Orikoru
Tour Winner
I've tried that before and I couldn't do it on the course. Swear I nearly missed the ball.
The yips....
- Thread starter Barking_Mad
- Start date
SocketRocket
Ryder Cup Winner
I've found the following helps:
Ensure when gripping the putter your arms are hanging naturally from your shoulders. If they are too close or too far away they will naturally try to return to the natural position which will make the arms move erratically.
Take the putter back and through by the rotation of your chest and shoulders with your elbows connected to your ribcage, don't rock them. Keep your wrists out of the putting action.
Don't follow the putter back and through with your eyes. Keep focus on the back of the ball.
Ensure when gripping the putter your arms are hanging naturally from your shoulders. If they are too close or too far away they will naturally try to return to the natural position which will make the arms move erratically.
Take the putter back and through by the rotation of your chest and shoulders with your elbows connected to your ribcage, don't rock them. Keep your wrists out of the putting action.
Don't follow the putter back and through with your eyes. Keep focus on the back of the ball.
I don't have the yips but this tip helps massively with those short, squeaky putts. Presumably it reduces twitches, jerky movements etc. Definitely helps me, when I remember to do it.
Backache
Assistant Pro
There's quite a bit about it on the internet.
I always putt heads up unless I'm off the green, definitely improved my putting.
Swinglowandslow
Well-known member
Tried it. The stroke isn’t consistent when I look at the hole.
Improved a lot since doing this.
. Line up the putt using both eyes when standing behind the ball to assess the line. Now look for a mark or something on that line not far in front of the ball.
Take your stance with the ball position determined by your dominant eye. ( this is where, in your stance you drop a ball held at your dominant eye.Note where it lands in your stance :the ball should be putted from next to that position, nearer the hole )
Putt the ball so it goes over the mark towards the hole.
Ignore what line you see when in your stance looking at the hole. It will not be the same line and it will not be the right line.
Bagger Vance
Active member
That is quite an interesting read, thanks for posting
I'm very tempted to give it a go on the course.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
Golf is so funny for it's conflicting ideas. For years we've heard "don't lift your head up until you hear the ball hit the hole", now people are saying the opposite and look at the hole the entire time. 
I must say I found this strange advice as well. Are there really people out there who are watching the putter head go back and forwards in their stroke?? I figured everybody just looks at the ball.
I do this naturally. I follow the putter head to make sure it goes back in a straight line and then I follow the ball immediately after hitting it to see where it goes. To stop doing this is a battle.Golf is so funny for it's conflicting ideas. For years we've heard "don't lift your head up until you hear the ball hit the hole", now people are saying the opposite and look at the hole the entire time.
I must say I found this strange advice as well. Are there really people out there who are watching the putter head go back and forwards in their stroke?? I figured everybody just looks at the ball.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
Christ that sounds awful, how are you meant to swing it freely if you're constantly checking the line you're swinging it on? That's insane.
I don't even think my eyes move quick enough to do that.Bagger Vance
Active member
I think it's the same concept. Moving the head causes problems when putting so keeping it still and looking at the hole are both intended to stop you moving your head by taking out the temptation to follow the putter head movement.Golf is so funny for it's conflicting ideas. For years we've heard "don't lift your head up until you hear the ball hit the hole", now people are saying the opposite and look at the hole the entire time.
I must say I found this strange advice as well. Are there really people out there who are watching the putter head go back and forwards in their stroke?? I figured everybody just looks at the ball.
Backache
Assistant Pro
When Mackenzie tested it formally using a lot of different players from high class college players to higher handicappers from memory about 70% were better putting heads up , clearly 30% were not . so it sounds like you're in the 30% but I was clearly in the 70%.
One caveat is that it did take a bit of practice to get used to it though less than I thought it would. My first attempt was woeful but I rapidly improved.
Swinglowandslow
Well-known member
Oh yes, I know it works for some. One of our lads does it in the Seniors. He’s a good putter. He’s a good player overall. Never seems to give any thought to his stance etc. walks to the ball . One look and bang.
Lots of muscle memory and no worry. He’s that sort of personality. Complete opposite of those who stand over the ball for ages.
We’re back to the Pros and their muscle memory.
Now my method in #25 is improving my putting, I’ll try the heads up before pulling the trigger.see what happens
AndrewK
Member
There is a video interview of Teddy Sheringham on the icons series about this. He states when throwing or kicking a ball you look at your target, not your hand/foot. I believe its based on better distance control than accuracy. In my game i am much more likely to miss the hole by 6-10ft because of my distance control than accuracy so i gave it a try at the weekend. I certainly wasnt any worse than normal and probably better on the longer putts. Going to stick with it for a while and see.
JonnyGutteridge
Newbie
I suffered with putting yips in recent years. It really is an awful experience and sucks the joy out of golf.
Half way through Club Champs, I decided to putt with my eyes closed. That’s how bad it was - because it literally could not have produced worse results.
I struggled with a normal putting grip, I then changed to the claw which helped (temporarily) but ultimately a couple of lessons with the pro really helped. Do not listen to hackers advice, I tried and it made things much worse.
Also, stop playing with people who comment on the yip. I had some seriously unpleasant rounds of golf with people who wanted to comment, advise, or criticise my yip. It made it significantly worse.
Half way through Club Champs, I decided to putt with my eyes closed. That’s how bad it was - because it literally could not have produced worse results.
I struggled with a normal putting grip, I then changed to the claw which helped (temporarily) but ultimately a couple of lessons with the pro really helped. Do not listen to hackers advice, I tried and it made things much worse.
Also, stop playing with people who comment on the yip. I had some seriously unpleasant rounds of golf with people who wanted to comment, advise, or criticise my yip. It made it significantly worse.
