Putting Yips

[Toxic]

I'm having serious trouble hitting 6-24 inch putts hard enough. Its genuinely sh1t.
Tell myself to hit it but am flicking and hoping, missed 2 putts yesterday from less than 18inches.

Need some tips/links/techniques to actually hit my putts solidly

[BobsYourUncle]

I haven't had that issue, but if it was me the first thing I'd try is following through so that my putter is going over the hole (or at least feel like it is)

[Ferrins]

Go on Holey Moley.

[Matt 3 Jab]

I'm having serious trouble hitting 6-24 inch putts hard enough. Its genuinely sh1t.
Tell myself to hit it but am flicking and hoping, missed 2 putts yesterday from less than 18inches.

Need some tips/links/techniques to actually hit my putts solidlyThe yips are totally mental. Your mind is worried about missing the putt. The fear of missing makes it worse. It's embarrassing and it snowballs. Trust me, I've had them since 2002.

You've got a few options:
1. Try and distract yourself over the putt. Try doing a really hard maths question in your head when putting (ie 562÷4) something you can actually start to process. Start when you start doing your routine. Worked wonders for me. I actually start going to myself whilst taking my practice putts", ok, 4 X 150 would be 600, so 4 X 125 is 500, so more than that, ok 4 X 20 is 80 so less...... And before you know it I've hit the 3 footer". Unless you're really good at maths.

2. Putt with a wedge. You'll see you can roll a ball with a club not designed to putt. And that it's not even a matter of technique that makes the ball go in. It's a reactionary motion.

3. Literally give up on making any putt. Tap and go. Screw the score. Care less - make more. It doesn't work for me but you'll make a heap if you actually do this.

4. I always claw grip with my right Yippy hand when I feel them. Find something that's a go to when you need to make one but still shaky. It'll happen. Find that grip that works the.l most under pressure. I almost don't touch the putter with my right hand.

You'll miss putts. You won't be a pro any time soon. It shouldn't cost you much money. Pride hurts the most. Let it go.

[Stuart]

Agree with Matt that it is mental, and about expectation of outcome. Big Randy (No Laying Up fame) spoke about his struggles with the yips, and how he ‘mentally missed’ before he putted. What he meant by that was that he adopted an expectation that he would miss every short putt before he hit it, which reduced his anxiety about the outcome (as the undesired result had already effectively happened). He also changed grip to the claw ...

Another option is to take the focus away from the hole itself. On short putts, pick a spot on the right line (i.e. between the ball and hole) and focus on putting over that spot rather than worrying about the hole. Some people also look at that spot, rather than the ball.

[Webster]

2. Putt with a wedge.

#nedding101

99% of yips are due to the breakdown of the right wrist at impact. Try holding on really hard with the right hand, get in close to the ball so your elbow is against your hip, and just push it at the hole.

[PeteyD]

Make sure you follow through is at least as long as your backswing. This helps me when I am leaving stuff short (stops me looking early).

[Toolish]

I have never had major yips, but have had a couple of minor cases.

Similar to Matts maths approach I have a saying that I just repeat in my head over and over again until the putt is hit. Makes the putting sub conscious.

Not sure what access you have to practice facilities and time but if you can go to the putting green to practice regularly then there is a practice sequence from a book called the laws of accuracy which could help.

Day 1 - Hole 100 putts in a row from 10cm, if you miss start again.
Day 2 - Hole 5 putts from 10 cm then 100 from 20cm, if you miss start again.
Day 3 - Hole 5 putts from 10 cm, 5 from 20 then 100 from 30cm, if you miss start again.
Continue the sequence.

I did this years ago and got to the stage where I holed 100 in a row from 80cm. Never felt more confident over short putts, but it takes time and commmitment.

[markTHEblake]

Day 1 - Hole 100 putts in a row from 10cm, if you miss start again.
this works, 80cm or the putter length. doesnt matter

just make a promise to yourself that you wont go home until you have holed 100 in a row. Missing short putts is definitely mental even the most unskilled idiot can hole one putt that long.

this drill is tough, especially in the nervous 90's. every time i have have enough inspiration to do this, I have always had a good day putting the next day.

[Toxic]

I have never had major yips, but have had a couple of minor cases.Similar to Matts maths approach I have a saying that I just repeat in my head over and over again until the putt is hit. Makes the putting sub conscious.Not sure what access you have to practice facilities and time but if you can go to the putting green to practice regularly then there is a practice sequence from a book called the laws of accuracy which could help.Day 1 - Hole 100 putts in a row from 10cm, if you miss start again.Day 2 - Hole 5 putts from 10 cm then 100 from 20cm, if you miss start again.Day 3 - Hole 5 putts from 10 cm, 5 from 20 then 100 from 30cm, if you miss start again.Continue the sequence.I did this years ago and got to the stage where I holed 100 in a row from 80cm. Never felt more confident over short putts, but it takes time and commmitment. CheersWill give this a try

[thecollective]

Purchase and read Dave Stockton's Unconscious Putting (book).

[Toxic]

I have never had major yips, but have had a couple of minor cases.Similar to Matts maths approach I have a saying that I just repeat in my head over and over again until the putt is hit. Makes the putting sub conscious.Not sure what access you have to practice facilities and time but if you can go to the putting green to practice regularly then there is a practice sequence from a book called the laws of accuracy which could help.Day 1 - Hole 100 putts in a row from 10cm, if you miss start again.Day 2 - Hole 5 putts from 10 cm then 100 from 20cm, if you miss start again.Day 3 - Hole 5 putts from 10 cm, 5 from 20 then 100 from 30cm, if you miss start again.Continue the sequence.I did this years ago and got to the stage where I holed 100 in a row from 80cm. Never felt more confident over short putts, but it takes time and commmitment. Cheers - Day 1 complete (sore hamstrings now)

[Toxic]

Day 2 complete- am liking this drill

[thecollective]

Day 2 complete- am liking this drill

Toxic, the above drills are good. But be careful with your expectation level next time you play a round. You can still miss putts no matter how much you practice the short ones.

[Toxic]

Toxic, the above drills are good. But be careful with your expectation level next time you play a round. You can still miss putts no matter how much you practice the short ones. Cheers missing with a good stroke put on never bothers me, fwiw I putted solidly yesterday on glassy greens at The National

[davepuppies]

I had the yips terribly......Get me inside 3 feet and I shook. Inside of 1-2 feet I was consistently missing 1-2 inches right as my club face jerked open through impact.I finally realized I was decelerating and stabbing, and going to a 1/3 backswing, 2/3 follow through has got me back accelerating and no more face manipulation

[Hux]

As someone who missed more short putts than they made I can sympathise with the OP. Changing to the claw grip has made a massive change to me. It is the only thing that has taken my right wrist out of the stroke. I will say another tip I got was through a mate who got a lesson from Mark Sargent down the Gold Coast . Speed of your backstroke has to be part fo the tempo of your forward stroke...so speeding up your backswing means it has to be shorter which means you have to accelerate your froward stroke not decel.
I have dropped from 11 to 8 just through changing my putting which means I am making more putts from inside 6 feet.

[thecollective]

As someone who missed more short putts than they made I can sympathise with the OP. Changing to the claw grip has made a massive change to me. It is the only thing that has taken my right wrist out of the stroke. I will say another tip I got was through a mate who got a lesson from Mark Sargent down the Gold Coast . Speed of your backstroke has to be part fo the tempo of your forward stroke...so speeding up your backswing means it has to be shorter which means you have to accelerate your froward stroke not decel.
I have dropped from 11 to 8 just through changing my putting which means I am making more putts from inside 6 feet.

Hux: the claw grip certainly helps but I found it a tad too mechanical. A tip I picked up in Hobart (watching Scotty Laycock coaching another player) is to keep your arms inverted and tucked into the body as much as possible. It's almost like you're anchoring the elbows against your rib cage and rock with the shoulders.

I still have a long way to go but have not suffered a yip stroke for quite some time now

[Hard_Pan]

I do things that build a level of confidence that will stick around when I need it.

I achieved that by feeling like I was putting with my shoulders, aiming to get my putter head over the hole

Now my putting is decent and no yips. Wish I could say the same for my chipping... :roll:

[Captain Nemo]

Like Jack said, Rt arm, elbow tucked in push through the putt.
https://www.secretgolf.com/
somewhere in here Elk talks with Jackie Burke I think and shows, explains this.
Invaluable.

[exmrblonde]

Exactly what my pro told me at my putting lesson about 6 months ago.
Suggested I put a Garsen Max grip on my putter, which made the world of difference. Haven’t looked back since the switch.
Makes it easy to tuck the elbows in and simply use the shoulders.

[Captain Nemo]

https://youtu.be/GNcehmw_Lic

p (https://youtu.be/GNcehmw_Lic)lenty of goodness here

[thecollective]

https://youtu.be/GNcehmw_Lic

p (https://youtu.be/GNcehmw_Lic)lenty of goodness here

this backs up the inverted arms tip. You're essentially trapping the arms into the body to stop any side movement

[Hux]

I do things that build a level of confidence that will stick around when I need it.

I achieved that by feeling like I was putting with my shoulders, aiming to get my putter head over the hole

Now my putting is decent and no yips. Wish I could say the same for my chipping... :roll:

Hearing you with chipping

[Stuart]

I am probably abnormal in terms of the 'yips' in that I am rock solid under five foot, but I started to struggle massively with anything over about 30 feet. In the past year, I could literally miss the hole by 15 feet (either left or right) from 30 foot. For whatever reason, my right hand would 'spasm' and the ball just shoots off anywhere. I 'sort-of' worked out a solution by focussing on smooth acceleration through the ball, but it was only a partial fix and the problem would still emerge unexpectedly.

What finally worked for me was actually a total fluke - I was experimenting with a home-made arm-lock type putter (using a spare iron shaft) just to try the concept. I hated the feel of it, but then for some reason I started putting like it was a shorter broom-stick. It is not anchored at all (either to chin or belly-button) but simply with left hand at the top of the shaft and my right (dominant) hand separated about 15 cms lower with a pencil-grip. Bit more mucking about, and have now settled on a 7-iron length putter (around 37.5 inches). Totally got rid of the yips on long putts, and still worked just as well on short putts.