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I have had a muscle twitch at or before impact on my pitch shots or short wedge shots around the green for many years. I also tend to hold the club tightly.

Yesterday, I played with a new attitude. I just swung the club like I was playing the first time. Basically, I tried to trust my athletic skills and get my thoughts clear on each swing. I did much better.

The second part and I think the tip was from Hank Haney was to close my eyes right before impact. This approach made my contact so much crisper and I already feel more confident. I even can leave my eyes open now a few times. I just hope the short game success will convince my mind that I can pull these shots off.

Just thought I would share, but my advice for anyone who really struggles with the yips with pitch shots to do the following
1) Just hit the ball and trust your natural swing
2) Close your eyes right before impact

I love this tip. Actually I have experienced something like this myself.

Anytime I feel insecure about my shortest pitches (like 30-55 yards) I shank it/top it/you name it.

When I just let it go and feel the distance I need I do MUCH better. That's trusting your natural short game swing.

As far as eyes closed I don't know, haven't tried that yet

Relaxation + Positive thoughts. That's the key


I mess these up all the time. I do best when I just step up and strike it quickly without letting myself think too much.

I don't have pitching yips, but when I hit short-game shots I don't get too technical about them, and try to hit them more or less 'naturally'. I do need to remind myself to approach these shots 'positively', even somewhat 'aggresively'.

If you handed me a golf-ball to toss it at the hole I would probably do a pretty good job at it, without much thought. I try to use that approach to hit the short pitches.

For me, I keep my eyes on the ball, and just swing through the ball, without lifting my head to follow the ball. I find my distance control and contact improve.

I find I make similar mistakes on my pitches as on my my full shots, and use the same attempts to cure them. Pitch practice should be good way to improve the full swing, if you improve your pitching first and then gradually lengthen the pitches until a full swing is reached.

Lots and lots of practice...only way to TRUST the swing...tempo is huge, as is turning your shoulders all the way though the shot...make some practice swings, make some waggles...this breaks up the tension as well...

Years ago, I got a tip that helped me get rid of the yips around the green: take the wrists out of the shot and play a smooth chip or pitch. I also hit "bump and run" pitches for the most part, even when I have to bounce the ball before getting it on the green. I hit the 7 iron a lot and get some funny looks in my foursome. But I'll take those because the ball usually nestles up close to the pin.

Nothing at all wrong with using a 7 iron. I used to chip with a 7 quite often when I played in HS, but now I almost always use SW. I think I was better back then too - I will have to try it again.

haha this sounds a little corny..

but sometimes on my approach shots i get super distracted.

and notice that golf cart out of the corner of my eye,

or look at the grass and think, man this is nicely cut,

when this happens i usually hit it thin.

Good advice. I've found that a very practical way to do this is to take the club back only as far as necessary to make a free and diliberate stroke. My is that every full shot should feel like you're giving it the same amount of power and acceleration all the way through the shot...when you get down to the short irons and pitch or half-shots the technique still works and allows you to become confident in your distances which turns into more and more confidence in your short game overall. Of course, when you take extremes like a drive vs. a short putt you can clearly see the dissimilarity...but on long putts the technique, for me, still holds...and when I've thrown in some quality putting practice I get pretty deadly on snakes and start leaving the ball pretty close to the hole. I three-putt like everyone else but it sure helps to have total confidence to go ahead and make an aggressive stroke as if golf were second nature and not nerve-wracking at all...ok, doesn't always work.

I've always believed that a fundamentally solid golf swing should be built from the ground up, just as you suggest. Make the same move with the same power and acceleration and learn to control the length of your swing. Golf becomes real fun when you can learn to do that, regardless of whether you score well or not...of course, scoring well is tops.

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