Golf Yips Are Real—So Is the Power of Your Mental Game

Overcoming the Golf Yips: Mastering the 4Rs and Playing One Shot at a Time

Anyone who has played the game long enough knows the sting of the yips—especially the dreaded putting yips, where a routine three-foot putt suddenly becomes a minefield of doubt, tension, and involuntary muscle movement. As a sports psychologist who has coached everyone from club golfers to PGA Tour winners, I’ve seen firsthand how moments of performance anxiety expose the true test of mental toughness on the green.

The yips most often surface in moments of increased pressure, when routine collapses and confidence evaporates. Breaking free from this cycle demands more than technical fixes—it’s about developing the mental toughness to stay engaged, adapt, and trust yourself in the moment.

Understanding the Golf Yips

First, let’s be clear: the yips are real. They’re not a sign of weakness but rather a common challenge—even the best players in the world have faced them. The yips most often surface in moments of increased pressure, when performance anxiety takes hold and manifests as hesitation, freezing, or a sudden jerky movement that disrupts your routine with the putter in hand. While the physical symptoms are frustrating, the root cause is almost always mental—your mind racing ahead rather than staying engaged with the shot at hand.

Why the Mental Game Matters

Golf is played on a course, but it’s won or lost between your ears. What separates those who find freedom from the yips isn’t superior talent—it’s mental discipline and trust in the present moment. The discipline to focus not on the result, but on the process; not on beating everyone else, but on mastering yourself and your craft. 

Introducing the 4Rs: A Blueprint for One Shot at a Time

The 4Rs—Refocus, Routine, React, and Relax—form a systematic approach to the mental side of golf, charting a course through the fog of anxiety and back to confident, athletic motion.

1. Refocus: Grab the Reins of Your Mind

Every shot gives you a choice: linger in the past, stress about the outcome, or engage fully with what you control—this shot, right here, right now.

Decision Separation: Refocusing begins before you even step into your setup. Take a step back. Make a clear, committed decision about your target and strategy. This is the “athletic moment,” where you distill the game to its essence—what matters most right now. As I always say, “A great routine will hit the shot for you.” There is no room for clutter or distractions in this moment.

2. Routine: Build Your Island of Consistency

A good routine is the backbone of performance under pressure. It’s not about going through the motions; it’s about preparing your mind and body to deliver your best when it counts.

Physical, Visual, and Mental: Your routine should have components that ground you physically (grip, stance, posture), visually (aligning to your target), and mentally (engaging with your intention for the shot).

Non-Negotiable: “There is no such thing as a partial routine. Either you do it or you don’t.” Even the best players are exposed when they skip or rush their process—especially under pressure.

Practical Tool: Practice your routine off the course. Make it as automatic as brushing your teeth. This way, when the tension of the yips closes in, your response is smooth and rhythmic, not disjointed or panicked.

3. React: Play Free, Not Fearful

Reacting is about trusting your preparation and letting your body do what it knows. The best performances flow—there’s no room for guiding or steering.

Athletic Response: Once the routine is complete, swing with freedom and commitment. Avoid the trap of “steering” or over-controlling, which only amplifies the yips.

Acceptance: Release attachment to the result. As soon as a shot is struck—good, bad, or ugly—move forward: “Accept whatever result I get and keep moving forward.” This breaks the cycle of frustration and takes you out of emotional reaction mode.

4. Relax: Recharge for the Next Athletic Moment

Between shots is often where the yips gain the most ground. Left unchecked, your mind can spiral into self-criticism, anxiety, or regret. Relaxation is your tool for recharging, resetting for the next moment.

Energy Conservation: Use walks between shots to decompress—not by replaying the last miss, but by being present. Talk with your playing partners, observe your surroundings, or practice breathing techniques to release tension.

Mental Recovery: Good relaxation isn’t just about physical rest—it’s about cultivating equanimity and readiness for the next challenge.

Practical Tool: Experiment with a relaxation cue—a deep breath, a focus on your surroundings, or even a mantra like “Stay where your feet are.” This helps you maintain composure and keep the yips at bay.

The 4Rs in Action: Escaping the Yips Cycle

Expecting to be “cured” of the yips overnight is a recipe for disappointment. Progress with the 4Rs is never about searching for quick fixes or magic cures; it’s about rewiring your default mental habits through thousands of small repetitions—shot after shot, round after round.

For many of my students, that commitment takes shape in the Score Better Video Program—a 24-month mental gym program where you systematically build the brain strength and routines that lasting performance demands. Whether you’re a club golfer or a seasoned PGA Tour professional, real change in your mental game is a process: it’s deliberate, structured, and built one repetition at a time. The Score Better Video Program isn’t theoretical; it’s the foundation for resilient routines and adaptivity that hold up under pressure, on any course, at every level.

Final Thoughts: A Golfer Should Trust the Process, Shot by Shot

The yips may feel like an insurmountable barrier, but with a disciplined mental approach, you can find freedom, athleticism, and even joy in those challenging moments. Remember, golf isn’t about erasing all mistakes or perfect outcomes. True mastery emerges from commitment to process—playing one shot at a time, trusting the 4Rs, and knowing that each moment on the course is an opportunity for growth, not judgment.

So as you step to your next putt or chip, breathe deep, run your routine, trust your instincts, and let go. The yips in golf are not your destiny—they’re simply the next challenge your craft offers you, and with the 4Rs, you have the tools to meet them head-on. 

Ready to Transform Your Golf Game?

If you’re one of the many golfers who has agonized over the mental problem of the yips—maybe you’ve even wondered whether it’s time to quit the game—you’re far from alone. Even professional golfers suffer from the yips at some stage, and too often, the battle within the space between the ears determines whether your love for golf endures or fades.

But you don’t have to be defined by the setbacks. Join countless other golfers—amateurs to professionals—who refused to give up and chose instead to build real mental fitness. Through my program, they learned not just to restore a confident putting stroke, but to reclaim the joy and excel where it matters most: between the ears.