Opinion & Analysis
Hank Haney believes Jordan Spieth has the yips, but this is why he’s entirely wrong
Speaking to ESPN.com, Tiger Woods’ former coach Hank Haney pulled no punches while discussing his reasons behind Jordan Spieth’s lack of form, blaming his current state on a case of the “yips.” Talking to the broadcaster, Haney stated that
“When I watch him putt, he visibly has the yips. You watch his hands on short putts and there is a tremor in there. I don’t care if the putt goes in or doesn’t. He was center cut on his first putt at the Ryder Cup. But his hands were shaking. He had to miss more short putts than anybody on Tour.”
Although Haney’s take will go unnoticed by many, who have had the prevailing opinion that Spieth’s issues are all green-related drilled into their heads, the view is in fact at best uninformed and at worst lazy. The Texan’s putting has not been the issue since the first part of 2018, yet the belief in the golfing world that Spieth now has the yips has grown legs like a fine Bordeaux.
The reality is that over his previous 32 rounds, or last eight events on the PGA Tour if you like, where strokes gained statistics are recorded, Spieth has gained strokes over the field with the flat-stick in seven of them.
An even closer study, concerning form within the ‘yip range’, i.e. inside five feet, shows that in the same period Spieth is currently one of the best. Entering this week’s Sony Open, the 25-year-old sits eight in the 144 man field for strokes gained putting inside five feet. Not too shabby for someone with the yips, right?
Extending that view, in his last nine events, Spieth stands 26th in this week’s field in strokes gained putting from 5-10 feet, and an impressive sixth from the 10-15 feet range. While in the overall picture, the three-time major champ sits 18th in this week’s field for strokes gained putting over the same period.
The view that Spieth has acquired and currently has the putting yips is an uninformed take that is surprising to hear from such a successful swing coach as Hank Haney.
Instead, Spieth’s current issues look to revolve around his long game, having lost strokes to the field in six out of his last eight events off the tee. A problem which Spieth acknowledged as much this Wednesday while preparing for the Sony Open.
“Last year I was really off with the putting the first half of the year; that started to get better and then the swing got off.”
Another reason for his winless streak looks to be from his long-distance putting. In 2015, when Spieth dominated, his putting from 15-25 feet was off the charts. The Texan made an inordinate amount of putts from distance in that period, while in his last 50 rounds, Spieth sits a lowly 133rd in this week’s field for strokes gained putting from 15-20 feet and 113th from 20-25 feet. To say his form on the greens from those ranges has been off in recent times would be fair, while to say that Spieth has the putting yips would be obtusely inaccurate.
Spieth’s putting has not been an issue since May, and the American has already acknowledged that his stroke was off for the opening months of 2018. Yet the false narrative that he can no longer putt that is still banded around by so many talking heads in the world of golf today is both baffling and insulting.
To these people, including Haney, let me refer to what the man himself had to say while he was responding to questions this week over the current state of his game.
“I know what’s wrong with Jordan Spieth, and I know what’s right with Jordan Spieth.”
The constant and lazy criticism of Spieth’s putting, since he isn’t holing everything he looks at currently, appears to have killed any of the joy that the 25-year-old once portrayed while competing at the grandest stages. Golf’s freewheeling golden boy from 2015 now looks closer to resembling Atlas from ancient Greece than ever before; the Titan forced to hold the entire world on his shoulders for eternity.
Though we may not be in ancient Greece now, Spieth is a Titan in the world of golf, with more wins on the PGA Tour than any other player in the last 30 years before the age of 26 besides Woods, and is too talented and intelligent not to discover how to throw off the shackles of whatever is ailing him on the course.
Spieth’s task, however, would be much easier to achieve if those with the platform stopped wrongly persecuting the three-time major champion for his performance on the greens.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
RBC Heritage Tour Report: More minis, course-specific setups, Spider & GTS launches
Justin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
Best fairway woods of 2026: The most versatile fairway woods + the most forgiving fairway woods
What’s the story behind Webb Simpson’s custom-stamped irons?
Cadillac Championship Tour Report: Spieth’s sizable changes, McLaren Golf launches, and more
The 24 players who can win the Masters
Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB: 2026 Masters
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
J.J. Spaun’s winning WITB: 2026 Valero Texas Open
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
Alex Fitzpatrick WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Ping G440 LST (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus...
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
Driver: Ping G440 Max (9 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX 3-wood: Ping G440 Max (15 degrees) Shaft:...
WITB Time Machine: Rory McIlroy’s winning WITB, 2021 Truist Championship
Rory McIlroy’s victory at the 2021 Wells Fargo Championship 2021 (now the Truist Championship) marked a significant return to form,...
Collin Morikawa WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D LS (8 degrees) Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana D+ Limited 60 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade SIM Tour (14 degrees) Shaft:...
-
Equipment2 weeks agoJustin Rose WITB 2026 (April): Full WITB breakdown with new McLaren irons
-
Equipment1 week agoWhat’s the story behind Webb Simpson’s custom-stamped irons?
-
Equipment2 weeks agoCadillac Championship Tour Report: Spieth’s sizable changes, McLaren Golf launches, and more
-
Whats in the Bag3 days ago
Kristoffer Reitan’s winning WITB: 2026 Truist Championship
-
Whats in the Bag1 week agoCameron Young’s winning WITB: 2026 Cadillac Championship
-
Whats in the Bag3 weeks agoNelly Korda WITB 2026 (April)
-
Equipment2 weeks agoJustin Rose on the switch to McLaren Golf, learnings from previous equipment moves
-
Tour Photo Galleries2 weeks agoPhotos from the 2026 Cadillac Championship
Charles Panco
Jan 15, 2019 at 7:41 am
The “journalist” is completely wrong. Stats are entirely different from the yips. Perhaps the “journalist” should leave his desk and Google in order to discover facts on his own before writing such articles.
jim
Jan 12, 2019 at 8:06 pm
When Jordan was winning regularly,he would pick his club,line up his shot and hit it.Now it takes him forever to hit his shot.I really think he’s thinking too much.
Patricknorm
Jan 12, 2019 at 3:15 pm
Hank Haney is correct because; Hank did have the yips; with his driver. I knew Lance Armstrong was dirty I too took EPO. So those of you giving Haney such negativity, he knows from where he comes. In fact the same could said for Rory Mcilroy who used to make everything but know struggles on the greens.
My take is that things came so easily for Spieth and McIlroy that now that they have grown into their bodies , there are adjustments and these young guys are trying to figure it out.
frank cichon
Jan 13, 2019 at 3:08 am
I have been saying for the last 18 months that Rory has the yips. I am not sure that Rory made everything he looked at when he was winning. As for Jordan he had 2-2 1/2 years of making just about everything he looked at. No one can sustain that for any length of time. I think that Rory had success because his game what GOOD…DISTANCE and great iron play and the putting
was (as the saying) goes just par for the course. If Rory wants to win all the majors he MUST putt better (his wedge play is fair to good at best. Rory MUST get a world class caddy that can control the 6 inches between the ears and one that CAN read greens, because IMO Rory is poor at reading greens.
Scheiss
Jan 12, 2019 at 2:13 pm
He’s laying pipe now that he’s got a woman and every guy goes thru that slump due to lack of energy from too much humping. That’s all it is
Ernie Happala
Jan 12, 2019 at 12:54 pm
You leave out the one stat that blows up your article, under 5 feet in 2018, way to make the numbers match your opinion. I am not a fan of Haney, have personally argued with him at a PGA Summit, but to completely ignore that stat is a slap to the face of a lot of passionate and intelligent members of GOLFWRX. Maybe it’s your opinion that is incorrect, present your argument with ALL the statistics and let the reader decide, leave the slanted journalism to CNN and Fox…
James Glenn
Jan 12, 2019 at 3:40 am
Having the yips, and missing putts — as Haney implied clearly — are not mutually inclusive. No-one can miss the hole from two feet on tour greens without something happening. Speith stopped holing an ungodly percentage of putts from 15-25 feet and thuan he became a mortal once more. He’s a hell of a player, but something is indeed going on inside of 5 feet there.
I’m a PhD in Sport Marketing and an amateur golfer that plays off of +4 — I think I’m just as qualified to weigh in as someone with a bachelors in Sports Journalism.
Brad
Jan 12, 2019 at 2:30 am
pretty ignorant to think this writer thinks he knows more than hank. people don’t like it when people speak the truth and hank does just that. he has done endless studies on the yips. the yips is seen as the word you don’t say in golf, no tv commentator will ever say it. its not a death sentence like many people think, it can be over came and jordan looking at the hole is already one unconventional way of doing it. hank is a huge jordan spieth fan and people don’t like to hear the truth like it is.
Scratchscorer
Jan 11, 2019 at 10:22 pm
Hank Haney is wrong. Jordan is struggling with the long game and putting better than 3/4 of the best players in the world. Only someone desperate for attention would claim he has the yips. His ‘hot take’ should be ignored entirely.
AggOwl
Jan 11, 2019 at 4:28 pm
Evidently the author doesn’t understand Haney’s point. “You watch his hands… there is a tremor… I don’t care if the putt goes in …. his hands were shaking”.
Haney as one of the most successful and respected teachers, ever, is giving an opinion of the mechanics he sees in the stroke. The author uses data and statistics to dispute Haney’s opinion of the mechanics and has totally missed the point.
Obee
Jan 11, 2019 at 6:33 pm
Exactly. Read one of my responses below. I literally cannot hit a put with ONLY my right hand without my right hand spasming out of control as I approach impact. With NOTHING on the line, on a practice putting green.
If I turn my hand into the “claw” grip with that hand, VOILA, tremor gone.
There’s something strange going on, and science is only beginning to understand it.
Mike C
Jan 11, 2019 at 6:44 pm
Do you see a tremor? I think Haney is the only person who can see his hands shaking.
Brad
Jan 12, 2019 at 2:33 am
would he not be one of the most qualified to do so ?
Bra
Jan 13, 2019 at 7:28 pm
I believe a doctor would be the most qualified to diagnose a tremor.
Haney is getting older and likely can’t see as well as he used to. To my much younger eyes, I can’t see a “tremor” or shaking when Speith is putting, and I’ve checked out several recent videos of his putting. In fact, his hands look steady eddie.
ButchT
Jan 11, 2019 at 4:24 pm
Thanks, Gianni. It is good to see thought provoking articles – whether I personally agree with them or not. If you did not have a degree in sports journalism, some here would be criticizing you for that! Disagreeing with someone in a civil manner is pretty much a thing of the past.
Roy
Jan 11, 2019 at 3:54 pm
Poorly written – with the exception of distance putting there is no pre/post comparison. Current performance alone offers no proof as to whether he does or does not have the yips. Its like saying “I cant be an alcoholic, I work 40 hours a week” . If I used to work 60 hours a week, maybe Im drinking in the free 20 hours a week now???
Jerry
Jan 11, 2019 at 3:38 pm
Spieth has been yipping his driver under pressure. When he won at Hartford he pulled his drive dead left on both 17 and 18 barely stopping before the water (I believe he even tried using a 3 wood.) He then pulled his drive dead left again on 18 in the playoff and luckily hit a tree and stopped him from going in the water. He was fortunate that he then hit his second shot into the bunker and holed out from the bunker. It sure looks like he yipped his tee shots.
Prut
Jan 11, 2019 at 2:26 pm
3-foot putts have always been Spieth’s nemesis. Even when he was making everything outside 10 feet he was missing short ones.
Ernie Els
Jan 11, 2019 at 2:09 pm
It’s hard to putt when you have snakes in your head”
Haney and the golf ‘shrinks’ won’t help.
Should spend as much time with fellow Texan Ben Crenshaw as he cab
PGA Pro & Board Certified MSc Therapist
Jan 11, 2019 at 2:05 pm
Haney ain’t never been right. Screwed more players up than he ever fixed & should have been DISBARRED & SUED for malpractice for what he did to Woods – instead of teaching him a couple of obviously needed changes to stop tearing up his body halfway through his career (He actually knows nothing about functional human anatomy – especially AFTER INJURIES HAVE OCCURRED) but instead tried to make visible changes to say “look, I fixed TW” NO little tweaks on grip & takeaway that ruled the planet for 10 yrs – stuff he hadn’t thought of since he was 5 – were what that man needed.
Haney is a made up guru of caca but a great marketer
Jeff
Jan 11, 2019 at 2:02 pm
Don’t bring fine Bordeaux into your garbage article. It deserves better than that.
Dlamb
Jan 11, 2019 at 2:00 pm
Haney trying to remain relevant in a world that has forgotten him!
Jerry G
Jan 11, 2019 at 1:56 pm
If you did not know, Hank has the yips, especially an unusual case of driver yips, so anyone whose short game or putting goes south has the yips in Hank’s view. First, it was Tiger, now it’s Jordan. I wonder what Jordan said about Hank at a cocktail party that got back to Hank.
You know what happens? Tiger or Jordan change a technique, gain more confidence, etc. IOW, they overcome and the so-called yips OR the lack of confidence misdiagnosed as yips, goes away.
Hank must have felt lignored for a while, and needed to see his name in the limelight again.
A. Commoner
Jan 11, 2019 at 1:26 pm
Shabby journalism. Grade of D minus on this essay.
Rob
Jan 11, 2019 at 1:14 pm
I think he’s lost confidence, some of which dates back to Birkdale when he took way too long on the 4th RD 13th and probably took an improper drop. He was given leeway by the official because of who he is. I think he knows that and it’s bothering him. BUT his real prob is his awful grip on full shots, you can’t make putts if you are too far from the hole !!!
Stephe Pearcy
Jan 11, 2019 at 1:14 pm
I believe it is not putting that’s Spieth’s issue unless you believe that unreal putting performance from long range was going to be the strength of his game. Physics pretty much dictates that no one is going to be able to consistently sink long range putts so, if he was counting on that, he’s in trouble. But I don’t believe he is and, since the statistics say his putting is not the problem, I believe Spieth knows exactly where it is – the long game. And, he’ll get it back, though dominating now, with the many, many superior players coming into the game, with be very, very difficult.
Dave
Jan 11, 2019 at 8:18 pm
+1. It will be hard, but he can scrape it as well as anyone. Unlikely to putt like 2015, but grinds in majors pretty damn well for someone so young.
Mrs Haney
Jan 11, 2019 at 1:03 pm
Hank is right…..again.
Funkaholic
Jan 11, 2019 at 1:35 pm
Haney is an idiot.
golf golf golf
Jan 11, 2019 at 2:58 pm
Truth
Dave r
Jan 11, 2019 at 12:52 pm
Most people making comments on here never had the yips I’ve had the yips lasted for 2years and I could not even pull the putter back to start a stroke ,they are not fun . Short putts are the hardest putts to make because you should make them never had a problem with long putts. This young man will figure it out he is probably the best long and lag putter out there . Mr Haney has his points and should just leave it at that no need to say anything about the problems unless he is asked by Jorden. Mr Haney is a good teacher and should stick to teaching not reporting.
Tom
Jan 11, 2019 at 12:47 pm
Haney is a wacko….nuff said!
Vance
Jan 11, 2019 at 12:41 pm
Only Jordon can say if it’s the yips or not. What are the yips? Fear of failure. Some observations, Jordon was maybe the best putter ever from 25-foot range, it was not going to be possible for him to continue that stellar putting forever. Jordon said that he could tell when another player was struggling with his putting as they followed the ball rather than keeping their head still. Jordon is following the ball. I do believe if he is going to win any more majors, he better start knocking those wedges stiff, the 25 foot putt days are over.
Obee
Jan 11, 2019 at 5:07 pm
The yips are “fear of failure.” Thanks, Doctor.
Have you ever had them?
Here’s how wrong you are: I’ve had the yips for 20 years. I had no idea how to cure them all that time. I would listen to people like you who minimized them and I would carry on. But I always had them, even when I was playing my best.
Then one day I read an article about how putting with the claw can completely remove them for some people and I tried it. INSTANT CURE.
I cannot putt a ball with my bottom (right) hand only without my hand spasming so bad that it’s visible to the naked eye. I realized this one day when trying to putt with only one hand (a drill that some instructors recommend). It was hilarious. I literally could not hit a single put, regardless of length, without my hand spasming prior to impact.
A year later, after adopting the claw, I thought I’d try it again with just one hand. Maybe my brain had been re-wired. Tried it with my hand in a “normal” position and it was like I got electrocuted, spasm city. Grabbed the club with my right hand in the “paint brush” position (the “claw grip that I use”) and VOILA. I can putt one-handed with no yipping.
There is something very, very real happening there that has NOTHING to do with fear.
Wes
Jan 11, 2019 at 6:58 pm
AGREE!! This is dead on accurate!
24Linc
Jan 12, 2019 at 9:58 pm
Totally agree. There are “yips” and there are yips. If you have the real yips you can’t putt, chip or full swing without spasming sometimes even when you are not under pressure. Yes pressure makes it worse but doesn’t not cause it. It’s a miscommunication from the brain. You can retrain it but takes a lot of effort or you can use a different grip, motion etc to trick your brain.
dixiedoc
Jan 11, 2019 at 12:26 pm
Yips or no yips he just looks twitchy all the time. Never settled or confident. He didn’t use exhibit those qualities
MR Common Sense
Jan 11, 2019 at 12:22 pm
JS does not have the yips. Spank haney is an idiot in this regard. Although I respect him and what he’s done, he’s wrong here. When Jordan starts looking at the hole again, he’ll make EVERYTHING, just wait.
Obee
Jan 11, 2019 at 6:31 pm
Anybody who putts cross-handed and THEN resorts to putting while looking at the hole has had the yips. JS has had, and will continue to struggle with the yips until he does something to overcome his current bout, he will continue to suffer.
If he starts looking at the hole again — if he starts making everything again — it will be because looking at the hole calms his yips.
Most of you people who don’t have, or never have had, the yips just do not get it.
Watch Mackey Sasser, Steve Sax. Rick Ankiel, Chuck Knoblauch, Markelle Fultz — all from other sports.
The yips are a thing. They happen. Nobody wants them, they come unbidden. They are not caused by “poor mechanics” or “caring too much.” Find a few friends who have suffered. Talk to them. Learn a bit.
Jose Pinatas
Jan 11, 2019 at 12:02 pm
Yippie dudda, yippie yie eh……. Speith can’t make a putt from 3 to 5 feet,,,Hey..
TheCityGame
Jan 11, 2019 at 11:39 am
You are cherry picking statistics. 5-10 feet? 10-15 feet? The yips affect people on short putts and last year Spieth was 128th on putts inside of 5 feet.
2019, it’s still too early to tell. We’re still at a stage where the top guys are at 100%.
Obee
Jan 11, 2019 at 5:11 pm
Hey, bud, they also affect people on long putts and uphill putts sometimes. I’ve had both kinds over the years. More so the longer ones than the short, actually.
Jolonda
Jan 11, 2019 at 11:35 am
The last paragraph states that Spieth’s task to play better will be much easier if his performance on the greens will stop be criticized. That is false. Spieth playing better has nothing to do with what Haney or anyone else says. That is simply up to him to fix whatever ails him and perform better. That being said, I do agree that Jordan’s real issue is that he hits a lot of offline and strange shots for someone of his caliber—it is his ball striking from distance that lets him down.
GMatt
Jan 11, 2019 at 11:29 am
I think I’d trust the opinion of an experienced golf instructor over the opinion of a hack sports reporter (with a bachelors degree in sports journalism yet) who probably doesn’t even play. Hank may be a Douche Bag at times but I’d say he probably forgot more about the golf swing than Gianni has ever learned…..
John
Jan 11, 2019 at 11:49 am
I agree. As someone who battled the yips for the best part of 30 years, I recognise the affliction in others. Spieth himself might not want to admit it but his putting stroke today isn’t anywhere near as assured as it was a few years ago. As the old saying goes: ‘There are lies, damn lies and statistics’ and, no matter what the stats say, Spieth is no longer winning because he isn’t holing out as well when it matters. Gianni is obviously a Spieth fanboy and, like all fanboys, refuses to acknowledge what is glaringly obvious to others.
Obee
Jan 11, 2019 at 6:35 pm
Amen, brother. Same here.
Obee
Jan 11, 2019 at 11:20 am
Yes, he has the yips.
It is baffling to me that so many people (the overwhelming percentage of them who have NEVER had them) are so unwilling to even consider that a tour pro might have them. He exhibits literally everything I would associate with the yips last year.
But the most telling thing: The hands trembling, as Haney mentioned. He’s not my favorite guy to listen to either, but he’s 100% right.
Can Spieth get over them? Absolutely, but he’s going to have to make a change, and a pretty big one. If this continues, look for him to go to the claw.
Nick
Jan 11, 2019 at 11:13 am
he dropped from 39th to 123rd in strokes gained: putting in 2018.
Prime21
Jan 11, 2019 at 10:55 am
Hank is just moving on to the next “victim” so he can stay relevant. Didn’t Hank say Tiger had the chipping yips and that he’d never recover from them & once you have them they never go away? How’d that theory hold up? Just teach Hank, it’s what you’re good at, leave the commentary stuff alone.
Funkaholic
Jan 11, 2019 at 1:38 pm
The Hank Haney project says otherwise, this fraud rode Tiger’s coattails to fame and has never proven he was capable of teaching anyone.
d lamb
Jan 11, 2019 at 2:03 pm
exactly!!
Brian McGranahan
Jan 11, 2019 at 10:41 am
The simple fact that his yips are visible and he missed more short putts than any player on tour last year means more than bs stats. You can still make a putt with a yip, Its going to get worse if he doesn’t do something.
HLC
Jan 11, 2019 at 11:31 am
Hi Hank!
Brian
Jan 11, 2019 at 4:27 pm
LOL.
Obee
Jan 11, 2019 at 7:13 pm
Yep.
Wyatt
Jan 11, 2019 at 10:37 am
Yips are about what your hands do when the adrenaline is pumping, like on the back nine on Sunday, not what you do the other 63 holes of the tournament. That said, if you want to look at stats, it seems pretty clear that 1) Spieth has never been particularly exceptional inside of 5 feet and 2) last year was a low point for him. Putting Inside of 5′ and Three Putt Avoidance are pretty easy to check. I believe that Haney actually could help Spieth become a great short putter, and I think we all know that nerves do not age like a “fine Bordeaux.”
The flaw in the article is trying to use such a small statistical sample size to discredit Haney. If we want to use the author’s logic, Jason Day is now a terrible putter because he’s currently 224th in Putting Inside of 5′.
Obee
Jan 12, 2019 at 12:59 pm
Yips have VERY little to do with adrenaline.
John
Jan 11, 2019 at 10:14 am
Hank Haney is an insufferable idiot when it comes to golf commentating. He needs to stick to instruction, coaching, and teaching. All he ever does is bash Tiger because he got dumped all those years ago. He drones on an on during his painful Sirius XM show about the yips this and the yips that. I change the channel whenever he comes on now. He also turned into a snake oil salesman, pushing his “voodoo” pain cream. Looks like the end of Hank.
dat
Jan 11, 2019 at 10:56 am
Agree. He is hard to listen to on that program and doesn’t do himself any favors. It is all post-Tiger hate which is fairly old at this point.
Vas
Jan 11, 2019 at 11:47 am
Hank sold his soul to cash out on Tiger Woods, and now years later, he seems to be regretting that decision. Oh well. That said, if you watch Spieth closely, it’s pretty clear he gets flinchy at times. I’m not going to say he has the yips yet, but he’s certainly on that road unless he fixes something. The dude made a lifetime’s worth of chips and putts in like 5 years… that cannot possibly continue going forward. Also, he hits more foul balls than any other elite professional I can think of. I’ll always be a fan of his because he’s a great dude, but I’m not betting on him this year.
maxi kerr
Jul 18, 2022 at 7:02 am
I always have an e/w bet on his matches since 2020, and I’m so frustrated at his collapsing from good positions at the end of the 72 holes. Again at St Andrews 2022, he missed what should be easy little putts and scuppered my dosh.He is definitely going through some sort of crisis in his game and I’m sure it would be pointless for us to try and solve his problem. Saying that he seems an ok lad who like the rest of them has made staggering amounts of money for playing a game that most people have to pay for.
Jerrry G
Jan 11, 2019 at 1:50 pm
Correct – HH is unsufferable.
Paul
Jan 11, 2019 at 10:08 am
Haney worked with Mark O’mera for years, who had the yips admittedly. I think he knows what the yips are and what they look like .
Brad
Jan 12, 2019 at 2:40 am
finally somebody who speaks the facts
Jerry G
Jan 13, 2019 at 1:16 pm
No, Haney admitted he has the yips and has written articles on dealing with it.
Travis
Jan 11, 2019 at 9:51 am
He missed an incredibly amount of 2-3 footers last year where the ball didn’t even touch the hole. In these strokes there was a noticeable flinch of the hands. You hold a BA in Journalism when Hank Haney has coached the greatest players of all time, including Tiger Woods. I’m not defending Haney as the greatest teacher ever or anything like that, but ti call his criticism “lazy” is just plain ignorant and disrespectful. Spieth had a horrendous year last year on the greens and he very well could have a serious problem with his nerves, confidence, and physical putting stroke.
Wes
Jan 11, 2019 at 9:51 am
I’ve seen Jordan twitch on putts. Look at the 16th hole from Pebble in the final round in 2017. He yips it, but it goes in. This article is so lazy and uninformed. You can have the yips and still be making putts, at least for a short period.
carl
Jan 11, 2019 at 9:20 am
He got married, and there are lots of examples of getting married ruins your game. Bye bye Jordan
d
Jan 11, 2019 at 11:26 am
Yeah….Jack Nicklaus certainly suffered, dumb comment.