An Effective Cure For The Yips

Keywords: cure for the yips, yips, golf yips

The abrupt, involuntary movement of the wrist that screws up your putting, normally called the yips, has to be one of the worst afflictions for golfers. It reduces your enjoyment of the game (especially the short game) and can increase your handicap dramatically. Something that was supposed to be fun has become frustrating. So what is an effective cure for the yips? To answer that question I'll first explain the cause.

The yips are caused by anxiety and doubt. The thoughts that race through your mind may be so quick that you don't even notice them. Thoughts like “Am I putting too hard?” and “Am I putting too soft” might pop up as you are swinging your club. These thoughts then cause you to slow down, causing a “jabbed putt,” a slight flinch of the eyes and a slight movement of the head—all of which change the direction of your swing and keep you from sinking that ball into the hole.

So how can you get rid of this anxiety and doubt, and finally cure the yips? Many people try positive thinking and it often helps. However as Bobby Jones stated when asked about how many swing thoughts he had prior to his swing replied,

"If I have two swing thoughts, I have no chance at all. If I have one, maybe I'll have a good shot. If I have none, then I can play like Bobby Jones."

So an effective cure for the yips must allow you to clear your mind, not fill it with more stuff. More knowledge won't do it. More lessons won't do it. So then, what will?

You can clear your mind by actually getting rid of the beliefs that cause your doubt and anxiety.

Beliefs like “Mistakes are bad” and “I'm not good at putting,” or negative expectations about putting, all contribute to the yips.

There is a simple way of getting rid of these beliefs and expectations so that your mind is clear, your emotions calm and your game consistent and that is The Lefkoe Method.

To find out more about how The Lefkoe Method can help you find your cure for the yips click here.