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Got the Y word please help

lblanto1

lblanto1

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So I have caught the dreaded yips. Completely out of no where and it’s been going on for months now. Im a 6 handicap that literally can’t putt at all now and that used to be a strength in my game. I thought it was something I could work through but it doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. I know this effects a lot of people, so has anyone “treated” themselves effectively? I tried the claw and it helped a little but still feels awful. I have two putters and one used to be my go to now feels like a foreign object in my hands. Enjoyment for the game has declined to the point where I no longer opt to play at times when I used to. Any help is much appreciated!


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i created a thread recently.

unfortunately i don’t have any great advice. i was a very decent putter. got them out of nowhere, and overcame them.

then late last year they came back again. again, out of nowhere.

right now i’m working with the claw. i’m not making much, but at least my speed is decent.

i’m sorry you’re going through this. it’s so demoralizing.


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McLovin said:
i created a thread recently.

unfortunately i don’t have any great advice. i was a very decent putter. got them out of nowhere, and overcame them.

then late last year they came back again. again, out of nowhere.

right now i’m working with the claw. i’m not making much, but at least my speed is decent.

i’m sorry you’re going through this. it’s so demoralizing.


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Click to expand...

I agree. I don’t know what’s worse, having them or trying to explain them to someone who can’t grasp them. It’s not a choice but I swear some of my buddies act like it’s something I can control.

Do you have a link to your thread?


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Have you tried a different putter yet?
 
I got them 15 years ago, and it was a result of my right hand wanting to take over. Spent a lot of time practicing different grips and the only thing that worked was flipping my right hand over (knuckles out so the thumb and index finger are closest to the left hand). There's a decent sized gap between the two hands. Completely locks the right hand in place, while not changing the left hand at all. It looks awkward and feels strange for a little while, but I committed to it and it's worked wonders since. Now I can't even play mini golf without using that grip!

Honestly, I would normally not suggest anyone try it (it's pretty ugly), but I know when you have that problem, you're willing to try anything. Good luck... Hope it helps!
 
Snickerdog said:
Have you tried a different putter yet?
Click to expand...

I go back and forth between two... different grips and shapes and weights... it’s worse with one but it still occurs in both.


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BoilerCLE said:
I got them 15 years ago, and it was a result of my right hand wanting to take over. Spent a lot of time practicing different grips and the only thing that worked was flipping my right hand over (knuckles out so the thumb and index finger are closest to the left hand). There's a decent sized gap between the two hands. Completely locks the right hand in place, while not changing the left hand at all. It looks awkward and feels strange for a little while, but I committed to it and it's worked wonders since. Now I can't even play mini golf without using that grip!

Honestly, I would normally not suggest anyone try it (it's pretty ugly), but I know when you have that problem, you're willing to try anything. Good luck... Hope it helps!
Click to expand...

Are you saying your right pinky is the closest finger on your right hand to the putter head?


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BoilerCLE said:
I got them 15 years ago, and it was a result of my right hand wanting to take over. Spent a lot of time practicing different grips and the only thing that worked was flipping my right hand over (knuckles out so the thumb and index finger are closest to the left hand). There's a decent sized gap between the two hands. Completely locks the right hand in place, while not changing the left hand at all. It looks awkward and feels strange for a little while, but I committed to it and it's worked wonders since. Now I can't even play mini golf without using that grip!

Honestly, I would normally not suggest anyone try it (it's pretty ugly), but I know when you have that problem, you're willing to try anything. Good luck... Hope it helps!
Click to expand...
+1
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Have you tried penicillin?
 
lblanto1 said:
Are you saying your right pinky is the closest finger on your right hand to the putter head?


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Click to expand...
Yes, and the right hand is fully wrapped around the grip. Definitely have to arch your back a little more to make it work (or use a longer putter).
 
Alcohol might be a good start.

Putter yips are awful, and I personally think there's no one immediately solution for them. Lots of practice, lots of drills that have you driving through the ball trying to hit certain numbers, and trying to make your practice stroke your real stroke.
 
lblanto1 said:
So I have caught the dreaded yips. Completely out of no where and it’s been going on for months now. Im a 6 handicap that literally can’t putt at all now and that used to be a strength in my game. I thought it was something I could work through but it doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. I know this effects a lot of people, so has anyone “treated” themselves effectively? I tried the claw and it helped a little but still feels awful. I have two putters and one used to be my go to now feels like a foreign object in my hands. Enjoyment for the game has declined to the point where I no longer opt to play at times when I used to. Any help is much appreciated!


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Click to expand...

Have you tried a Garsen grip, which is designed so that the thumbs are to the sides (rather than on top) of the grip ?
From this "palms upward" orientation, even if the player applies too much pressure and, or, nerves cause a yip, the putter face tends to maintain its face angle position.

www.garsengolf.com
 
DG_1234 said:
Have you tried a Garsen grip, which is designed so that the thumbs are to the sides (rather than on top) of the grip ?
From this "palms upward" orientation, even if the player applies too much pressure and, or, nerves cause a yip, the putter face tends to maintain its face angle position.

www.garsengolf.com
Click to expand...

It’s the quad and comes in a few varieties. I really liked it
 
Molten said:
It’s the quad and comes in a few varieties. I really liked it
Click to expand...

The QUAD is Garsen's most recent model, and a shape that is relatively moderate (compared to Garsen's original Edge and MAX models).
For combating the yips I expect his original Edge or MAX ,( both of which require a particular, distinctive thumbs on the side grip technique)might be more effective.
The QUAD is the Garsen which is popular among Tour players, I think because relatively few Tour players wanted to change their grip technique, and the relatively moderate profile shape of the QUAD is a more accepted fit.
That said, the QUAD might work well for the OP, it would do no harm to try.
 
Have you tried powering your putting stroke by rocking your shoulders and ONLY rocking your shoulders? I've never seen anyone with the yips who uses that technique.
 
I have developed a loop in my putting stroke from time to time. I don’t know when it will pop up. I read somewhere to watch watch/focus on either the shaft band or the putter head during the stroke. I like and have found that watching/focusing on the putter head on every putt has removed to loop, so far. Best of luck in your battle.
 
Thanks for all the responses. A lot of good stuff to try here


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I don't know how to help, when I start going the wrong way on putting I go back to basics. I line up look at the hole and kind of take in the track my ball will go on and let my brain do the math without me. Next I look strait down at the ball and my swing thought is strait back, strait through, and go through just as far as I go back. Then I dont look up. I think the yips come from trying so hard to make a putt that we stop making good putting strokes so going back to basics helps.
 
lblanto1 said:
So I have caught the dreaded yips. Completely out of no where and it’s been going on for months now. Im a 6 handicap that literally can’t putt at all now and that used to be a strength in my game. I thought it was something I could work through but it doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. I know this effects a lot of people, so has anyone “treated” themselves effectively? I tried the claw and it helped a little but still feels awful. I have two putters and one used to be my go to now feels like a foreign object in my hands. Enjoyment for the game has declined to the point where I no longer opt to play at times when I used to. Any help is much appreciated!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

While I didn’t have the yips, a few years back my putting was atrocious.

The first thing I did was get a higher MOI putter than the one I have. This helped with just visually looking down at something new.

Second I got a bigger grip. Nothing huge, but I got a SuperStroke 1.0 or 2.0 to help stabilize my hands. I also got a counter balanced set up.

Now mileage will vary, but if you’re at the stage of trying to find an answer, this might help you at least find a set up that works.
 
mikeg_74 said:
While I didn’t have the yips, a few years back my putting was atrocious.

The first thing I did was get a higher MOI putter than the one I have. This helped with just visually looking down at something new.

Second I got a bigger grip. Nothing huge, but I got a SuperStroke 1.0 or 2.0 to help stabilize my hands. I also got a counter balanced set up.

Now mileage will vary, but if you’re at the stage of trying to find an answer, this might help you at least find a set up that works.
Click to expand...
Agree with this. A counterbalanced, large foot print mallet with easy alignment can take a lot of variables out and cover up the occasional bad stroke.
 
I'm an average putter at best. What I do best is lagging. I don't 3 putt very often. But I remember getting the yips the first time I picked up golfing years ago. I didn't know what it was till someone told me. It would happen the moment before the backswing. My body would tense up and I'd get chills. I remember trying to hold it loosely, using a pendulum swing. My arms and the shaft was the string and the putter head was the pendulum. I still got that tense feeling but it wasn't affecting me as much that way. I stopped golfing for a couple years due to other life issues, work, family, etc. When I picked it back up the yips were gone.
 
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