The Golfing Brain

Getting a Grip on the Yips is the third book in The Golfing Brain series by James H. Grubbs. There is no dearth of books, articles, online posts, and podcasts about the affliction known as “the yips.” You’d think that by now we’d know their cause. But no. Theories abound, but a definitive explanation has, up to now, been lacking. The author, a psychiatrist and lifelong competitive golfer, has been personally acquainted with the yips several times. He’s known many other golfers plagued by the yips, including one of the most famous yippers, professional golf instructor Hank Haney. Over the years, Dr. Grubbs has read extensively on the subject, talked to countless fellow golfers and several golf gurus about the yips, and has even helped golfers overcome them. Yet, after all that, a clear understanding of the cause of the yips eluded him and the entire golfing world. Determined to discover the cause of the yips, Dr. Grubbs reviewed existing theories about the malady and the evidence supporting them. He examined myths and misconceptions about the yips. He also delved into current neurological research about how the brain plans and executes movement. This book is the result of his quest. In it, he defines the yips and describes a definitive cause of them, not only as they appear in golf but also in any activity that depends on repetitive movement, such as baseball, darts, cricket, and playing musical instruments. He explains why some remedies for the yips have been at least partially effective and suggests new (and more effective) ways of curing the yips. He even confirms his theory by causing the yips in a few brave subjects.