Over-Thinking Your Mechanics
I want to address one of the stages of the yips cycle that keeps you stuck–and often makes matters worse…
What do you do after a bad putting round? How do you get back on track?
You make changes, of course. But what changes do you make?
Most golfers make changes with their stroke mechanics, set up, and putter. Sounds like a good plan, right?
Wrong! Tinkering and fixing is what causes players to stay stuck and often get worse… In some situations, tinkering can bring on the yips.
Here’s what Mark had to say about tinkering and making changes…
“I forgot to mention what triggered full blown yips for me the latest time. I went to the library and got several books on putting and read them. I guess that fits under ‘fix/tinker’ part of the yips cycle?”
Yes, when you make radical changes, especially with your stroke mechanics, you often dig yourself deeper into the yips cycle.
Why?
You lose trust in what you are doing on the course. It leads to over-thinking.
Any time you make a change, it takes 30-60 days to over-learn and have a change be ingrained (and you most likely find something new if it does not work the next round).
In addition, you start to focus more on mechanics and get trapped in a practice mindset, a mindset that is focused on making changes for the future.
What’s the solution?
Stop tinkering and fixing!
First, you have to understand that the yips are mental, not physical. A change in stroke or putters might help in the short term, but its only temporary.
Next, you have to simplify instead of make putting or chipping more complex. Don’t go to the library and research every technique for putting. Stop making changes.
Go back to what’s worked for you in the past. Find the ONE method, one putter, one routine that you have used successfully in the past. Stick with it!
Then, free up your putter with my drills and attack the fear that leads to over control and massive tension.
Related Golf Psychology Articles
- Where Do the Driver Yips Come From?
- How to Stop the Yips Cycle Before it Starts
- Can Golfers Overcome the Yips?
Anti-Yips Putting Drills
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