Yips
The yips are involuntary twitches or spasms — most often in putting or chipping — that disrupt the stroke. They are part neurological, part anxiety-driven, and affect golfers at every level.
The yips in golf is a performance-affecting neurological phenomenon characterized by involuntary muscle contractions or twitches. This means typically in the hands and wrists. This means that disrupt fine motor skills during putting, chipping, or other short-game shots. Contrary to popular belief, the yips are not purely a psychological phenomenon; neurological research by Dr. Charles Adler and colleagues at the Mayo Clinic has demonstrated that a significant portion of golfers who experience the yips show measurable neurological abnormalities (focal dystonia) in addition to or instead of purely anxiety-based responses. The distinction matters because treatment approaches differ depending on the underlying mechanism.
Yips present in two main forms. Focal dystonia yips are involuntary, task-specific muscle contractions that are not associated with high anxiety. This means they can occur on routine practice putts as readily as on high-pressure competition putts. Anxiety-induced yips are triggered by performance pressure and are more associated with choking under stress. The two types can overlap, and a golfer can experience both. The anxiety type often begins after a focal dystonia episode creates fear of the yips. This then produces anxiety-driven yipping in situations where the dystonia itself might not occur.
Recovery from yips typically requires changes in technique (grip alteration, different putting stroke style, cross-handed putting), equipment adaptation (longer putters, arm-lock putters), retraining programs that break the neurological pattern, and for some cases, psychological support to address the performance anxiety component. Complete elimination of the yips is achievable for many golfers, especially those whose yips are primarily anxiety-driven. For focal dystonia cases, adaptation through technique changes is often more reliable than expecting the neurological pattern to fully resolve.
If you suspect yips, first try a cross-handed (left-hand-low for right-handers) putting grip. This means this single change disrupts the neurological pathway of the yip reflex and immediately produces a smoother stroke for many golfers without any other technique changes.
Work with a sport psychologist experienced in focal dystonia alongside technique retraining. This means the combination of a new motor pattern (changed grip, stance, or stroke style) with systematic desensitization to the anxiety-triggering situations (progressive exposure to pressure putts) produces by a lot better outcomes than either approach alone.
Example
A player who has made a two-foot putt thousands of times suddenly jerks the putter through the ball in a way they cannot control. This is the putting yips.
How it shows up on video
The yips are visible in video as sudden, involuntary twitches or jerks of the hands and wrists during the putting or chipping stroke. This means the motion of the club changing abruptly and involuntarily at or near impact. In severe cases, the involuntary movement is large and immediately visible; in mild cases, slow-motion video may be needed to detect the small contractile flinch. Comparing a normal practice stroke to a competitive or pressure-situation stroke can reveal the anxiety-triggered yips (where the twitch appears only under pressure) versus focal dystonia (where the twitch appears regardless of context).
Common mistakes
- Assuming all yips are a mental problem — focal dystonia is a neurological movement disorder, not pure anxiety. Trying to "think your way out" of dystonia-based yips without technique adaptation is unlikely to succeed.
- Abandoning the short game to avoid the yips. This means playing around the yips by avoiding chips and short putts prevents the very practice that could improve the condition. Gradual exposure in low-stakes situations combined with technique changes is more productive than avoidance.
- Using the same grip and technique after developing yips — the neurological pathway associated with the original technique has been disrupted. Changing to a cross-handed grip, a claw grip, or arm-lock setup creates a new movement pattern that bypasses the original yip pathway.
- Expecting a quick fix — the yips develop over time and typically require weeks to months of retraining to show meaningful improvement. Short-term solutions (relaxation techniques, quick tips) may help in a round but do not address the underlying pattern.
In SwingVantage Motion Lab
SwingVantage can observe yip-like movement patterns in putting and chipping video by analyzing the smoothness and continuity of the stroke through the impact zone. Involuntary twitches or direction changes that do not follow the intended stroke path are flagged as potential yip indicators. The system notes that clinical diagnosis of focal dystonia versus anxiety-induced yips requires pro evaluation beyond what video analysis can determine.
Related terms
- PuttingPutting is rolling the ball along the ground toward the hole using a flat-faced club (putter). It accounts for roughly 40% of strokes in a typical round, making it the most impactful single skill in scoring.
- Pre-Shot RoutineA pre-shot routine is the consistent sequence of steps. This means reading the shot, visualizing the flight, taking aim, waggling, and committing. This means that a golfer repeats before every shot to ensure focus and consistency under pressure.
- Muscle MemoryMuscle memory is the process by which a motor pattern (the swing) becomes automatic through repetition. This means stored in the motor cortex and cerebellum. As a result, it can be executed without conscious thought.
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