Putting - The yips I think!

[3offTheTee]

I have always been above average at putting especially lag although I have had problems lifting my body with short 3 foot putts.

In the last month the 20/25 feet putts are causing a problem. I am not following through, have too short a back swing, which means I am rushing and the putts are being pulled going to the left of the hole.

The stroke is not fluid with a jerky action and am probably breaking my wrists.

Any help or drills would be appreciated.

 

[Doh]

What sort of grip are you using (hands) and (club).

 

[3offTheTee]

What sort of grip are you using (hands) and (club).

Thick grip. Right hand below left

 

[Huwey12]

I always use a drill by Justin Rose. Place a coin on your putter head and it should stay on during the backswing, this drill really smoothes things out

 

[delc]

Sounds like the yips I'm afraid, although it's usually short putts that are affected first. Suggest that you make an effort to keep your head still and down until the putt is well on its way. Looking up before the putt is struck will always cause bad putting. You might also try putting with your eyes closed, or looking at the hole a la Jordan Spieth. If these fail, try putting cross handed or with the claw grip.

 

[bobmac]

The stroke is not fluid with a jerky action and am probably breaking my wrists.

Any help or drills would be appreciated.

I would say if you are jerking it back, you are definitely breaking your wrists.
It's the small 'fast twitch' muscles in the wrists that are affecting you stroke.
If you can stop using your wrists and start using your back and shoulder muscles (slow twitch), you will have a much smoother stroke

 

[Slab]

I have one of those plastic things that attach to the putter shaft with a little depression you can rest a golf ball on

The idea is that the ball resting on the attachment should never fall off and helps promote a smooth swing as you practice putting



edit, found a pic, company called SKLZ

 

[3offTheTee]

Cheers guys for your help. I am playing in an hour so will take the comments on board!

 

[woody69]

I think you are worrying too much... 20-25 ft!! The best on the PGA at that distance, only makes around 21% of their putts

 

[ChopperMcChoppyface]

Generally most putting and chipping yips come from putting too much force on the grip in the change of direction towards the target... It kinda jackknifes the club around its balance point.

Have a go thinking release of the putter head as one option, the other is messing about a bit with tempo and swing length...

If if you take it back too short or too slow going back or even worse both, your brain will try to compensate with an over acceleration or hit...

The following is just "a way" not "the way" which doesn't exist 😉

A good practice drill is saying "one potato" in your head or out loud from dart to end of backswing as you hit a 20 foot putt...if it goes good distance with a decent strike you've made a good length backswing and have not over or under accelerated.

By using the same word shorter putts with shorter backswings "feel" slower and longer putts with longer backswings "feel" faster

In effect though whatever length of backswing it will take the same time, this is one way of teaching yourself "touch"

Another good one is to do the same (out loud or in your head and say "Boom" at impact to the finish of your follow through

too much acceleration and you'll barely have a chance to say it, too long a follow through and it becomes "booooooooooooom"

so so so many ways of doing things differently and this is just "a way"

From a former chipping and putting "yipper"

Good luck!!!

 

[rickg]

Sounds like the yips I'm afraid

Rubbish!