Overcome Yips With Visualization
Putting is a game within the game. Golf presents no greater mental challenge than your inner battle on the putting green.
To putt great everyday, you first have to win the inner battle so you can then focus on getting the ball in the hole.
The weird part about putting is that you can have the best stroke in the world and still not be a good putter. You may be able to read greens better than anyone, but that won’t help you make putts if you can’t hit a ball on your intended line.
You can have the utmost confidence in your ability to sink putts, but it doesn’t matter how much confidence you have if you don’t have the touch to roll a ball with the correct speed.
Great putters do everything well.
To putt your best, you have to:
- read greens well
- visualize how putts will react on the green
- have confidence in your ability to sink putt
- trust your stroke and aim
And you have to start with the belief that you are a good putter or can become a good putter. And that’s what I’d like to discuss today….
Related Article: Mental Imagery And The Putting Yips
As I’ve stated in other articles here, putting is not and should not be mechanical, but most players focus too much on the mechanics.
Most great putters in history, including Jack Nicklaus, who the top clutch putters in history, agree that putting is two percent mechanics and 98 percent confidence and “touch”.
Larry Mize told me, “When you’re putting good, you’re not thinking mechanics, you’re thinking about picking out a line and rolling it down that line.”
How do you become a great putter when you label yourself as having the yips?
Or you call yourself a streaky putter, or a hot and cold putter? I call these negative labels.
When you label yourself as having the yips, you live with this label until you can change your perception of your putting. Just calling yourself a poor or streaky putter can keep you stuck in a cycle of poor putting.
Great putters are decisive, have loads of confidence in their ability to make putts, and understand how to get the ball into the hole.
They believe they are great putters, love to putt, focus on getting the ball in the hole instead of worrying about missing, and can easily forget about missed putts. The first step to shedding your self-label of the yips is to begin to see yourself as a great putter.
Great putters know that they will have good days and bad days. They understand the fact that they are human and they can’t putt perfectly every day.
If they have a bad day on the greens, they know the next day can be better. Start by listing the qualities you possess to become a great putter or to return to being a great putter, such as good speed control.
Have you had one great putting round (or nine holes of great putting) in your career?
If so, you have what it takes to become a great putter and begin to see yourself as a great putter. Don’t label yourself into putting oblivion.
Related Golf Psychology Articles:
- Great Putters Don’t Fear The Putting Game
- PGA Ban on Anchored Putters
- Did You Change Your Putter to Beat The Yips?
Improve Your Mental Game From Anywhere In The World
Learn how to think like a great putter and develop mental toughness with one-on-one golf psychology coaching for putting yips by mental game of golf experts at Peak Performance Sports!
You can get expert yips mental coaching with us from anywhere. Meet with us via Skype, phone, FaceTime, or GoTo Meeting. With today’s video technology, we are able to connect with athletes and coaches all over the globe.
We help golfers win at all levels including AJGA junior golfers, collegiate golfers, mini-tour golfers, Canadian Tour, PGA Tour, and LPGA Tour golfers. Find a sports psychologist near me.
Call Us Today to Schedule Your Free 15-Minute Session.
Find Out If You Can Benefit From One-on-One Mental Coaching!
888-742-7225 | 407-909-1700