Not being able to take the club back

Over the last few weeks I've developed a problem which seems to be getting worse.

As I stand over the ball I have trouble starting my backswing; my body simply doesn't want to move. I have to start tapping the the blade of the club on the ground (this can be up to 10 to 12 times) and only then can I initiate the swing.

Is this known as the 'yips'?

Is this a mental or physical problem? Has anybody else out there experienced anything similar and if so, what have you done to help cure the problem?

I'm around an 18 handicap and before this problem started I was very happy with my overall game and the progress I was making.

Any help would be appreciated.

Sounds like obsessive compulsive disorder, i'd see a doctor right away. Just kidding.

Try a little forward press to initiate your swing.

i played a round with a football friend and he has the same problem and he took for what seemed forever to start the swing
i asked him about it and he mentioned that it is like a darts player who has trouble releasing the dart
with this in mind think of something in your routine as a trigger point for the start of the backswing

hi qassim
think the term yips relates to putting though i may be wrong
i had this problem last year and it is a mental thing.
in my endeavour to improve my game i was reading all the monthly golf mags watching instruction dvd's and taking advice from playing partners but all that did was confuse me. a lot of this advice contradicted itself so i got to the point where i was stood over the ball with no idea how i was suppose to start the swing there was no confidence because my mind was full of swing thoughts.
at its worst i would freeze over the ball for about 20 seconds by then i was so tensed up inevitably i hit a poor shot.
i solved it by just sticking to one school of thought (david leadbetter) and before long i had cleared the hurdle and found it easy to set up and pull the trigger!
hope this helps

__________________
cheers slats
"Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle"

Thanks for the tips guys. Played a round yesterday and was still having problems. Clearly this will take time to overcome.

However, there were a few holes where the only thought I had in my head was the feeling of the club at the top of the backswing. On the holes where I could create this thought my swing was fluent. Even managed to birdie the STROKE INDEX 1 hole !

Q,

Sergio had a similar thing a year or two ago where he re gripped upteen times before pulling the trigger. He doesn't do it anymore. He got over this little quirk and so can you.

My coach has recently altered my pre shot routine. When standing behind the ball I am to over kill my swing key, check my grip and pick my target line, ie, a spot about a foot in front of the pill.

I walk to and address the ball. The only thing I'm allowed to think at this time is 'follow through' and pull the trigger.

If I pull the ball - I have to over kill the swing key more so in the pre shot routine. If I fade, I'm to check my grip before releasing the club.

Coach is trying to get me to trust my swing when at address.

Perhaps you can do your 'little thing' - twice and then pull the trigger. Count the old one, two and then swing.

__________________
VP

wow,

This is very deep, a truly mind blowing problem, Nicole is correct Sergio had a similar time in his golf............................It steams from "GO" signals in your brain, you are simply waiting for a "lets GO" signal.

Some Dart players suffer a similar thing called Dartitus, where they cannot let go of the dart.

I suggest you work on some relaxation exercises, and work on a solid pre-shot routine, perhaps something similar to Monty..........................If you can watch Monty hit a ball he wastes very little time over the ball, this I suspect is to stop any negitive thoughts entering his head, maybe something he suffered from at some stage in his career. His practice swing is super smooth with a very light grip, then steps into the ball and bang within a few seconds.

Hope this helps a little, but this is something you need to work on to connect the brain quicker to the task ahead.


Ian.

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Once you learn the swing, your next step is mastering golf psychology................

Thanks for all the positive, encouraging feedback.

The great value of this site is being able to share your problems with people who understand the problems you are going through. For me, simply being able to discuss the problem makes me start to feel more positive.

Keep up the good work guys !

Hi,

This opened some flood gates, I had a couple of rounds with this problem myself.

I am no pro, but i managed to shake this off.

Try some of the below:

Go to the range and using your seven iron before you start hitting balls, carry out a swing and listen and feel the light brushing of the matt/grass keep this up, let it restore your faith in your swing, you are acheiving the goal by brushing the matt/grass.

Try with balls

Next try the same but throw in a 1,2,3 count in your swing 1 is the trigger 2 is the top count 3 is the completion.

Try with balls

Stand behind the ball, line up the target line, take you set-up, carry out 2 waggles and then swing. (keep that target line thought)

Try with balls

Hope this helps,

Thimble