I “stopped” because I wasn’t having fun. I played with my ex-father in law and he couldn’t teach anyone. His idea was to yell. My ex brother in law, however, just said, relax and hit it.

I want to get back into it only because I want to get the exercise. I’m not a good golfer, nor have i ever been. 110 for me would be a miracle. If i shot between 100 and 110, i’d probably streak the golf course.

This is not advice, this is opinion. Once you take that much time off, the muscles have forgotten what to do. You have to retrain them and that’s not easy. Second is just taking your head out of it. too much thinking, you start stinkin.

i know. I have a baseball swing and WHOOOOM, that balls flies 200 yard due east while I’m going North.

That’s my story and I’m stick to it

Some of the best players in the world have switched to belly putters or long putters to help cure the yips. My first suggestion would be to visit a good sized golf shop, store or retailer and try both a belly putter and a long putter. It’s probably going to look and feel very strange at first and will take some getting used to. But, with time and practice, the chances of your putting improving is very, very high.

one day i play in a local golf tournament and on a par 4 435yds I score a 13 (3 lost ball in the same location seperated about 4 yard apart). I wanted to quit but instead I turn into Donald Duck! quack! quack! I discover that the yips come from trying to dang hard to impress the group. The shanks from coming down to steep on the inside of your swing. I do that a lot with my pitching wedge on the driving range, with my other irons I don’t have that problem. After swing the others iron I went back to my pitching wedge and I was able to hit it solid. Just take your time and it will work it self out for you. good luck…

Yips are mental, and fairly easy to fix.
A shank is forever.
It is the worst shot of all time and is very hard to fix, not to mention the shot right after is usually nasty as well.
I am a good 10 handicap, and have always fought the shank.
I once saw Retiff Goosen (sp) shank a 5 iron on a par 3.
I don’t plan on quitting, but it has occurred to me.

Sorry about the tip, don’t read if you don’t want:

A shank usually occurs when your hands get too far away form you body at impact.
1.Put long tee in your belt; try hitting the tee at impact.
2.Move the ball closer to you, the first idea is to move away form the ball, wrong!
Get closer, swing down, hell, try toeing the ball.
3. Get your hands high on you back swing. Over your shoulder.

I played for 15 years without any lessons or fundamentals. I started out decent and got to a point where I could shoot around 90. Towards the end of those 15 years I got worse and could barely break 100. Worst part about it was that I had zero confidence and forgot how to swing and play the game entirely. Only thing I could do was putt. I hit a point where I either had to get professional help or quit. I took a break and deicided I’d give it another whirl. So, I went and got lessons and pracitced hard for the next year and started playing the best golf I’ve ever played. Those agonizing memories are a thing of the past. Last 4 years I’ve enjoyed playing golf. Wish I did what I did 20 years ago.

I still have the occasional melt down and will shoot in the 100s, but more often then not I’m breaking 90. When things go bad I shrug it off and a few cold ones and try again another day.

If you were once an 11 hdcp, you have the skills, Maybe take a break for a couple of weeks.

Bottom line is that golf is a great game and it would be a huge void to fill if I quit playing.

Ask yourself what you’d do instead of playing golf. If you have a better answer then go for it. Otherwise, keep at it.

Ben Hogan, the Tiger Woods of his day, came back from a nearly fatal car crash to dominate the sport, but couldn’t get rid of the yips. He quit.

Sam Snead, another great player (arguably the greatest ballstriker of all time) caught the yips and countered by first putting like he was playing croquet, then by standing with his feet pointing towards the hole.

I lose confidence in my putting quite often, and that’s why I own a left-handed putter. I have to think about form more from the wrong side, and a few weeks of doing that will get my brain right.

I’ve had both. The shanks were easier to overcome because there are all sorts of ways to fake a golf swing. I remember hitting punch shots for months until I got the feeling back of a full swing. The yips are far more devastating. I had these for years. They would appear and then go into remission and then come back. I missed the state tournament my senior year of high school buy 1 stroke and I yipped twice. Years later during the US Mid-Am qualifier I shot 73 and yipped twice when 72 would of got me into a playoff and 71 would of qualified. Long story short, I own a dozen putters, multiple self-help books and I now putt with a belly putter and I’m playing the best golf of my life. They eventually go away and if they don’t there’s always bowling.