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A Multidisciplinary Study of the ‘Yips’ Phenomenon in Golf

An Exploratory Analysis

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Abstract

Background: The ‘yips’ is a psychoneuromuscular impediment affecting execution of the putting stroke in golf. Yips symptoms of jerks, tremors and freezing often occur during tournament golf and may cause performance problems. Yips-affected golfers add approximately 4.7 strokes to their scores for 18 holes of golf, and have more forearm electromyogram activity and higher competitive anxiety than nonaffected golfers in both high and low anxiety putting conditions. The aetiology of the yips is not clear.

Objective: To determine whether the yips is a neurological problem exacerbated by anxiety, or whether the behaviour is initiated by anxiety and results in a permanent neuromuscular impediment.

Methods: In phase I, golf professionals assisted investigators in developing a yips questionnaire that was sent to tournament players (<12 handicap) to establish the prevalence and characteristics of the yips. Phase II measured putting behaviour in scenarios that contribute to the yips response. Four self-reported yips and 3 nonaffected golfers putted 3 scenarios using an uncorrected grip and a standard length putter. Heart rate was superimposed on the videotape and the putter grip was instrumented with strain gauges to measure grip force. Electromyograms and relative putting performance were also measured.

Results: The questionnaire was sent to 2630 tournament players, of whom 1031 (39%) responded (986 men and 45 women). Of these, 541 (52%) perceived they experienced the yips compared with 490 (48%) who did not.Yips-affected golfers reported that the most troublesome putts were 3, 4 and 2 feet (0.9, 1.2 and 0.6 metres) from the hole. Fast, downhill, left-to-right breaking putts and tournament play also elicited the yips response. Golfers affected by the yips had a faster mean heart rate, increased electromyogram activity patterns and exerted more grip force than nonaffected golfers and had a poorer putting performance.

Conclusions: For <10 handicap male golfers and <12 handicap female golfers, the prevalence of the yips is between 32.5% and 47.7%, a high proportion of serious golfers. This high prevalence suggests that medical practitioners need to understand the aetiology of the yips phenomenon so that interventions can be identified and tested for effectiveness in alleviating symptoms. Although previous investigators concluded that the yips is a neuromuscular impediment aggravated but not caused by anxiety, we believe the yips represents a continuum on which ‘choking’ (anxiety-related) and dystonia symptoms anchor the extremes. The aetiology may well be an interaction of psychoneuromuscular influences. Future research to test the effect of medications such as β-blockers should assist in better identifying the contributions these factors make to the yips phenomenon.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to acknowledge the assistance of the Johannson-Gund scholars who are funded from the Johannson-Gund Endowment Fund. We also express our appreciation to Dr Eric Ahlskog, Mr Brian Kotajarvi, PT, Mr Dirk Larson, Mr Duayne Ilstrup, Mr Robert Moore, JD, Dr Padraig O’Suillebain, Dr William Young, Mr Norm Meeks, Mr Dave Richardson (Rochester Golf & Country Club) and Ms Connie Bruce for their assistance in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Desk L-C, Sports Medicine Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, USA

    Aynsley M. Smith, Susan A. Malo, Edward R. Laskowski, Steven B. Finnie, Joseph J. Eischen & Nicole J. Detling

  2. Orthopedic Biomechanics Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA

    Michelle Sabick & Kenton Kaufman

  3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA

    William P. Cooney III

  4. Department of Exercise Science, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA

    Debbie J. Crews

  5. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA

    Ian D. Hay

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  1. Aynsley M. Smith
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  2. Susan A. Malo
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  3. Edward R. Laskowski
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  4. Michelle Sabick
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  8. Joseph J. Eischen
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Correspondence to Aynsley M. Smith.

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Smith, A.M., Malo, S.A., Laskowski, E.R. et al. A Multidisciplinary Study of the ‘Yips’ Phenomenon in Golf. Sports Med 30, 423–437 (2000). https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200030060-00004

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