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The Dreaded Putting Yips - Confined to Putting Only - Or is Dystonia The Cause?

GolfLivesMatter

GolfLivesMatter

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Are there other folks like me who practice putting on the putting green, nice smooth strokes, with most balls near the hole. Then on the first green, take nice smooth practice strokes, see the line, etc. Then you get over the ball and almost "freeze", then make some choppy stroke with the right hand flipping, or nearly top or chunk the putt. What happened between the practice range and the first green, or in the moments between the practice strokes and the actual putt? It's maddening. Don't even talk about 2 foot putts in some match play tourney that everyone expects you to make!!

Plus, Just two weeks ago I was driving the ball 250 with a very high fairway's hit percentage. Then out of nowhere, I'm topping drives, almost every single one!! I finally figured out I was coming out of posture, but why?

Then I found that I might have what's called Dystonia. The Mayo Clinic defines Dystonia as "it now appears that some people have the yips due to a neurological condition affecting specific muscles (focal dystonia)". According to Mayo, the symptoms are an involuntary muscle jerk, although some people experience tremors, twitches, spasms or freezing. The yips are a type of focal dystonia, a condition that causes involuntary muscle contractions during a specific task. It's most likely related to overuse of a certain set of muscles, similar to writer's cramp. Anxiety worsens the effect.

So knowing this, I suspect the "yips" are not all about putting, but might translate into chipping, pitching, full shots, and even the Driver. I wonder if anyone else has looked into this and possibly how they got past Dystonia-like symptoms.
 
Been there, done that. It is not a nice place to be. I fixed my putting woes when I realised that my concepts about how the body needs to work was flawed. My hands were overworking as against holding the putter and sensing the position of the putter face . My grip on the club was so tight that feel of the putter was distorted. Over time the nervous system was trying to tell me it had had enough. So I started to listen.
Under the rules of golf the golf swing is a flail action - putting is a miniature swing. A flail is a tool or weapon with a swivel or tongs between the handle and the swipple (striking part). In the golf swing the body to the elbows is the handle, the forearms/wrists are the tongs, and the hands are part of the swipple.
In order to use a flail with any accuracy, it is important to take into account the tongs.
I based my putting stroke on this principal, where the motive power of the stroke comes from the body not from the forearms, wrists and hands.
 
I have had the yips and seem to have them tamed now. When they first came on I went to the long putter to get rid of them. I got a little jumpy on pitching/chipping for a while. I changed some technique stuff up and put those to bed. For putting I went to the claw. With the claw I don’t get jumpy at all.

I have a putting mat in my office and I can roll hundreds of putts with a regular grip or cross handed (the way I was putting when I got the yips) but when I get to the golf course I get jumpy still. With the claw my stroke is nice and smooth and not jumpy.

None of this has ever translated to anything longer than a chip/pitch (inside 10 yards).
 
Chef23 said:
I have had the yips and seem to have them tamed now. When they first came on I went to the long putter to get rid of them. I got a little jumpy on pitching/chipping for a while. I changed some technique stuff up and put those to bed. For putting I went to the claw. With the claw I don’t get jumpy at all.

I have a putting mat in my office and I can roll hundreds of putts with a regular grip or cross handed (the way I was putting when I got the yips) but when I get to the golf course I get jumpy still. With the claw my stroke is nice and smooth and not jumpy.

None of this has ever translated to anything longer than a chip/pitch (inside 10 yards).
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I'm wondering if the claw somehow hampers the twitch muscles. Interesting to hear your experience!
 
GolfLivesMatter said:
I'm wondering if the claw somehow hampers the twitch muscles. Interesting to hear your experience!
Click to expand...

I was told at a clinic at TPC Sawgrass that not having the palm of your right hand face the hole reduces twitching and yips. It works for me. Even when I used the long putter I used a pencil type grip that didn’t have my palm facing the target.
 
GolfLivesMatter said:
I'm wondering if the claw somehow hampers the twitch muscles. Interesting to hear your experience!
Click to expand...
The claw style of putting has the trail shoulder locked in internal rotation. If there is any internal rotation of this shoulder during the stroke, it will close the putter face. Basicly it is a form of casting. Even a minimal of I R will impact on the putter face.
Others like Tommy Fleetwood lock their shoulder into external rotation and hold it through the stroke.
If a golfer is not aware of the IR thing, he/she loses confidence and everything goes downhill from there.
It is a cruel game.:)
 
www.garsengolf.com Edge or MAX putter grips require a thumbs to the side technique which I believe prevents a yip putting stroke.
 
Not a yip fix for everyone, but a few years ago I contracted a case of the putting yips.

The fix that worked for me was going to a heavier putter. I went from 300 gram putter to a 500 gram model.

Actually what I did was put a 33" shaft on on a belly putter head.

Apparently the extra weight fooled what ever was causing my yips, and the jerkiness disappeared immeadiately.

As for yips with other clubs, I have not expierienced any yips with them.
 
WLG1952 said:
Not a yip fix for everyone, but a few years ago I contracted a case of the putting yips.

The fix that worked for me was going to a heavier putter. I went from 300 gram putter to a 500 gram model.

Actually what I did was put a 33" shaft on on a belly putter head.

Apparently the extra weight fooled what ever was causing my yips, and the jerkiness disappeared immeadiately.

As for yips with other clubs, I have not expierienced any yips with them.
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I thought about the heavier putter because by going to the extreme, if I was putting with a sledgehammer it would be nearly silly to invoke my involuntary small muscle twitches. Conversely, swinging a putter with the weight of a straw could easily invoke the "twitchers". Maybe there's a training program somewhere with the two? LOL.
 
razaar said:
The claw style of putting has the trail shoulder locked in internal rotation. If there is any internal rotation of this shoulder during the stroke, it will close the putter face. Basicly it is a form of casting. Even a minimal of I R will impact on the putter face.
Others like Tommy Fleetwood lock their shoulder into external rotation and hold it through the stroke.
If a golfer is not aware of the IR thing, he/she loses confidence and everything goes downhill from there.
It is a cruel game.:)
Click to expand...
Interesting points. I've also tried Nicklaus's side saddle stance which did seem to help. So at least for the putting aspect, I might get a heavy putter, with a different grip, then employ side saddle stance! I've tried the claw but I feel my left shoulder getting more involved which was hard for me to control. Then again, maybe I wasn't doing it quite right. Worth another try.
 
GolfLivesMatter said:
Did not know that, thanks! I'm going to look into those grips.
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You will see a few styles of Garsen grips. For combating the yips I recommend the Garsen MAX. It was not designed for yippers per se, but the technique required to use this grip (thumbs-to-the-sides of the grip rather than on top of the grip), does eliminate the yip stroke. Henrik Stenson used this grip a few years ago when he defeated Mickelson to win the British Open.
 
I know at 40 and being a computer programmer with a cyst in my right wrist and a mediumish case of carpal tunnel, my hands just aren't that steady. Any tension in my swing or putting will result in inconsistency because that forces my hands to be more involved and introduces some timing mechanics for me to get right. I just get loose as possible, focus on my line, and put a good firm swing on it. That is the most consistent method for me.
 
DataDude said:
I know at 40 and being a computer programmer with a cyst in my right wrist and a mediumish case of carpal tunnel, my hands just aren't that steady. Any tension in my swing or putting will result in inconsistency because that forces my hands to be more involved and introduces some timing mechanics for me to get right. I just get loose as possible, focus on my line, and put a good firm swing on it. That is the most consistent method for me.
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I can get as loose as possible, then splat...lol. The only thing that has somewhat helped aside from side saddle setup is to focus on an inch in front of the ball and watch the putter pass over that inch, then I tell myself I can go berserk thereafter and twirl the putter if required!!
 
Recovering yipper here. Went to the belly putter first, then moved on to left hand low with a short heavy putter & an upright lie angle when they made anchored putting illegal.

The right amount of alcohol helps too.
 
DG_1234 said:
You will see a few styles of Garsen grips. For combating the yips I recommend the Garsen MAX. It was not designed for yippers per se, but the technique required to use this grip (thumbs-to-the-sides of the grip rather than on top of the grip), does eliminate the yip stroke. Henrik Stenson used this grip a few years ago when he defeated Mickelson to win the British Open.
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I just checked them out online. I'm going to try the Max. Thanks!
 
WLG1952 said:
Not a yip fix for everyone, but a few years ago I contracted a case of the putting yips.

The fix that worked for me was going to a heavier putter. I went from 300 gram putter to a 500 gram model.

Actually what I did was put a 33" shaft on on a belly putter head.

Apparently the extra weight fooled what ever was causing my yips, and the jerkiness disappeared immeadiately.

As for yips with other clubs, I have not expierienced any yips with them.
Click to expand...

For a long time I putted with a belly putter cut down to 38” then backweighted. Kind of a home made version of the balanced putters TM and Scotty made. It definitely helped quiet my hands.
 
Bumping this thread because I was looking-up putting yip issues and guess what? I found my own thread. Lol. Here's an update.

So I tried different putter grips and unfortunately did not find any direct correlation between grip size, type, shape etc, vs. elimination of the "yips". I tried the claw and while that worked much better, especially for short putts, my right hand was still directing the path from out-to-inside, or across the ball. I also checked shoulder rotation and experimented with different positions / rotations. Again, no clear "better" position / movement. So as a test, I have a standard grip putter and a Super Stroke and compared the two on carpet, or NOT on the course. What I found is either worked and I had no yips, or involuntary right hand twitching. Then I went to the practice putting green and suddenly my right hand started flinching, and curiously enough not on the practice swing but on the actual swing to strike the ball.

So now I think I'm either insane or my brain is trying too hard in the "golf environment" to perform, and/or my brain does not trust the putting movement performed at home on carpet. This is very weird. I think it's just something to fight through by maybe simply "not caring" about making a putt. Maybe that's why some pro's close their eyes? LOL.
 
Hank Haney famously has the Driver Yips.

It can happen with any club.

Putting? For me, any singular bad putting stroke is mental - the thinking must be done before address.

I found that I need to get set, look, go... don't stand over ball. Go.

and the tempo must be at least medium.

Keep my eye on a dimple behind the ball.

Don't worry about making the perfect stroke - make great contact.

Only look when your arms stop moving.

Be confident - but when you get over the ball - Go - thinking over the ball ruins putting.
 
Just a quick question. Is there any medical marijuana for putting? Aksing for
Desmond said:
Hank Haney famously has the Driver Yips.

It can happen with any club.

Putting? For me, any singular bad putting stroke is mental - the thinking must be done before address.

I found that I need to get set, look, go... don't stand over ball. Go.

and the tempo must be at least medium.

Keep my eye on a dimple behind the ball.

Don't worry about making the perfect stroke - make great contact.

Only look when your arms stop moving.

Be confident - but when you get over the ball - Go - thinking over the ball ruins putting.
Click to expand...
Happy New Year Desmond. Thanks for the post!
 
GolfLivesMatter said:
Just a quick question. Is there any medical marijuana for putting? Aksing for

Happy New Year Desmond. Thanks for the post!
Click to expand...

:ROFLMAO:

I have a penchant for overthinking and know it. So the brain needs to be turned off over the ball.
 
i have the yips with putting and chipping. i’m still holding out hope that it’s just technique and not something muscular/nerve. because there are times i can make a good stroke/swing, and other times the muscles fire involuntarily. so i assume i do something different in technique, but don’t realize it.
 
I wonder if once the golfer reads their putt, and has their line, that once they get into their stance, they start to 2nd guess themselves?

That this 2nd guessing screws up their putting stroke.

We all read putts in different ways, but I bet most of us never read a putt standing side saddle in our final putting stance.

Being in our stance, that putt is going to look a whole lot different than when read it square shouldered.

Probably best the golfer trusts their pre-stance read, and rolls the ball on that line.
 
GolfLivesMatter said:
Just a quick question. Is there any medical marijuana for putting? Aksing for

Happy New Year Desmond. Thanks for the post!
Click to expand...
CBD works wonders for YIPS...a friend told me 😂

Spend some time practicing and really concentrate on pulling back and through using your big muscles...I feel it more near my scapulas on each side...Pull/Pull
 
TrueMotionMatt said:
CBD works wonders for YIPS...a friend told me 😂

Spend some time practicing and really concentrate on pulling back and through using your big muscles...I feel it more near my scapulas on each side...Pull/Pull
Click to expand...
I ask this because I don't know, but does CBD fall with in the usga rules to use?
 
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