| A lack of confidence is typically the reason why | | | | themselves. Develop a pre-shot routine the next |
| golfers get "the yips" while putting. This first | | | | time you are on the putting green. |
| putting drill can be done at the golf course, home | | | | Your pre-shot routine can begin with something as |
| or at the office. We will start without a golf ball. | | | | easy as lifting your right thumb off of the putter |
| Begin by simply making some putting strokes. | | | | grip and then place the thumb back on the grip. |
| Lighten your putting grip pressure until you can | | | | Your pre-shot routine should also include the |
| feel the weight of the putter head back and | | | | number of times you look at the putting cup. On |
| through. On each stroke, hold your finish position | | | | paper, your routine may look like this: thumb up, |
| for a count of three seconds. If at the course, | | | | thumb down, look at hole, look at ball, putt. As |
| make some strokes with your eyes closed with | | | | you use this routine, you will gain a rhythm. This |
| no target. This will allow you to feel your putting | | | | rhythm will flow over into your putting stroke. |
| stroke. | | | | Go with your gut |
| Overhaul | | | | Sergio Garcia has made the change and many |
| As you have practiced for X amount of years | | | | others have beaten the yips with using a belly |
| with the putting grip you have, it just may be the | | | | putter. A belly putter will create a true pendulum |
| time to overhaul your putting grip. Since your | | | | putting stroke by eliminating the small muscles in |
| brain is currently programmed to "yip" using your | | | | your hands from the motion. This lack of hand |
| current putting grip, change your putting grip. | | | | motion will create consistency for your putting |
| These days there are no rules on putting grips. | | | | stroke. To use a belly putter, anchor the putter |
| You can go from the over-lap to the ten-finger to | | | | to a point on your midsection or "belly." Take |
| the claw grip. By radically changing your putting | | | | your set-up and make your regular putting stroke |
| grip, your brain will need to reprogram all of its | | | | as you would with a .standard. length putter. |
| circuits and will start with a clean slate. | | | | When you finish your stroke, hold your finish until |
| Get a pre-shot routine | | | | you can count slowly to three. |
| Routines are used in other sports so the players | | | | Now you can go to the putting green and putt |
| can relax themselves. Batters have routines as | | | | your way to lower scores. See you on the |
| they step into the batter box, basketball players | | | | practice putting green. |
| have routines at the free throw line to relax | | | | |