Andrew Rice Golf

Posts Tagged ‘yips’

Whether it be putting, chipping or the full swing (see Charles Barkley) a bad case of the yips is enough to drive anybody away from the game.  I have had the yips (putting) and once you have them I believe you always have them.

Bernhard Langer

Here is how the yips get started:

• Poor technique leads to negative results.
• The excess of negative results creates an overload of negative expectations in the memory bank; ‘mental baggage’ so to speak! The brain essentially tells the body, “Only bad things can and will happen!”
• Eventually the brain/nervous system develops an impulse twitch/flinch in response to the impending negative outcome. Once a golfer gets to this stage the trouble begins.

A yip is the brain responding to an adverse event. I believe it is just like a dog that has been beaten; every time anybody lifts a hand to the dog it will flinch and cower in response to the pain it is anticipating, but has not yet felt.  And yips in golf is exactly the same way!  The brain flinches at the expectation of a ‘failed’ outcome.

No matter what you hear, I firmly believe the yips cannot be cured. Look at Bernhard Langer, I regard him as having one the strongest minds in the game, yet he was not able to conquer the yips, he merely found a way around them.  You cannot overcome them with better technique, lessons, positive thinking or hard work.  In fact the more you work at beating the yips, the more you ingrain the belief that you have them.  A golf instructor once said that the yips should stand for “Yes I‘m Putting Super!” Not necessarily the best thing to think when standing over a four footer.

This is excellent information from European teacher Denis Pugh but he does seem to stress better technique as an avenue towards overcoming the yips.  I wish it was different, but I wholeheartedly believe that the yips cannot be overcome.

Here is how to work around the yips, because without brain altering surgery you will never be able to forget you have them (I know this from experience!):

• Try alternate equipment.  The long and belly putters are great additions to the game and they have allowed many yippers to continue playing golf.  I’m all for that!  I have even got chipping yippers to go to left handed (you will need a lefty PW in the bag!) and even eyes closed.  Hey, they both worked better under the gun!  Leave your pride at the door and try something radically different; your nervous system has no baggage when you try something completely new.
• Experiment with various grips. From cross-handed, to the claw, to the paintbrush – try them all until you find something that is semi-comfortable and then learn how to play with it.
• If you have full swing yips (like Sir Charles!) then the only way to go is cross-handed or try to play opposite handed.

Sir Charles Barkley

A note regarding Hank Haney and Charles Barkley: Hank approached Charles’ problems as if they were swing based. While I would agree the problem originated as a technical one, it had been left unattended for too long and had now manifested itself as a mental hitch.  No amount of swing upgrade would overcome the flinch Charles exhibited halfway through his downswing. In my opinion the only way Charles will get better is to do something radically different; I would start with cross handed and if there was no success there I would quickly switch him to left handed.

If you happen to have the yips in any area of your golf game I feel your pain.  Work around them by trying something radically different. I believe you will be thankful you made the switch!

Things to Ponder:

• This swing is perhaps the funniest swing I have ever come across and it is real. Turn the sound up and listen to the supporters and friends in the background.  The latest swing to come out of Egypt and take the tour by storm…..?  There might be a yip in this one!
• A note to Heath Slocum: Did you not ruin the greatest playoff in the history of golf by making that putt at the Barclays?  I don’t think Tim Finchem or anybody from CBS is going to speak to you for the rest of time. Good luck getting a good tee time from here on out!  I would have loved to have watched the “other four” go at it in sudden death!

Enjoy and please don’t beat your dog!

The Lodge at Doonbeg

Ireland is my favorite country in the world to play golf in and nowhere in all of Ireland is the combination of luxury and pure Irish links golf better than on the west coast of Ireland at Doonbeg.

The golf course, designed by Greg Norman, is a true links gem with nine holes going out and nine more bringing you home.  The course plays 6,885 yards from the back tees and it has everything from pot bunkers, to undulating greens, exciting, driveable par fours and treacherous par threes.  The five par threes are exhilarating with the shorter 9th, 11th and 14th leading the pack.

The 14th at Doonbeg

The  signature 14th hole plays to 111yards from the back tees and I have hit every club in my bag from a seven iron up in to the green.  Or at least the vicinity of the green!  As you can tell from the picture above it really is a case of do or die!  While the ocean is in view from sixteen of the eighteen holes it certainly does not come into play (on all of them!) and all skill levels should be able to have a fantastic day of golf.  There are five different sets of tees offered.  Other than one questionable green complex (#12) I thought all the holes were memorable,  very playable and interesting.  Actually quite a rare combination.

From a golf vacation perspective Doonbeg’s location in County Clare is excellent as you are in close proximity to Shannon airport and the esteemed Ballybunion and Lahinch links courses.

While the course has been known to abuse a few of it’s guests you will not experience anything of the sort at the Lodge at Doonbeg.  I have had the privilege of spending a handful of nights within her solid stone walls and I have never experienced a finer hotel in all my travels.  The food, bedding, customer service and attention to detail are second to none!  Oh, and the view is not too bad either!  Should the Guinness not have done the trick after the round, the ladies, and gents if you prefer, have access to the world class spa to soothe away those few too many swings out on the course.

Terri and I will travel with a group of  ‘friends’ to Doonbeg later this year to compete in the Norman Trophy.  We cannot wait to experience all the luxury and links Doonbeg has to offer.

For more golf in Ireland please click.

The 9th at Doonbeg

Things to Ponder:

• The other day my son asked asked me why I had a Bobby Jones haircut?! That boy is getting crazy about golf….
• My prayers are with the Mickelson family at the moment. Occasions like this make me realize what truly is important. Tell someone you care about that you love them!
• Look for my pick this week, Mr. Ian Poulter, to dominate the field!
• Thanks to you all for feedback on my post “Family Golf” – I appreciate the words of encouragement.
• Charles Barkley is a funny man, but Hank Haney has had no chance from day one! You cannot cure yips with instruction!  The only hope Sir Charles has is cross handed (my choice) or left handed. End of story!
• Anybody out there know of some secret links golf destinations please let me know.