OT - Golf yips/advice thread

If you are a righty, get a set of clubs and start playing left handed.  (Or vice-versa).  It will either solve all your problems or it will be so awful you'll come to appreciate your existing swing.

That's about the only bad advice I have to offer.

Maybe see if Shea Patterson can offer you some advice?  I heard he's pretty engaged with golf.  

I'm in the middle of a swing reboot right now because I wasn't happy with 300 off the tee with a driver, ball flight was too high.

I've found great help with this YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@DanielMaude

He does a great job at giving mental triggers, biometric alignments, and laying things out simply with good visuals. What started as a quest to add 30 yards off the tee has resulted in better chipping and pitching and play all around the course. I still need practice for more consistency, but I'm seeing positive results finally.

Play in a scramble with another group that drinks a lot and that may straighten out your swing.

Easy fix - move all objects (change, tees, and one hitter dug out) out of left pocket, and put in right pocket. All except the dug out. Do a one hit and put back in left pocket - All this will lead to PAR

This is the way - it has been written

Play disc golf instead

Buy a boat and channel your frustration level into keeping it under repair and in use.

Use your golf clubs as an anchor.

Quit

I heard a tale long ago about a golfer who could absolutely bomb the ball off the tee, and he was really accurate too. I'm talking about a guy who could reach a 400+ yard par four in one off the tee. He struggled on the greens at first and that really impacted his ability to win tournaments consistently. He did win the first tourney he entered though, The Waterbury Open, but that's not much to write home about. He got some coaching from a local pro by the name of Chubs. Great guy...missing a hand though. He had an unorthodox teaching style, but he really improved the golfer's game, especially the mental portion of it. That mental toughness really came in to play when the golfer had a putt to win the '96 Tour Championship but there were both literal and figurative obstacles in his way. He sure was Happy when he sunk that ridiculous putt to win the golf tournament. 

All that to say, you need find your version of Chubs. 

Best of luck to you. 

Rather than trying to shape shots, work on a swing that simply goes straight.  Enjoy playing down the fairway.  Move up a set of tees if you're not long anymore (you'll have more fun)...OR...work on your short game so you can still play the tips and score.

And drink more.

I've dealt with this and it's been due to coming over the top, letting your arms get away from your body.  If you're right handed, keep that right elbow closer to your body.  Pull down from the top of the backswing rather than swing.  If that makes sense.  There was an article I read years back that really helped me.  It was from Sergio.  Basically act like you're pulling a chain down in your backswing.  Helps you cure that outside in swing. 

Be the ball.

Just work at it, that’s all you can do. 

currently, I’m a plus handicap and about 6 years ago I was low single digits and went through the shanks. I’m talking 7-8 times a round, if it had a hosel I was panicking. Basically driver and putter were my only friend. This went on for a couple months and it slowly got better, but it would sneak in. Mentally it took a looooong time to get over it. Occasionally it happens, as it will with anyone but I no longer think about it. 
 

All this to say there is light at the end of the tunnel! 

Lessons lessons lessons. Golf seems to be the only sport where people actively avoid getting lessons from a professional - you would never think to do that in any other sport. Try to get a six pack of lessons and it will help immensely - one-off lessons are a waste because you often overcompensate/need additional fixes and then don't have more lessons booked. I would think 6 lessons (one at least every two weeks) with practice 2-3 times a week in between would have this fixed and make golf much more enjoyable.

I would be leery to go to a pro who isn't using at least one of, if not a combination of Trackman/GC Quad and Swing Catalyst.

The good news is that since your issue is so pronounced, it will likely be a pretty simple fix to identify. The bad news is that it will be a lot of practice to get rid of it.

I've been playing with the same Callaway X-20 irons and Taylor Made R7 Driver for the past 15-ish years. I was never better than a 12 handicap, and I've maintained around 13-14 for several years. This year has been a disaster. My handicap is now showing as a 19 and I just shot a 95 at Sylvania Country Club. I'm supposed to play TPC Dearborn in a week, but there's no way I'm heading anywhere near that course in my current form. I'm actually getting anxiety thinking about going.

My plan is: new clubs, some lessons and a winter to clear my head. And perhaps a mystery illness to get out of playing next week.

Why do you title this "golf yips"?  You don't have the yips.  I've had the yips and you're no yipper.  I have plenty of other issues/incompetency going on in my game, so I'm not riding a high horse here, but....

I recommend you go out and envision golf SHOTS instead of trying to execute golf SWINGS. I try to think about "throwing" the club to the target because it creates a kinetic connection between me and my swing and the shot I'm trying to make.

Rehearse your swing, think of the target.

As mentioned.. see a good teaching pro.

Based on your description, it’s swing path, alignment, and/or your club face at impact.

My guess is, your alignment is left of target to support your fade.  Your divots fly to the left, because of your swing path - so, that could be alignment - OR - you could be coming outside in, which accentuates the fade / slice.   And, if your club face is slightly (or more) open - at impact - you’ve hit the trifecta for a left to right ball flight - it’s just magnified.

I played golf collegiately and was about +3 to +4.  Got the yips and could not even play anymore.  Gave it up and one day got talked into playing after having a few beers while watching Michigan play at noon.  Went out and the yips were gone.  Now I am back to +1, but I need to have 3-4 beers in me before I tee off.  So my advice is to drink before you tee off.

I have been working on this move all season. I have been playing over the top/slice for a bit and was working fine, but was time to fix it. If you aint hooking, you aint swinging.

- Keep your arms connected.. not like a robot, but feel a feeling of your pecs and chest touching. This will help your takeaway and get a good starting position up top. I usually will grip club 90 degree angle (in front of body) and bring hands/arms straight towards the ground.

- Right elbow (KEY) --- try to keep this connected. You can practice this by swinging only with your right arm and keeping it connected to your ribs. This will get you an inside out swing. I would google this for some videos, it is a major factor in battling over the top slices.

- Swing out to the right. I know this seems wrong, but you need to swing out. Start by over exaggerating.

- Close your stance -- alot-- like 45 degree with your back foot. Same as above. Try to hook the ball on the range. To get a feeling of being able to pull the ball and have an inside swing plane to ball.

Overcoming a slice is a lot mental, just have to break the habits! Good Luck!

I was the opposite. Life long draw with the occasional (meaning almost always) snap hook off the tee with driver. I have a natural in to out swing. This year I have been shooting low 80s because I mastered the art of hitting it straight with irons and with a slight fade off the tee and with fairway metals. 

Now you’re asking “how did you do that”

I have no idea. Just happened this year out of the blue. I’m happy though because I was happy to break 90 most of the last 30 years or so and now I have 7-8 rounds of 84 or better and only 3 over 90 this year. Most are 82-86 range.

I do know that if you slice, so you aim more left, you’ll slice worse. 

It's time to reset your expectations.  Golf isn't fun because you expect to be able to do things the same way today, with less practice and way more time commitments in your life. 

You need to tweak your swing for your overall confidence, with the help of a pro.  But don't expect miracles.  Think of each round of golf as a mystery--what swing did I bring today?  And then the adventure begins--how do I adapt to what I brought today and make the most of it? 

If scoring is your objective, spend most of your time practicing your short game and putting.  BTW, it's also a great way to introduce the kids to the game. 

Think hard about how you define fun.  For me, I want to have a good enough attitude that strangers would invite me back to play with them again.  Bemusement is my go-to emotion on the course.  I also want to walk off the last hole knowing I gave my best effort, even if the execution was not there.   My score doesn't determine whether I had fun.

Psychology wise, the book "The Inner Game of Tennis" has the best way to fix or learn mechanics for sports. I'd also recommend "Chatter" by Ethan Kross (U of M professor) about ruminating and the book I'm currently reading is called "Choke" and gets into some of the cognitive processing that's good/bad during performance. 

Clearly, your hips are too tight/tense. Loosen up the hips a bit. My wife and I have been doing a lot of hip flexibility exercise (take that how you will) which is important as you get older. 

On quick suggestion… and, you can try it on the range.  Your club face is open at contact.  Close the club face a bit at address and hit a few balls.  See if that reduces the magnitude of your left to right ball flight.

Then, close it a bit more until you get the fade / shot shape you’re looking for.

You’ll know you have over-corrected when that “super fade” turns into an incredible duck hook.

So this really hot gal joins three guys for a round of golf. She proceeds to play the round of her life and has a 20 footer for birdie to to be even par for the day.

She says to the guys, “I need the putt for the best round of my life and if anyone can help me make it I will give you a blow job.”

1st guy says, “it’s up hill and breaking to the left.”

2nd guy says, “no it’s a double break starting out left to right.”

3rd guy says pick it up it’s good!

Quit for two weeks, then quit all together 

The Sweet Spot with John Sherman is a great podcast with content on all facets of golf.

They actively avoid discussion of swing mechanics and most of their focus is on impact. Most golfers would benefit from thinking less about the mechanics of their swing and work on face strike, ground contact, and face control. Those should be the top priorities when working to improve ball striking.

The best investment I’ve ever made in my golf game is setting up a 4’x5’ range mat and hitting net in my garage. Super efficient way to work on your game without spending loads of time commuting and beating balls at the range.

80% of success is having a proper grip and alignment. Focus on those 2 things. Unless you have tons of time to commit to it, trying to overhaul your swing will be a disaster. 

Ask for help with a swing issue and get a hundred tips.

I was a 10 at my peak.   When during a round if I started slicing I would slow my backswing down and for the first 30/40 degrees of takeaway would try to envision my chest staying in sync with the club head.    It always worked.   For me.
 

I was pretty hooked for a good 15 years and played a lot of golf with my Michigan son.   When he went away to school and I’d play with buddies etc I started finding I wasn’t having as much fun.   I bought a mountain bike.  Maybe will pick golf back up again in a few years…but not enough leisure time and money to spend it on something you’re not enjoying.

Good luck.

Plus 1 hcp here. Most people slice the ball because they come over the top, swing down steeply and have an open face at impact. That explains the big divots. You need to fix the over the top move, which will fix the steep attack angle at the same time.

Easiest way is to feel like you are moving your left hip FORWARD while starting your back swing creating a tilted spine angle when beginning your downswing. When rotating back around on your downswing it’s much harder to swing over the top when your left hip is kicked forward. It will straighten the club path out. Once you have that corrected focus on keeping the hands quiet to square the club face. Hope that helps!

I'm working through a similar period in my golf game. At my best, I was a 9-10, but post kids, I've been a 15. This season has been a struggle with handicap climbing slowly through the season. I'd stopped slicing earlier and aas straight off the tee for a stretch but have been casting a dispersion of tee shots that would only be useful if I were defending Omaha Beach. Almost hung it up a couple months ago, but am slowly getting dialed back in. All I did was play through the pain, swing easier, try to visualize more, and think a whole lot less. Best wished to you as you work through this. Golf is great fun unless it's not.

I tell my son that when he goes golfing and addresses the ball, in his head he should go fishing. What I mean by that is this: You've trained your body and it knows what to do. When you step up to the ball, sometimes your brain gets in the way and doesn't let your body do what it knows how to do. So switch off the golf side of your brain. He and I do that by getting into a fishing moment like being out on the big lake with a steelhead or salmon jumping on a line behind your boat, or remembering the feel when the largest northern of your life slammed a spinner bait. You'll have to figure out what types of memory excite you enough to pull you away from golf. Your mind lets go of trying to golf and your body takes over.

Full reboot 

I had a similar issue recently with my driver. Had to aim about 30 yards left to keep it in play with the hard fade to the right. And I had the tee lined up just inside my front foot. And that was working well for awhile, but then it started going further and further right, an even more exaggerated fade. So I moved the tee even further up in my stance, so that's it's directly in line with my front foot and that got my driver shape back to what I wanted, a subtle fade. Not sure if that will help you, but trying it is free versus a lesson.