Putting-Flinching Near Ball (Not Yips?)

[b.mattay]

Fellow WRX'ers:

 

Does anyone have ideas for fixing a little flinch in a putting stroke? I hesitate to call it yips because it doesn't seem to affect short putts, and this flinch even happens when just hitting putts in my living room (without a specific target). It seems as though this occurs a couple inches before the ball, impacting my ability to hit the putt solidly and impart a pure roll. As such, my mid-range and long putting is pretty dreadful (I rarely three putt, but also rarely hit a solid putt that has any chance of dropping). Any suggestions??

[benclab]

Putt with your eyes closed, lead hand low, look at the hole not the ball, etc.

 

Trying something new for a little while or as a drill can do a lot. I used to follow the putter head with my eyes and then toe hit short putts. I practiced just eyes closed and looking at the hole and don't do it anymore. Again, I did it as a drill. Never did it on the course because I drilled it out of me.

[KingMike]

And you're a +1?

 

Maybe change your focus. When I'm trying too hard to aim, the tension in my hands and wrists can make things inconsistent very quickly. A quick fix of mine is to let the stroke swing softly from the shoulder joints for a few practice putts.

[bluedot]

Three thoughts:

 

1. If you rarely three putt, then it is unlikely that this is really the yips, at least yet. But if it IS, I'd urge you to consider making a change before the scar tissue builds up too much. One REALLY underrated way to solve a "flinch" is putting with the thumbs parallel and the edge of the grip pressing into the lifelines of each hand; it puts the wrists in a "pre-broken" position, and under pressure you can press even harder if you want. The best grip out there for this is the Super Stroke Flatso; big enough for the hands to be parallel, with a large flat section on top for the thumbs to fit beside each other. And, it's light enough not to screw up the swingweight of your putter too much. Give yourself some time to get a feel for lag putting, but worth a try.

 

2. If your flinch is on longer putts, it MAY be that you have an alignment issue that your body senses and that it then prevents you from feeling comfortable releasing the putter on a putt that you need to hit hard. A guess is that your alignment may be getting too closed, just as we do with the full swing; it's a vision thing, and it might not be happening on shorter putts when you can see both the ball and the hole without much head movement. I was told a long time ago that you can putt well from an open stance, but that it is VERY difficult to putt well from a closed stance. Anyway, worth a try.

 

3. If you haven't already, read the putting sections in "Every Shot Counts". The research on what pros are actually NOT making from various distances is really startling, and it may take some pressure off of you to feel like you should be making more long and mid range putts; I've even heard some Tour guys say that about the research. The key to good putting is NOT three putting, and you say that you rarely three putt; don't expect to make a lot of stuff outside about 10'. The best players in the world have to get inside 9' before they start making 50%, so outside that, just focus on "perfect pace" and hope it falls in.

[b.mattay]

Three thoughts:

 

1. If you rarely three putt, then it is unlikely that this is really the yips, at least yet. But if it IS, I'd urge you to consider making a change before the scar tissue builds up too much. One REALLY underrated way to solve a "flinch" is putting with the thumbs parallel and the edge of the grip pressing into the lifelines of each hand; it puts the wrists in a "pre-broken" position, and under pressure you can press even harder if you want. The best grip out there for this is the Super Stroke Flatso; big enough for the hands to be parallel, with a large flat section on top for the thumbs to fit beside each other. And, it's light enough not to screw up the swingweight of your putter too much. Give yourself some time to get a feel for lag putting, but worth a try.

 

2. If your flinch is on longer putts, it MAY be that you have an alignment issue that your body senses and that it then prevents you from feeling comfortable releasing the putter on a putt that you need to hit hard. A guess is that your alignment may be getting too closed, just as we do with the full swing; it's a vision thing, and it might not be happening on shorter putts when you can see both the ball and the hole without much head movement. I was told a long time ago that you can putt well from an open stance, but that it is VERY difficult to putt well from a closed stance. Anyway, worth a try.

 

3. If you haven't already, read the putting sections in "Every Shot Counts". The research on what pros are actually NOT making from various distances is really startling, and it may take some pressure off of you to feel like you should be making more long and mid range putts; I've even heard some Tour guys say that about the research. The key to good putting is NOT three putting, and you say that you rarely three putt; don't expect to make a lot of stuff outside about 10'. The best players in the world have to get inside 9' before they start making 50%, so outside that, just focus on "perfect pace" and hope it falls in.

 

I really like this post! I have given the "thumbs parallel" grip a try and rolled it pretty well but my current putter grip just makes it uncomfortable. I have also been told I get my stance a little closed with the putter and often do feel uncomfortable about line outside of 5 feet or so. I will try fiddling with these two parameters a little and see where it takes me! As far as expectations, I understand that the odds on mid-range and long putts are low. I just want to feel as though I give more putts a chance by giving it a good roll on my intended line! Hopefully if I do that consistently, I can have an odd "hot" day with the flatstick (something that doesn't occur as of now).

[Jim Waldron]

One of my coaching specialties is helping golfers to cure their yips or flinches issues. I view them both as simply opposite ends of a spectrum, with a flinch being very mild version of a yip.

 

Sounds like you are experiencing a mild flinch, likely due to loss of mental focus during the forward stroke, and/or loss of emotional commitment to your chosen target and start line. Those two things will manifest in a change in grip pressure, in your case pretty subtle change.

 

I would start with putting your mind in your hands in Feel Channel - meaning do not "picture" your hands or "talk to yourself" about your hands - just feel your grip pressure with the intention of keeping it the same to the finish of your stroke.

[sui generis]

Jim and bluedot have some good suggestions. Borrow a left handed putter and see if you can learn to putt with that. I'm not suggesting that as a long term fix, but merely as a means to explore some different feelings which could be helpful when you go back to your normal putter.