better putting practice.

Read part two of this article:  Hank Haney And His Mental Game Fix For The Yips.


Overcome The Yips and Enjoy Golf Again!

Golf Yips

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 wanted to tell you I have broken out of the yips short putt issues. I have won 2 of the last 3 competitions. Right now my putting confidence is sky high. I HAD the putt yips for past 6 years. I contribute the success to two of your drills. First focus hard on the hole, forget about all else. It took awhile to get the 100% focus, but I could see the results coming. Then your advice “Let go and trust your ability.” Immediate result. Wow what a relief. Having putted for so long under yip pressure, I now feel I can be put under extreme pressure to win the club championship. I now look forward to short putts.”
~Ian Dodd


putting-yips-report-web2

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


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 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 a very low handicap and of course I have great rounds during the years, but you have taken me to a new level by curing the yips. I have just read your report again, and now I get the point in your comparing with throwing darts. I am very grateful – if you visit Denmark I will invite you out for dinner.”
~Søren Meinertsen

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