The Dreaded "Y" Word

A few years ago, my wife and I had a game of tennis with a couple of her friends. Afterwards, we headed back to one of their houses for a replenishing glass of red (or two).

I struck up a conversation about golf with her friend’s husband, as you do, and the usual “How are you playing?” ensued. It wasn’t long before he revealed the downfall of his game. Chipping.

His body language completely changed, and I could tell… he had the yips. Putting, ball striking, even bunker shots, they were fine, but chipping? He was sweating just thinking about it. It was so bad, he said, “Fix it, and I’ll give you the keys to this house.” Now that’s bad. 

Typically, the yips begin from a technical issue. Left too long, the physical turns mental. The player starts dreading the shot even before it appears, and when it does, the mind is flooded with anything but positive thoughts. Those negatives trigger physical symptoms such as elevated heart rate, sweaty palms, shaking, and the unerring flinch at impact.

In the case of chipping, it often starts innocuously with a skulled or chunked shot. Next time that memory sits front of mind, and not surprisingly, it happens again. String a few of these together, and overthinking begins. Continue down this path for a few rounds, without the right processes in place, and the dreaded yips have crept their way in. 

First, let’s simplify things on the physical side. The key fundamentals to focus on are:

• Feet close together, and (for right-handers) turn the left foot out
• Weight can be 50/50 or slightly on the front leg (your choice)
• The pivot (turn) controls the motion back and through
• Match the length and speed of the backswing and follow-through

Look, there are various opinions for technique with chipping, but in my experience these key fundamentals do the trick. Some people like to use their hands more, and that's fine, but if you're struggling try taking them out of the equation and you'll see a much more consistent strike.

Good technique provides a solid foundation to work from, and with practice, builds confidence. 

From a mental standpoint, the on-course process is paramount. I often hear people who have the yips chip perfectly fine on the practice area, then fall apart on the course. Why? Because bad things happen when we focus too much on the result. My long-standing mantra on the golf course is:

Focus on the process, let the result take care of itself.

Being process-oriented keeps you in the ‘present’ moment. There’s no room for anxiety or worry in the present, because there’s no result attached yet.

So, much like the physical fundamentals, here are 4 keys for the mental process:

• Decide what club/shot best suits the situation
• Commit fully to that decision
• Make practice swings next to the ball, ‘feeling’ the motion you want
• After your last look at the target, bring your eyes back to the ball… and react

Notice there are no technical thoughts here. Those belong on the practice area. On the golf course, we’re seeing, feeling, and reacting to a committed decision. 

Now, I’m not saying this is an easy fix. But with solid fundamentals and a clear mental routine, you’ll start producing quality chip shots on the course, and before long, the dreaded ‘Y’ word will turn into a “Yesssss!”

Cheers,

Nick

PS. And by the way, my friends' chipping is much better… but I’m still waiting on those keys 🤔