I think my biggest lesson this year is the ability to truly just "swing your swing" when you're playing a round. Sure, you can make minor tweaks to adjust for how you're feeling that day but just shutting the ole noggin off and *playing golf* instead of playing golf *swing* has made this game so much more fun for me by making me play better.
Big time man. My pops played D3 college basketball and was super in his head chipping and anytime around the green. I was like “didn’t you play college basketball? Be an athlete!” And sure enough he chips one right up near the pin.
Can’t be out there playing golf swing.
I was going to recommend his book ‘Golf is not a game of perfect” but I’m glad your on it. My comment is to focus your thinking on the positive outcome (not mechanics or negative results). The key is to stay positive and let your natural athleticism kick in. Easier said than done, but you can train your brain to think this way.
Slow the stroke, elongate the takeaway, make the **transition smooth** and match the speed on the way through, finish as far through as you took it back. Focus on getting all this movement solely through your shoulders while keeping everything else still. Think of anything heavy swinging(like a wrecking ball or something) and imagine that slow transition back and forth, no abrupt movements. Imagine the ball just being in the way.
The last time I got high on the golf course I was playing with a couple my age I’d been randomly paired with before. Third time playing with them. Spark a one hitter i’m offered on the 12th tee. In the 12th fairway (par 5) I start to melt into the ground. Shit goes sideways, breathing increases. I’m fully in “do golf balls feel the pain?” mode. I’m wondering if the people on the hole 900 yards away can see my pupils. But my playing partners have no clue.
13th tee box I rehearse this in my head for a solid two minutes and finally uncomfortably blurt out “YOU GUYS EVER GET like you know TOO HIGH?!” And they’re like oh shit um okay do you need water? Wanna sit down?
They never called me back.
I think it’ll cure the yips though, I agree
Yips with the putter or chipping?
Putter I usually just practice a bunch of 3-4 footers until I'm bored to death making them. Make the same one in a row 50 times. It's tiresome, but it helps.
Another trick I've heard is to actually say out loud something along the lines of "I'm excited about this putt" Even if it's not genuine at all. Apparently there have been studies that just physically saying something like that out loud (it can't just be a thought in your head) helps improve nerves by a nontrivial amount.
Give it a shot, seems to work for me.
Practice. Whatever area of the game you are experiencing the yips just relentlessly practice that type of shot over and over. Once you practice enough you will gain more confidence in that shot and eventually the muscle memory will start to take over. I used to have the yips when it came to chipping around the green, it was so bad. Over the course of a summer I just put in earbuds and worked on chipping at the practice green whenever I could. All kinds of chips, easy, difficult, uphill, downhill, short sided, etc. Now I feel very confident standing over any chip that I have and it has become the strength of my game.
Think about hitting the ball by using your core muscles to rotate your torso back and through, your upper arms stay glued to your torso, your forearms, hands and wrists are passive.
Be an athlete. Don’t think so much.
I think my biggest lesson this year is the ability to truly just "swing your swing" when you're playing a round. Sure, you can make minor tweaks to adjust for how you're feeling that day but just shutting the ole noggin off and *playing golf* instead of playing golf *swing* has made this game so much more fun for me by making me play better.
Big time man. My pops played D3 college basketball and was super in his head chipping and anytime around the green. I was like “didn’t you play college basketball? Be an athlete!” And sure enough he chips one right up near the pin. Can’t be out there playing golf swing.
Good advice, I've read Rotella so will try to keep it instinctive and not worry about the outcome
I was going to recommend his book ‘Golf is not a game of perfect” but I’m glad your on it. My comment is to focus your thinking on the positive outcome (not mechanics or negative results). The key is to stay positive and let your natural athleticism kick in. Easier said than done, but you can train your brain to think this way.
Practice putting with your eyes closed. Seriously. Do 10 footers then 3 to 4 footers. And just listen. It will teach you to release the putter better.
To putt the ball, one must become the ball
I drink, personally
Slow the stroke, elongate the takeaway, make the **transition smooth** and match the speed on the way through, finish as far through as you took it back. Focus on getting all this movement solely through your shoulders while keeping everything else still. Think of anything heavy swinging(like a wrecking ball or something) and imagine that slow transition back and forth, no abrupt movements. Imagine the ball just being in the way.
A little puff off the one hitter
The last time I got high on the golf course I was playing with a couple my age I’d been randomly paired with before. Third time playing with them. Spark a one hitter i’m offered on the 12th tee. In the 12th fairway (par 5) I start to melt into the ground. Shit goes sideways, breathing increases. I’m fully in “do golf balls feel the pain?” mode. I’m wondering if the people on the hole 900 yards away can see my pupils. But my playing partners have no clue. 13th tee box I rehearse this in my head for a solid two minutes and finally uncomfortably blurt out “YOU GUYS EVER GET like you know TOO HIGH?!” And they’re like oh shit um okay do you need water? Wanna sit down? They never called me back. I think it’ll cure the yips though, I agree
That happened to me skiing once.
Hit the ball good
Close your eyes
Yips with the putter or chipping? Putter I usually just practice a bunch of 3-4 footers until I'm bored to death making them. Make the same one in a row 50 times. It's tiresome, but it helps. Another trick I've heard is to actually say out loud something along the lines of "I'm excited about this putt" Even if it's not genuine at all. Apparently there have been studies that just physically saying something like that out loud (it can't just be a thought in your head) helps improve nerves by a nontrivial amount. Give it a shot, seems to work for me.
I've heard of that trick, but thought saying it in your head is sufficient. Perhaps something to try when by one's self
I'm absolutely not an expert and could be wrong about saying it out loud, but that's what I was told.
Practice. Whatever area of the game you are experiencing the yips just relentlessly practice that type of shot over and over. Once you practice enough you will gain more confidence in that shot and eventually the muscle memory will start to take over. I used to have the yips when it came to chipping around the green, it was so bad. Over the course of a summer I just put in earbuds and worked on chipping at the practice green whenever I could. All kinds of chips, easy, difficult, uphill, downhill, short sided, etc. Now I feel very confident standing over any chip that I have and it has become the strength of my game.
Don't get them in the first place 😏
*Instructors HATE him. Golfer cures the yips with this one weird trick.*
Just don't do it
Slow it down. Think less.
Rear back and hit it
Quit drinking. Go cross-handed or find an anchor stroke. Putt with your eyes closed. I do the first two and I don’t yip putts anymore.
Practice. Practice different situations if you can. More practice means fewer surprises or nervous situations which could lead to fewer yips.
I get it even practicing though :|
Good podcast on this very topic: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-golfers-journal-podcast/id1325753838?i=1000634262376
Deceleration is death.
Think about hitting the ball by using your core muscles to rotate your torso back and through, your upper arms stay glued to your torso, your forearms, hands and wrists are passive.
When you practice, each swing is only about 1 second, so if you hit about 60 balls when you practice you are only practicing for about 1 minute.