Putting Frustration

[Flips]

Need your advice please

Any tips to cure the yips please.

Missing 3 - 6 footers to the left and leaving 6 - 10 footers short of the hole. I have no trouble lagging puts 15 - 30 foot close to the hole.

Tried different grip setups, grip styles, shorter shaft, longer shafts, heavier, lighter and various other putter styles, haven't tried the 'D' style putters yet (i.e. Rossie, Cra-ze, Ug-le or 2 ball, Red-X, futura etc), not sure if they would help either.

Has got to be in the mechanics or the mind?

Using an Odyssey White Steel #2 Centre Shaft 35" and a Stainless Anser 2 34".

;)

[reebus]

Good luck with the yips! My nemesis...... I have gone with a Long Putter. This seems to be the best soloution for me. I still get "the tremmors" with this stick, but they are more manageable. I have many of the same symptoms that you do. I am fairy deadly with a standard putter on anything outside of 15 feet, but just terrible inside that circle. I have often considered carrying two putters for this reason and still may go to that before it's all said and done.

 

Keep trying, I hope you will find something that works.....

[mikpga]

It is my contention that a high percentage of putting well, is simply being confident. I understand that poor mechanics will get in the way at times.

 

I would recommend spending a lot of practice time a foot and a half away from the hole.

 

I would also practice putting to a dime from within 6 feet.

[banistr]

Had em for over 4 years. Tried all the putters..long, belly, etc. The only thing that finally worked was going to the claw grip. I now only use it for the 3 to 6 foooters, but it totally does not let the left wrist break down with rids the yips. I am now the good putter I was in the beginning...good luck

 

Joe

[dubbie]

Terrible word and a terrible topic. That being said, I can relate. I had them, got rid of them through blood pressure medication (beta blockers), got them back, and got rid of them again. All in a period of 7-8 years.

 

1. A long putter certainly can, and will, help.

2. Belly putter might do the trick.

3. No stinkin thinkin...think about the putts you've made, or don't think at all.....did you notice Baddley putts, once he picks a line, without enough time to think about it?

 

Here is the real deal on them in my opinion. Hank Haney has a book out (November) titled "Fix the Yips Forever." I purchased it, along with an indoor putting green. The combination have helped me immensely. He has some good stuff in it. I recommend it highly, but a word of caution, if you don't have an issue you may not want to read it.

 

Good luck.....you can overcome them.

[reebus]

Any of you find that assessing the line, break, etc., is best done within the first few seconds as opposed to being agonized over for 1, 2, 3, etc., minutes? Personally, I find that when I take this quick mental snapshot and then set up, I can just concentrate on the stroke and eliminate a lot of other mental junk.

 

Yep, that is one of the main things I try to do.

 

My 70 year old father has given the best advice I've gotten so far......

 

"Pick the line and turn your brain off"

[BILSKI]

I am 20 years old, and In my short time of playing competitive golf, I have noticed that even when under pressure in a meaningful circumstance that being confident plays a very important role in how you putt at any length on the greens. Short putts that are missed, from what I have done, was a direct result of standing over the ball longer than my normal routine, and in addition to that, seeing the ball in my imagination miss more than drop made me miss more than drop the short putts haha.

 

So my best suggestion is

- Pick a comfortable stance

- stay consistant with your routine

- and be confident in whatever you decide

 

...because a confident mind creates a confident and accurate putting stroke.

 

P.S. there has to be some sign of brains in the stroke too haha, how many times have we seen guys tell other guys hit a confident stroke, then the poor dude hits it 10 feet past on a 7 foot putt? haha ;)

[bobcat]

I fought the yips for years but you can beat them with this method.

 

Assuming you are right handed, go to the LEFT HAND LOW grip, aka the cross-handed grip and you must also adhere to these very specific Left Hand Low grip instructions. Follow these very carefully!

 

1-Extend the LEFT index finger, (your left trigger finger), down and around the lowest point of the grip portion of your putter. In that position, the left index finger becomes a "trigger" for the backswing for your putting stroke. Mentally, you need to conentrate on that initial "trigger" (BACKSWING) motion as you begin your stroke, rather than thinking (or worrying) about the foward motion portion of the stroke as you have in the past as your started your stroke.

 

2- Your left thumb should be placed straight down the shaft in the traditional way, but you must "ROTATE" the right thumb towards the hole so that it is placed beneath your left wrist. The right thumb now serves as a "brace" to prevent the left wrist from breaking down in a "yippy" putting stroke.

 

It doesn't take very long at all to master this grip, but ensure you practice enough get your distance control back since this will feel a lot different than your conventional grip.

 

In addition to helping you beat the yips, there are other advantages to the LHL grip. You will find it much easier to start putts on line, and easier to release the putter head down the intended line.

 

Once you master LHL, I believe you will find it to be a superior way of putting and you will not likely even want to go back to the traditional grip even when you know the yips are history!.

 

You can thank me later!

[Flips]

I very much appreciate the variety of comments. I hope these tips have not only helped me but also those that were too proud to ask. The tip that helped the most was from MickPGA - it all about confidence.

 

I focused on the short putts today, extending the distance a little in each series until I dropped the ball consistantly, about 70% from 6 - 10 foot. It's a start:

 

I haven't been able to move far from a 9 hcp for the past twelve months, but with your advice MICKPGA, I plan on working towards a 5 within the next six months.

 

;)

[italian71]

I find that short putts are missed because the focus is on the outcome rather than the process. Next time you are practicing, work on some short putts, say in the 2-3 foot range. Instead of watching them go in the hole, listen for them to go in the hole. See how many you can make in a row. Eventually you can move back to the 6-8 foot range and know that you will put a good stroke on it beause you are keeping your head still.

[xxio]

have you been fit?

 

I had a severe bout with the yips. Something like 20 putters in 2 years. Thru trial and error I found I need 68* lie angle at 33.75". Now All my putters are like that and I am much more confident.

 

And that is how a became a putter Ho as well.

[bgolfing]

Checkout http://puttingzone.com/

 

He has a ton of new and useful information on putting that has really helped me.

[pmas93]

Get fit for your putter with somebody who is good at it. Not just Jim or Bob down at the local golf store who throws grips on. But somebody who can watch you put and fit your putter to your stroke and with the technology out there now, possibly can video tape in slow mo your stroke. I have never been more confident in my putter than when I got mine fit to me. It made all the difference in the world.

 

Also, might want to try the Heavy Putter line. I have seen a couple of guys that it totally changed their putting.

 

The first thing and last thing I do before around of golf is to find a straight putt from 2-3 feet and make 3 in a row. Don't look at the ball go in the hole, listen for the ball hitting the bottom of the cup 3 times in a row. Builds all the confidence in the world to know you don't have to watch go in, you just know they do.

 

And good luck with that Y word!

[Golfman38]

My greatest secret to putting is to take however long to line up the putt, then I walk up to it and hit it. No thoughts unless its of the ball going IN!!! GOOD LUCK!

PS> My next door nebihor who is a pro just switched to a belly putter and he now garuntees a win!

[Ridgecrest18]

Using your Anser; place a dime (10 cent coin) on the rear flange of the putter; place a penny on the putting surface immediately behind your ball; place a second dime on top of the penny; stoke putts without any particular aiming point and try to "clip the dime off the top of the penny", while retaining the dime that was placed on the rear flange in place. This drill will absolutely smooth out your stroke !!!

 

Once you can consistantly knock the dime off the penny and retain the second dime on the flange, repeat the drill while putting to a target.... the smaller the target the better, a fifty-cent piece or poker chip works great. Good luck... ;)