Remember Neil? He is the friend I wrote about in an article for World Golf who has had the putting yips for years.
Neil has learned to live with his affliction and recently improved even more. I loaned him this book, which he says actually helped quite a bit. The biggest difference? He doesn’t care anymore. He always had a good attitude about it and handled some friendly ribbing from his golf buddies with grace. Now he just makes putts and doesn’t care how his stroke looks. Period. He doesn’t care.
He’ll ask his buddies on the putting green, “Do you want me to hook it or cut it?”
In this video, you’ll see his putting stroke in action from before the recent improvement. Keep in mind, this was taken on the practice green, where the putts don’t count. When we got out to the actual golf course and the putts were from within 6 feet, that stroke became more… spastic… for lack of a better term. There was a definite hiccup that appeared from time to time. I wish I would have taken some footage on the course but pace of play was more important at the time. 
Music credit: Tom Waits, Jockey Full of Bourbon
Neil has some interesting coping methods. The putter he uses is completely flat so he can putt with it either right or left handed. He has learned to putt pretty well left handed and has a pretty normal stroke from that side. The close putts are the ones that really bring out his yips, so that’s when he’ll turn around and putt left handed.
He has tried many “remedies” over the years but what really has him managing his Yips now is his ability to relax. He says his grip on the putter is so light it’s like he’s barely holding it. He no longer cares about his stroke so he just relaxes and lets himself putt. Back and through, feeling nice and smooth. To the onlooker, the stroke doesn’t look as smooth as he says it feels, but that’s not important. And the hiccup almost never appears.
Big thanks to Neil for his open participation and willingness to share.
October 4, 2007 at 7:54 am
As a guy who never ever makes a putt longer than a couple feet during most rounds; I say good job Neil for at least trying unconventional stuff that may get the job done.
Seems like a Player / Palmer stance – Mayfair / Waldorf cut stroke – with a David Duval full swing head movement. Could be gold.
You can tell he can play – looks like one of those guys that joins your group last minute and then you somehow end up paying him twenty+ bucks at the end of the day
November 9, 2007 at 5:38 am
Sorry – I didnt watch the video but – I am a 53 year old who developed as bad a case of the yips as you can get. I was determined to conquer this affliction and am fortunate enough to have a carpeted area (living room and adjacent family room) which gives me 40′ of carpeted straight-away. Over the course of last winter, I stroked approximately 10,000 putts -both short and long, and found two ways to completely beat the yips. One solution involves a different mental approach to putting, the other is a physical approach. Anyone who wants to learn can e-mail me and I’ll gladly clue you in – for free – no strings attached – no video – no booklet – just someone willing to share what I figured out.
November 9, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Charlie – fill me in – please!
Mike Hayes
November 9, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Yes, Charlie – please fill us all in!
November 14, 2007 at 4:07 pm
Fellow Amateurs Golfers,
In the “for what it’s worth” category, I’d like to share a couple things I have come upon that have helped me improve my game considerably. I am a fairly good amateur hovering around par on my home course and I have spent the last year and a half trying countless suggestions, videos, on-line tips, etc.. to find that perfect driver swing and rid me of the yips when putting. I more often find myself scrambling throughout my round instead of finishing 18 holes with confidence I played all 18 fairly well. Not getting off the tee box and then finishing on the putting surface are my two greatest weaknesses.
I’ve come upon two “tricks” that I suggest you validate on the practice surface but for whatever reason, work for me. Actually, I have a clue why they work and it’s based on RELAXING enough to allow yourself to just hit or putt the darn ball.
Putting – my ball marker has a very small spike that holds it in place. I’ve seen golfers use tees themselves to mark balls which has the same effect. When I replace my marked ball, I can make out a very small hole behind my ball. After I set-up to putt, I simply watch the hole and not the ball and for some reason, that re-focus on the small hole behind the ball instead of the ball lets me relax enough to putt smoothly. It removes the ball as an object of focus and concern which I believe rids me of the fear of missing the putt. I think you could use a blade of grass behind the ball as well if your marker is flat. I also keep my head down for a seemingly long time as if listening to hear the ball drop in the hole.
Driver – now I’ve tried so many different approaches I can’t even remember all of them. My tendency on a mis-hit is for the ball to power cut at best and slice at worst. I know that’s from casting the club but try as I may, I just can’t seem to relax enough especially in competition to let the club do the work. Instead, I over-swing throwing the club outside the proper line as if that will magically make the ball go further. The following suggestion has helped me most of all and I came upon it out of simple experimentation.
I tee my ball high using 3 1/4″ tees and I play if off my left foot toe (I am a right handed golfer) versus inside my left heel. To help me RELAX, I waggle back and forth several times moving the club head back and forth directly over, not behind, the ball itself. When I feel comfortable (3 or 4 waggles), I stop with my driver head a couple inches but directly over the tee’d ball and then I move the club head forward 24 inches or so (which simutaneously moves my hips slightly forward) and then I start my backswing bringing the club head back along a line not directly over the ball but on the far side of the ball away from me. The ball appears between me and the heel of my club head and the club head is well suspended over the ground. The rest of the swing just happens.
This method with the waggle and keeping the club head off the ground relaxes me. Starting my swing moving forward puts my lower body in a nice smooth motion forward and back then forward again and I think keeping the club suspended especially on the backswing flattens my swing plane so my downswing is not as steep or casted.
If you’re looking for answers, I hope these two suggestions help you.
Mike
November 15, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Wow, Mike!
Thanks for the detailed suggestions. You’ve got some interesting ideas. I hope my readers take a look.
Guess you got tired of waiting for Charlie’s tips.
February 10, 2008 at 7:00 pm
My yips disappeared in 1995 when I stopped mixing and drinking a quart or so of Absolut martinis per day. Also, my handicap dropped 5-6 strokes. Go figure.
September 23, 2009 at 12:05 am
Putting is so important to the game of golf. If you are bad your game is bad
June 9, 2012 at 8:03 pm
RZ Putting stroke trainer is patented indoor and outdoor Golf Putter Trainer.
You can easily make your putt stroke better with this great tool.