If you’ve ever had the chipping yips, you know what a devastating impact it can have on your golf score. You hit a solid approach shot just short of the green, with the flag only feet away only to waste a stroke on a muffed chip. Getting rid of the yips takes practice, concentration and perhaps a few tweaks to your swing.
Step 1
Focus on the mental aspect of your chipping woes first. According to sports psychologist Patrick Cohn, if you’ve labeled yourself as a constant yipper, you’ve already set yourself up for future failure. Getting rid of the “yip” label will help you mentally move past your swing troubles.
Step 2
Identify what it is about your chipping that causes you anxiety. It may be that you’re fearful of hitting a bad shot in front of friends or other spectators. Or you might be fearful of the effect a bad shot is going to have on your score as you prepare for a big event or tournament. Whatever it is, identifying your fear is the first step to dealing with it head on, says Cohn.
Step 3
Practice following through with your body. Often, players keep the upper body still in an attempt to keep from topping or chunking the ball. Even though you’re not trying to hit it far when you chip, your upper body still plays an important part in your swing. When your upper body stays still, it overemphasizes your arm action, which can lead to the yips.
Step 4
Take drastic measures if nothing else works and try chipping left-handed—or right-handed if you usually hit left, says Golf Digest instructor John Buczek. Hitting left-handed causes your body to completely relearn the chipping motion, which just might be the key to fixing your swing. Muscle memory is often hard to reverse, so starting over from the opposite side can help start your swing over and get rid of the yips that are affecting your golf score.
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