GolfWorks Research Reveals a Cure for the Yips

GolfWorks Research Reveals a Cure for the Yips
Press Release

No question about it, the putter is one club in the bag that can take an ordinarily pleasant day of golf and turn it into a green-swirling nightmare. This is especially true for golfers who suffer from the "yips," the freezing or jerking some golfers experience prior to putting and which Mayo Clinic Sport Science researchers believe are suffered by 32.5 to 47.7 percent of serious golfers. Thankfully, results from a two-year research program have revealed an exciting new process for curing the yips.

The GolfWorks founder and renowned club designer Ralph Maltby, and the GolfWorks design team, spent the better part of the past two years researching what happens when the putter strikes the ball, studying impact dynamics and examining ball skid and roll movements. His research has resulted in a greater understanding of putting and the physical forces which ultimately affect ball movement and player scoring.

“Our research proved that golf balls skid and have some rearward rotation on all putts and with all putters,” says Britt Lindsey, GolfWorks vice-president of technical services and member of the research team. “The amount varies depending on the length of the putt, putting surface, putter specifications, contact point, etc., but it happens on all putts. In addition, the Moment of Inertia (MOI) of a putter head has tremendous influence on how the ball rolls, specifically, how close to the intended line and distance a ball rolls when struck on different points off the center of the putter face.”

Lindsey explains that one aspect of putter choice that has changed dramatically in the last few years is head weight. For example, standard putter head weights in the GolfWorks catalog have gradually increased in recent years from 325 grams to 340 grams and 360 grams, and there are two predominate reasons for this. First, belly and long putters have become more popular, and the counter-balancing effect of extended length and heavier grips diminish head feel, so heavier head weights are required. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, standard putter lengths are getting shorter. Putters of 34 inches, 33 inches or less are becoming commonplace, and heavier head weights are again needed to maintain good head feel.

It was a detailed focus on the performance and playability factors of heavier putter heads that produced a cure for one of the most feared ailments in putting, the yips, a word that brings passionate golfers to their knees.

Smoothing out the stroke and eliminating the player’s voluntary or involuntary "hit" at the putt is difficult to do. However, GolfWorks research on MOI and heavier-weighted putter heads shows that when an extremely heavy putter head (such as the 500-gram CSS 702 putter) is built to standard length (33”, 34”, and 35”) the extremely heavy head feel made it almost impossible for the hit to take place during a stroke. And, by counter-balancing the heavier head with approximately four ounces of weight in the shaft butt, distance control with the heavy head, though normally difficult, becomes more manageable. Note: GolfWorks also recommend a jumbo putter grip to reduce the tendency to grip the club too firmly. The CSS 702 head has another distinct benefit. The very high MOI makes the putter very forgiving on off-center contacts.

The yips are most likely to occur within 11 feet of the hole, and this equipment combination provides dramatic improvement in the consistency of ball contact and smoothness of the stroke within that range. However, as putts get much longer, distance control becomes more difficult, and using it on longer putts is not recommended for that reason.

“Thinking outside the box, we believe some players would benefit from having two putters in their set make up, one for longer putts, and the CSS 702 putter built with the counter-balance for shorter putts,” says Lindsey. “Since putting makes up more than 40 percent of the game, it is something to think about, so long as there are only 14 clubs in the bag.”

To optimize the availability of the new research, The GolfWorks has introduced a new CSS 702 Yip Kit ($59.95) so golfers and clubmakers can help themselves and/or their customers cure the yips. For more information on The GolfWorks putter research or The GolfWorks products, please call 800.848.8358.

The GolfWorks is the golf industry’s most complete source for golf club components, clubmaking tools, supplies and technical information. Located in Newark, OH, The GolfWorks is celebrating its 28th year of providing clubmakers and other golf equipment professionals with the finest educational programs in the industry, along with a full line of brand name shafts and grips and a complete complement of proprietary clubhead designs. Its Maltby Design™ division provides design and manufacturing services for golf equipment brands such as PowerBilt™ and Tommy Armour™. For more information or for a GolfWorks catalog, call 800-848-8358 or shop on-line at www.golfworks.com