Jump to content
IGNORED

Why is Tiger's Short Game so Bad? Does he Have the Yips?


mvmac
Note: This thread is 3206 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

  • Moderator

From a Ted Bishop article

http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/tiger-woods-in-denial-about-yips-bill-harmon-tells-ted-bishop

Quote:

Bishop quotes Harmon:

“There are very few pros who don’t think that Tiger has the yips around the greens,” Harmon said. “The first step in solving the problem is admitting that you have a problem. That is not a weakness, but a strength.

“I don’t buy all of this release stuff. In the last two events that he has played in he had the two worst cases of yips I’ve ever seen from a Tour pro and this coming from arguably the greatest short-game player ever. I’ve had -- and sometimes still do -- the yips pitching. I know what it is when I see it. It will be interesting to see where he goes with it because as he said, he’s doing it in a public forum.”

Mike McLoughlin

Check out my friends on Evolvr!
Follow The Sand Trap on Twitter!  and on Facebook
Golf Terminology -  Analyzr  -  My FacebookTwitter and Instagram 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Who says TW doesn't realize that he has the yips - what does Harmon want TW to do, go on Golf Channel to talk about it? It's pretty embarassing - and not a cure by "announcing it" as Harmon says......did Snead ever get over his putting yips? He talked about it all the time.

Like any part of the game, just needs to find a cure for his technique - there are bandaids for bad short games - first of which is improve your GIR.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Who says TW doesn't realize that he has the yips - what does Harmon want TW to do, go on Golf Channel to talk about it? It's pretty embarassing - and not a cure by "announcing it" as Harmon says......did Snead ever get over his putting yips? He talked about it all the time.

Like any part of the game, just needs to find a cure for his technique - there are bandaids for bad short games - first of which is improve your GIR.

I understand what you mean, but if only it was that simple.  The "cure" seems more difficult than a bandaid.

I am not sure if it's yips.  I noticed that in some instances, TW is looking at where the balls going rather than keeping his head down through the impact.  I know I've had issues with chips (and putts) when I try to see where the balls going instead of concentrating on the impact.

Don

:titleist: 910 D2, 8.5˚, Adila RIP 60 S-Flex
:titleist: 980F 15˚
:yonex: EZone Blades (3-PW) Dynamic Gold S-200
:vokey:   Vokey wedges, 52˚; 56˚; and 60˚
:scotty_cameron:  2014 Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Six months of chili-dipping and skulling. If it's not the yips what is?

He really doesn't have to admit it to anyone.

I'm sure he's trying his best to overcome it.

I'm down to a 10 handicap. At this rate, I'll get to scratch at 90 years old!

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I don't have a clue as to what is wrong with Woody's short game. For arguably the best player to ever play the game, to suffer like this is a total mystery. I don't think anyone has the answer. To me there are only three answers to his problem. One is he continues to do what he's doing, but over comes the issue, and plays on. Two, he changes his technique to over come the issue. Three, as already stated, is that he improves his GIRs to take some pressure off his short game.

There is a fourth answer, but it's not a fix. That fourth possibility is that he will have to leave, or at the very least take an extended vacation from the game. Several months? A year or two?

In My Bag:
A whole bunch of Tour Edge golf stuff...... :beer:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Yips don't really present themselves all the time on the practice area or even during practice rounds - usually they happen when there's some sort of pressure involved.....he can practice all day long  and not have them show up until he's actually under the gun during an event - especially with an audience of fellow players, gallery, and TV.......

and I'll tell you what ------he better fix this before the first full week of April.....you don't need the yips at Augusta National where the chips and pitches are made off of downhill tight lies......that would be a yipper's ultimate nightmare........

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites


I think I had the yips when I was a child, so I may be immune to it.  However, for those that never had it, they can still get vaccinated           I think. :loco:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

You guys love the word "yips" There's no such thing as yips in my opinion. It's a synonym for excuse created by the weak minded. and someone certainly cannot declare another individual to have a condition, only they choose believe in. It's simply a way to rationalize why Tiger was #1 in world 8 months ago and now after this tournament, he struggled in the short game? It's no different in my opinion than saying "he's been cursed by voodoo" I find it equally as strange when some admits they themselves have this yip thing. It's kind of giving up, right? Just my 2 cents.
Link to comment
Share on other sites


You guys love the word "yips"

There's no such thing as yips in my opinion. It's a synonym for excuse created by the weak minded. and someone certainly cannot declare another individual to have a condition, only they choose believe in. It's simply a way to rationalize why Tiger was #1 in world 8 months ago and now after this tournament, he struggled in the short game? It's no different in my opinion than saying "he's been cursed by voodoo"

I find it equally as strange when some admits they themselves have this yip thing. It's kind of giving up, right? Just my 2 cents.

I somehow doubt "the yips" is a synonym for "weak minded" although I would agree it is a problem in the brain and not a physical problem.  I don't know if Tiger has the yips or not but do know he has suffered some significant injuries and is now 39 years old and not played any competitive golf for many months prior to the Phoenix Open.  So maybe it is just a lack of confidence and he needs to play more, or maybe it is the yips and he will never be the same again.  I hope it is the former but only time will tell.

Butch

Link to comment
Share on other sites


You guys love the word "yips"

There's no such thing as yips in my opinion. It's a synonym for excuse created by the weak minded. and someone certainly cannot declare another individual to have a condition, only they choose believe in. It's simply a way to rationalize why Tiger was #1 in world 8 months ago and now after this tournament, he struggled in the short game? It's no different in my opinion than saying "he's been cursed by voodoo"

I find it equally as strange when some admits they themselves have this yip thing. It's kind of giving up, right? Just my 2 cents.

I am not so sure that "yips" do not exist. It's a sudden loss of motor skills, without an apparent explanation, which is also medical fact.  That's what the dictionary tells us anyways. Rather you call the problem yips, jerks, staggers, jitters, wrist twitches, or just plain old brain farts, the golfer has lost muscle control, and/or the mental ability to swing a club for the shot at hand. I also think that fear/pressure of missing the shot has a lot to do with it. Some have said  Woody chips fine in practice, but once on the course he fails miserably. Once on the course, in a tournament, when the pressure of making the shot is more compounded, he has not been able to pull it off. The season is still very young for the pros, and I am pretty sure Woody will eventually figure his chipping issue(s) out.

Woody seems to be putting well, and since the putting stroke, and the chipping stroke, can for some, be identical, you may be right that Woody does not have the chipping yips. I don't watch enough of Woody tournament playing to know if he uses the same, or a different stroke for both his putting, and chipping. If he is using a different stroke, perhaps he might want to use his putting stroke for his chip shots.

I remember when the term "yips" was only used when a golfer's nerves went south only during their putting. Now days we have added chipping yips, pitching yips, and driver yips to the list. Perhaps we will add "green reading yips" at a later date. How about "bunker yips"?

I have had long term bouts of poor execution in all facets of my game. I never told myself I had the yips, because I knew the problem would eventually go a way. Sometimes it took a more focused practice on that area of my game that was failing me. Other times it meant taking a break from the game for a while to let my "brain game" reset itself.

In My Bag:
A whole bunch of Tour Edge golf stuff...... :beer:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

You guys love the word "yips"

There's no such thing as yips in my opinion. It's a synonym for excuse created by the weak minded. and someone certainly cannot declare another individual to have a condition, only they choose believe in. It's simply a way to rationalize why Tiger was #1 in world 8 months ago and now after this tournament, he struggled in the short game? It's no different in my opinion than saying "he's been cursed by voodoo"

I find it equally as strange when some admits they themselves have this yip thing. It's kind of giving up, right? Just my 2 cents.

i hope you never get the yips.  you might have to admit to being weak minded.

How about "bunker yips"?

i have those.

Colin P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Does anyone know if he has worked with a short game teacher lately? I still think 10-15 minutes at this point with a someone who really knows what they are doing like Erik or Mike and his short game problems are solved.

Nate

:pxg:(10.5) :benhogan:(4W):titleist:U500(3UI) :benhogan: Icon(4-PW) :edel:(52/58)

:odyssey:Putter :snell: MTB Black  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Does anyone know if he has worked with a short game teacher lately?

I still think 10-15 minutes at this point with a someone who really knows what they are doing like Erik or Mike and his short game problems are solved.

im pretty sure Como can break it down for him.  tigers problems are in his head.

Colin P.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

im pretty sure Como can break it down for him.  tigers problems are in his head.

Maybe, but I still think it is mainly technique issues made worse by what is going on in his head. Fix the technique, you fix the mental issues.

  • Upvote 1

Nate

:pxg:(10.5) :benhogan:(4W):titleist:U500(3UI) :benhogan: Icon(4-PW) :edel:(52/58)

:odyssey:Putter :snell: MTB Black  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Note: This thread is 3206 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up
  • TST Partners

    TourStriker PlaneMate
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-15%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope.
  • Popular Now

  • Posts

    • Day 76 - Pretty sore today, so I opted for putting over my Stack session. Primary focus was on starting line, as my putting has been pretty poor this year. 
    • Been a bit of delay in updates but I needed to come back east as my mom's health has taken a serious turn for the worse. In a 3 day span we learned she had a tumor to she has stage 4 cancer and stopped eating and drinking for the most part. She has had a rough 3 months but certainly didn't think we'd be at the point of setting up hospice for her. My mom was never into any sports really other than following the Red Sox because my dad was a big fan. She always cared about what we were involved in including asking about how golf went.  I have kept up with my 5 minutes of daily practice and will go to the gym here in NH tomorrow morning. Despite the somber nature of this trip my family has commented more than a few times about my weight loss so it's important to me to keep it up. I know my mom always wanted us happy in whatever we did so I'll continue with my fitness journey keeping that in mind. 
    • Day 109- Putting drills on a putting green for 20 minutes. 
    • Day 252: did a stack session. Did some slow rehearsal swings during breaks. 
    • Day 82: 3/18/24 Tried a Stack session but could not certify my warmup. Finished with indoor chips and putting. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...