Can Golfers Control the Yips?

Keys to Overcome The Yips in Golf

Keys to Overcome The Yips in Golf

Frustration is the one emotion a golfer cannot afford to carry from hole to hole.

Yet every golfer has experienced frustration after missing a fairway, landing in the water, pushing a putt past the cup or double bogeying in the middle of one of their best rounds.

You can probably identify several instances when frustration blocked you from playing your best…

Best case scenario, your frustration after a bad shot may only last a short period of time and you can find a way to get back on track.

Now, imagine for a second, that the frustration you experience after a missed 3-foot putt is multiplied ten times or even more.

This overwhelming level of frustration is the emotion experienced by golfers with the yips. Not only is the level of frustration more intense, it is also prolonged.

There are many factors that increase the level of frustration when dealing with the yips:

1. Unknown Origin – The yips seemingly pop up out of nowhere with no warning signs. With no obvious cause or warning, the yips are mysterious and daunting.

2. Strength Attack – The yips often affect an area that was once the strength of the golfer. This is a hard pill for a golfer to swallow…

The aspect of your game that you have consistently counted on for years now seems to be an utter crap shoot.

3. Feeling of Helplessness – Golfers who have the yips know what is happening but feel helpless to control it.

No matter how many times these golfers tell themselves to relax or to focus, the yips still show up mid-swing.

4. Practices vs. Tournament Play – To further confound the problem, golfers with the yips seem to have virtually no issues during practice versus on course play.

It is extremely frustrating to putt well on the practice greens only to fall apart AGAIN when trying to sink similar putts on the first hole.

5. Sneak Attack – Even though a golfer may be playing well, there still seems to be the feeling that it’s just a matter of time before the yips surface and it is usually at the most inopportune time.

6. No End In Sight – The yips can be so pervasive that there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel. For that reason, many golfers consider giving up the sport entirely.

As you can see, it is not just the act of yipping that can cause profound problems for a golfer but, also, the frustration of not playing to one’s potential that goes along with the yips.

It is the frustration that accompanies the yips that halts progress, interferes with peak play, disrupts focus, prevents success and limits your sense of fulfillment and enjoyment.

The yips can take you to a very lowly place but, know for sure…

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Many golfers have gone through what you have or may be currently experiencing and have made it through while taking their game to the next level in the process.

Just ask World No. 11 Tommy Fleetwood…

Fleetwood won the 2017 Race to Dubai and has continued to keep the ball rolling this year.

Fleetwood has made the cut in eight tournaments, took fourth at the Honda Classic, tied for fourth at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and tied for seventh at the Players Championship.

Despite having a solid 2018 season, there was a darker time when the yips had a stronghold on Fleetwood’s game and mind.

In 2016, Fleetwood struggled with the yips…

The driving yips consumed Fleetwood and he lost confidence in his tee shots. Fleetwood’s frustration was immense especially since he considered his driving a dependable part of his game.

Each time Fleetwood stood over his tee shot, he would feel tense, anxious and unsure, causing him to yip midway through his swing.

FLEETWOOD: “My driver is my strongest club — it’s what my game kind of revolves around. I’d yip and stand up and the ball would go 80 yards right. You’re always nervous and you’re tense, and you know it’s coming.”

The frustration mounted and the pressure became overwhelming.

At the 2015 European Tour PGA Championship, Fleetwood’s erratic tee shots wore heavy upon his mind. The yips eventually caused Fleetwood to question his ability to play on the Tour.

FLEETWOOD: “It was demoralizing. Aside from being the biggest event of the year for me, it was more the fact that you can’t do what you want to do. My confidence was so low. It was pretty difficult. My coach Alan Thompson didn’t say it at the time, but he questioned if I could ever come out of it, that maybe I was too far gone.”

The difficulty with the yips is that you know what to do, you know how to do it, you have done it before but there is a disconnect between your mind and body that inhibits your ability to perform the task.

FLEETWOOD: “It doesn’t matter how good you think, or how many balls you hit on the range, or how well you hit on the range. It’s something that you can’t control — your body is doing it… I just couldn’t keep the ball on the golf course.”

Fleetwood brings up an interesting point by characterizing the yips as “something you can’t control”.

When you worry about the result of your shot and try to consciously control your swing or control what your body is doing, you stay stuck in the yips cycle and fuel further frustration.

The keys to moving past the yips are to:

  • quiet your mind
  • let go of outcomes
  • stop over thinking
  • trust your swing

These four keys often appear simplistic and easier said than done but are critical when you are seeking to remedy the yips.

Get help now with “Breaking the Yips Cycle” video and workbook program:


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 am a single digit handicap who has battled the yips for some time. As I applied his methods I have found almost instantaneous success…. I recently shot even par to be medalist in a state qualifier (I missed too shorties to boot), but I just kept playing and my free strokes far outnumbered my bad ones. Thank you for giving me the tools I need to face my demons. I could not recommend his program more highly!”
~Alex Davis

“I was pleased to find your website and tips to address the mental issues with the yips. Your drills made sense to me. Other people only tackled technique. That isn’t the problem with me as I can stroke them all nicely on the practice putting green. I can even hit the long ones on the course. I will keep working at it and thank you for your interest.”
~Pat Collins

“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


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?

“Two of your drills have been especially helpful: Eyes closed the eyes open and the tap in drill. I have only been able to make short putts for some time with my eyes closed and have been very effective with that. Both drills have improved my overall rhythm and putting success. Only used your drill sequence for one practice session so will step up the routine to 7 days in a row.”
~Trevor Morgan

“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

“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

Leave a Comment