Read the second paragraph in my post #37 in this thread. My problem seems to relate mainly to my right arm and hand, which seem to to have a developed a mind of their own that I can't fully control.
Curing the yips!
- Thread starter delc
- Start date
bobmac
Major Champion
The yips that I have seen have all resulted in the right hand flicking or hitting the ball at impact.
With the claw grip, you cant flick which is why you are more confident with that grip.
bobmac
Major Champion
Have you tried the V-Easy?
If that's the gadget that fits between your forearms and is locked to the top of the putter grip, then yes. Only problem is that you can't use it within the rules during a stipulated round!
bobmac
Major Champion
Did you not get the feeling of controlling your right hand with it in on?
Obviously you cant use it in comps but the idea is by practicing with it, you get your confidence back as your stroke improves.
I think the claw grip works because your right hand and forearm are rotated almost fully anticlockwise and can't close the putter club face or flick at the ball.
bobmac
Major Champion
bobmac
Major Champion
Please don't be offended. That was not my intention!Forget it, I'm out
One other possible cause of my yipping problem is that for years I played with a putter that was too long for me. 36" as opposed to the 33" one I use now. That almost forced me to have a rather wristy putting stroke. I now believe that a putter should be no longer than your floor to wrist measurement. This allows your arms to hang more freely and encourages a more pendulum type stroke.
I think that a true yip involves some sort of involuntary twitch, spasm, movement, or difficulty in starting the club back. Anything else is just bad putting!
Nowhere in any of this can I see anywhere that says you practice the stroke regularly or get out and work on the stroke or holing out. That to me would be key, and not worrying so much about how you get it in the hole as long as you do it often
Putting involves 2 skills:
1) Reading the slopes and pace of the green.
2) Setting the ball off on the intended line and at the correct pace.
It is skill 2 that yippers generally have a problem with. I would generally turn the club over and hit the ball left and often too far as well, but I could also sort of block the putt well right of the target line. I could also often hit pretty perfect putts, especially from mid range, but what happened seemed to be rather random! :mmm:
If you have got the yips, practicing can, if anything, make the problem worse!
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Sorry but that comes over as a defeatist attitude and to a degree you are reaping what you sow. If my golf game is poor, I work on it or get a lesson to cure the problem. Tool like the v-easy will help you grain a more reliable stroke and to be honest it sounds like the problem is more in your head than it is to do with technique and you're looking for an excuse
JCW
Journeyman Pro
You still going on about this yip thing Derek , I did not see anything wrong with your game when we played , we can swapped games mate
Ah yes, but that was after I changed to the claw grip! I'm still impressed by your shot from the middle of a wood at Sherfield Oaks, that you curved around lots of mature trees to finish 2 feet from the hole. About the best golf shot I have ever seen!
JCW
Journeyman Pro
More like 10 feet Derek 
, hook with a 5 iron that shot . Garcia use the claw grip and unless i was seeing things he has gone back to the normal grip in the last event in Australia
, hook with a 5 iron that shot . Garcia use the claw grip and unless i was seeing things he has gone back to the normal grip in the last event in AustraliaUSER1999
Grand Slam Winner
Practicing makes no difference, as it isn't for real. Even playing little games, to try to add some pressure does not replicate that first 2 footer in the monthly medal. On the practice ground, I could con myself into believing I am cured, but then it can still strike out on the course. Luckily I don't get it too often.
chrisd
Major Champion
I'm getting brassed off with the going round in circles bit.
If you twitch, spasm and have difficulty in taking the club back it can only come from the brain, even if it was caused by an injury your brain would stop/twitch/modify the action to save further injury or pain. So, you change your grip, in your case to a claw, your brain expects it to work and no inner doubt or experience to cause it to yip, so, you putt better and, hey presto, no yip!
To me it's no different to sticking your finger up a live electric socket, the first time you do it your brain lets you as it doesn't know what to expect, try to do it a second time and the brain will do its best to yip out of the action as it's built a knowledge of the consequence
