Yips / Twitchy Stroke
An involuntary jerk or flinch in the hands during the stroke, especially on short putts.
Why it happens
The yips are typically a combination of excess tension and overthinking mechanics, often triggered or worsened by pressure, the small muscles in the hands and wrists take over the stroke.
Possible causes in your swing, and how to fix each one
Tap any cause to see its fix. Work through them one at a time, usually one or two are the real culprit.
01
Excess tension in the hands and forearms
Tight grip pressure amplifies any small involuntary movement in the hands.
Drop your grip pressure to about a 3 out of 10, noticeably lighter than a full swing, or experiment with a claw or cross-handed grip that reduces small-muscle involvement.
02
Overanalyzing mechanics mid-stroke
Thinking about the mechanics of the stroke while trying to execute it is a common trigger for a twitch.
Shift your focus to a simple external target, a spot just in front of the ball on your line, rather than internal mechanics, and use a pre-shot routine that ends with a clear "go" trigger.
03
A grip style that allows too much wrist hinge
A conventional grip can allow the wrists more freedom to twitch involuntarily.
Experiment with alternative grips (claw, left-hand-low) that are designed to quiet excess wrist action.
04
High-pressure situations amplifying small flaws
The yips often show up specifically under pressure, even when the stroke looks fine on the practice green.
Practice under simulated pressure, money games or friendly competitions, to build composure over putts that matter.
Recommended video
How To INSTANTLY Cure the Putting Yips
US GOLF TV
How do you compare to the pros?
Putts per round (lower is better)
Yips / Twitchy Stroke is one of the most common reasons recreational golfers take several more putts per round than tour pros.
Sources: PGA Tour putts per round, official 2022-23 season stats (about 29); Break X Golf amateur data aggregate, 15-handicap band (about 34.8).
When to stop self-diagnosing
If you've genuinely worked through two or three of these causes over several range sessions and the miss keeps showing up, that's not a failure since it usually means the real cause is something you can't feel or see in your own swing. A single 30-minute lesson with a certified instructor, who can watch you hit balls, will find it faster than any website. Bring this page along and tell them what you've already ruled out; it'll save you both time.