Golf World UK - August 2017

August 2017 Golf World 27

littlewhiteballagainin some
half decent weather.
Thinking I better grab
some practice before I hit the
fairways, I attempted to try
out the putting on my recently
cut lawn. Alas, the weather let
me down and so did the golf!
I hit said balls all over the
lawn, very few of them getting
even close to their intended
target. I will not print the
expletive I let out, but
something was seriously
wrong as each hit was prefixed
with a twitch in both
forearms... After playing this
great game for 40 years, I now
know what the putting yips
actually feel like. And it’s not
a nice feeling, believe me.
I have always been a good
putter of the ball and it has
saved many a bad score in
order to retain my 16
handicap. So as the problem
didn’t resolve itself, I had to
attempt a remedy.
I experimented with a
number of different grips,
even at one point trying a
right-handed putter, but all
to no avail. Then, eventually,
unexpectedly, Eureka!
Instead of gripping my
left-handed putter with my
right hand and then over
lapping my left, I gripped
it with the left hand down
the grip slightly. Then –
after removing my watch –
I gripped my left wrist with

my right hand at a right angle,

with my right forearm across

my body and parallel with

the ground.

Using a piston movement,

left to right, I could stroke the

ball forward, generating the

power with my right arm.

The stroke was on line and

without any yippish twitch.

After a few rounds of

competition golf, the problem

was solved – I am back to

being a good putter again,

albeit slightly unconventional.

If any of your readers are

struck down with the yips,

I recommend they try this

stroke – albeit reversed for all

you right-handers out there.

Mike Gibson, Email

HOORAY FOR HOBDAY!

Many thanks for the excellent

feature on Simon Hobday in

your July issue.

I’ll be honest and say that

while I had heard his name

down the years, I never

realised what a gifted golfer

he actually was, or how much

of a character. The tale of the

traffic policeman in the

United States made me laugh

long and hard!

Hob

asad lo

gamen

mavericks like him and will

be far less colourful without

him.

Nigel Goldspan, Email

HATS OFF!

How nice to see old photos

of our heroes walking the

fairways without hats and

being able to view their faces

when being interviewed or

receiving their awards.

Whilst it is understandable

for modern day players to

take safeguards against skin

cancers and so on, why do

television companies not ask

their interviewees, after

completing their rounds, to

remove their caps?

Good luck to Robert Rock

and Ollie Schniederjans, the

only ones to show off their

hair and give us the chance to

see a smile or two.

Mike Wadley, Bognor Regis

Editor’s reply: The reason is

simple, Mike. Take the player’s

hat out of the equation and

you reduce their sponsorship

opportunities – and thus

reduce their earning power by

hundreds of thousands of

dollars, if not more. Don’t

to see any ofthem

ng if you do that.

Royal Birkdale: one

reader’s choice as

England’s very

best layout.

TheEuropean Tour’s

inaugural Golf Sixes

tournament created plenty

of buzz and opinions... but

what’s your view?

Join in the Twitter polls and

conversations at: @golfworld1

WE ASK

YOU ANSWER

Three hot topics

you addressed on

Twit ter this month.

Golf Worlddreserves the

right to edit all letters

submittedtoYourViews for

style and length purposes.

With the R&A and USGA

reviewing the use of

green-reading books,

would you like to see

them banned on Tours?

With Rory McIlroy signing

for TaylorMade, do the

clubsinthebagsofpros

really influence your

buying decisions?

Thelegen

thet

18%

Loathed it

Loved it The jury’s out

16%

41%

43%

No, the

game’s hard enough

Limit

their

use

Yes, it should

be a skill

11%

80%

9%

82%

Yes , t he

pros know best

No, I buy on

performance