‘Fix The Yips Forever’ by Hank Haney with Matthew Rudy

By: Dr. John Wagner


Now here’s a book that makes sense of that famous malady nobody likes to discuss, especially me. This is well-presented document with easy-to-read print and great pictures. Haney, Tiger Woods’ instructor, does an excellent job of conveying the reasons behind the dreaded yips, and offers solid tips and techniques to correct the problem.

I think the methods he teaches to fix your troubles are simple to understand and use. So why try them if the yips haven’t gotten to you? The yips are not only a putting problem, but something that shows up in driving and chipping. Haney explains how this occurs and, again, offers good technical solutions for dealing with them.

He includes a lot of sound information backed by good science. I especially liked the first chapter that explained what the yips are. Haney uses scientific evidence to show what they are and how they affect players in other sports; he’s even found the yips in seven-year-old children.

Contrast Haney’s explanations with those in the book, “The Efficient Golfer,” which propounds that the yips come from years of buildup of microfibers in the muscles. I like Haney’s explanations better. He also works with the world’s best players and gets results – what more validity do you need?

The only trouble I have with these types of books is that when you read a lot about common problems, you begin to wonder if you’ll get them yourself. That would make my weekly golfing buddies happy.

“Fix The Yips Forever” by Hank Haney with Matthew Rudy, published by Gotham Books, $30, 221 pages, ISBN 1-592-40236-4

Dr. John Wagner has been a Seattle dentist for 37 years. He's been published in several dental journals as well as had several articles appear in the turf magazine for Pacific Northwest golf course superintendents. John has served as a guest lecturer at the University of Washington Business School for several years and as a guest lecturer for several dental societies. Dr. Wagner is the co-designer (with Steve Shea of the Berger Partnership) of a golf course in Japan that cost over $120 million and was built by Wadsworth Golf Construction. He's a Past President of the Washington State Golf Association and a Trustee of the Pacific Coast Golf Association. John is currently a Member of the USGA Green Section and a Director of the WSGA.