Chipping Yips

Lambo100

Would anyone have any advice on how to overcome chipping yips. Basically, tee to green not a problem, however, once I get to in and around the green, then my chipping keeps letting me down. I keep scuffing the ball and it will dribble about a foot or two in front of where I took the chip from. This has only started happening recently, and it's killing my scorecard. What i'm doing wrong I think is more a mental thing, as at this stage I step up to the ball knowing i'm going to duff it. If I am practicing while waiting to tee off, I can chip fine, which makes it even more annoying. Is there anyone who might be able to recommend a drill I can try just to be able to chip it onto the green, and then when confidence starts to build in it, I can worry about getting it closer to the cup. Currently playing off 17, but would love to knock a few more shots of it, but while I have this, then it's not going to happen. I am regularly shooting 32, 33 points, and would be closer to 40 only for this. Any tips anyone might have would be great.

L.O.F.T

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4vrNqfF4IE&feature=fvsr

Johnny_Fontane

i had this recently - somebody showed me a band aid around it (as its really a confidence thing).

basically go out and practice this drill.

Take out your sw/56 degree wedge that you normally chip with. put the ball back in your stance (at your back foot)with your feet closer together and use your putting swing to hit the ball, making sure you dont lift your head from the ball until about 2 seconds afterwards! Practice this 50 times and you will get your feel back.

it wont go hugely high but you cant blade it....take some time on the practice green with it. the ball will shoot out a little lower, so its useless if you need to flip it over a bunker, but if you have a bit of green to work with, its a safe one to play.

good luck and keep that head down

Lambo100

Thanks folks for the tips. Will try out both this evening in the back garden, then venturing up to the club to practice on the chipping green. As you say Johhny, it's more a metal thing I think, as up until this season I did not have that problem. If I can use a drill, then I can contentrate on that as opposed to the doubts that enter my mind when stepping up to the ball for a chip. Anyway, thanks again and will let you know in a few days how it's going.

GreeBo

My only swing thought for pitches & bunker shots is "finish high"
You never want to quit on them so swing to a full finish no matter how short the back swing or how slow you are swinging.

For me this removes any doubt about duffing it short so I am freed up to hit it well.

(Though hitting a couple of hundred of them a week helps too!)

Lambo100

Thanks GreeBo, and I think that may very well be a part of it. I am so consious of duffing the chip that I am not relaxed when steeping up to it and as a result the follow though perhaps is not there.

Russman

Make little small swings and just keep your hands ahead of it and let the club simply collect the ball on the way through. Once you master that you can progress to more specialist shots.

Alternatively, a couple of hours around a green with your 56deg wedge and 5 or 6 balls will sort you out, experiment, try things, and learn how different ball positions, stances, swings etc effect the shots. Be like a kid again, get the feel back.

Webbs

If your nearish the green and not got bunker, lake etc in front of you then try to get the ball on the green and running as soon as possible.
So you can use a 9 iron or 8 iron (my favourite) you would use much more of a putting stroke for this shot so is easier to complete.
This will hopefully get your confidence up and then use the other tips on here for your trickier shots over bunkers or you need to carry the ball further

Only one Keano

5 tips which should help include:
1 - develop a consistent routine (ie visualize the shot before you hit it and then focus on your target before you hit it) - big plus on this is it stops you from thinking negative/fearful over the shots which is probably the main reason for yips. Needs a lot of disclipine and acceptance as still no guarantee this will always cure the problem
2 - try your putting grip for shots just off the edge of the green - makes shot seem more like a putt and can use a variety of clubs when playign this shot. More suitable for chip an run shot
3 - practice with a golf ball between the knees - duffing and thinning chips/pitches are usually down to overactive leg movement. If you can keep the ball between the knees when practising you will limit your leg movement which should make you more consistent
4 - Always accelerate through the shot. You have to be agreesive through the ball. A lot of really good chippers/pitchers have a short abbreviated follow through but the club is still increasing in speed as it comes into impact. Think Olly who is arguably was the best chipper in the game when at this peak
5 - Lastly always remember your good shots you've played as this is a big confidence booster. All of us have hit good chips or putts and if you were even to write down your best chip shot after each game you are focusing on what you did good and reinforcing a belief that you are improving in this area

Best of luck!:)

Lambo100

Folks thanks a lot for all the replies. Going to try out a number of things as recommended by yourselves over the next few days and see which I feel most comfortable with. Main objective initially is just to get the ball lofted and on the green, and to restore a bit of confidence. Hopefully, if I can do that, then can start looking at various aspects to build further on the tips given here. Will keep you updated on how it's going.

Morrisseeee

I went up a club, ie. to a 9 iron, and my chipping became very consistent, so much so that I actually look foreward to chipping now !!!

soundsham

hit more greens........;)

alxmorgan

Some videos from Shawn Clement who I (and other on here) find very good
First one he talks about acceleration through ball and proper momentum
Second one (which I haven't watched) he deals with chipping yips specifically


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5ZkCRlabUc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq4VwkM7Mnc

mike12

Hi,
U could try using a putting stroke with your most lofted wood/utility really easy as u cant really duff it espically out of a fluffy lie works great for a low runner.
Mike

Spudmonkey

Have to say when you can chip normally in practise, this really seems to suggest a mental issue.

I'd been having problems with chipping myself lately. Found myself hitting it fine on the practise green but once I went out to the course, I put too much pressure on myself to get up and down. Even got to the stage where if I missed a green I had it in my head that the hole was bogeyed. Compare this to pros who could miss seven or eight greens in a round and still shoot under par.

Best advice I can give is to play a few rounds where you don't count your score. Just focus on trying to hit good shots. If you miss a putt, miss a chip or lose a drive, who cares. Throw down another ball and play it again. I find this stops putting too much pressure on certain shots which makes them easier. When you get to a proper round, you will be more relaxed playing certain shots and your chipping should improve.

Lambo100

Thanks all for the tips. Been out on the course the past couple of evenings doing some chipping and so far so good. Probably chipped about 60 balls each evening, and it felt good. Best thing I found to bear in mind was the follow through, make sure the follow through matches the back swing, and also being fully commited to the chip. Once I had both going, found the chipping touch starting to come back. Early days yet, but things certainly looking up. Playing a round this weekend, so will be interesting to see how it goes.

copacetic

A nice practise one to get your weight onto your front foot to hit down on the ball rather than flipping at it is to lift your back foot off the ground a tiny bit. So you are basically standing on one leg. With this and your hands ahead of the ball you are nearly sure of a solid strike into back of ball.