The yips in golf is the interruption of a smooth putting movement by an involuntary jerk or freezing of the arm. Psychological factors seem to worsen the phenomenon. However, published data on how the yips in golf is cognitively and emotionally experienced are very limited. Moreover, the focus of attention in yips-affected golfers has not been investigated. Thus, we interviewed 17 yips-affected golfers to record the thoughts and feelings that are experienced in a situation in which the yips occurs. In addition, we asked them about their focus of attention right before putting. Content analysis revealed a negative cognitive and emotional pattern for all golfers. Furthermore, 11 participants reported focusing either internally or on possible mistakes. The results contribute to an understanding of the yips in golf and provide a starting point for further investigations into possible interventions for the yips.

The yips is considered a task-specific movement disorder. Its estimated prevalence, however, is high compared to similar neurological movement disorders, possibly resulting from previous studies' restriction of samples based on skill level, and self-report bias. Alternatively, this high prevalence might be an indication of additional aetiologies, for example the influence of previously played racket sports. We estimated the prevalence of the putting yips across the skill range, using self-reports in one study and a screening test in a second study. We explored if previously played sports matter for the development of the yips. In study 1, yips prevalence (N = 1,306) and golfers' sports biographies (n = 264) were examined via two online surveys, in which golfers indicated if they were yips-affected. In study 2, golfers (N = 186) putted in a standardised putting test while kinematic and performance measures were recorded. Prevalence was estimated via a kinematic threshold. Sports biographies (n = 119) were obtained via an online survey. Prevalence of currently yips-affected golfers was 22.4% in study 1 and 16.7% in study 2. In both studies, more yips-affected than unaffected golfers had experience in playing racket sports. Yips prevalence remained higher than previously estimated prevalence of other movement disorders but decreased when the whole skill range including professionals and novices was considered. Future studies should use the kinematic screening test instead of self-reports to detect the yips and further investigate the influence of previously played racket sports.

The yips is an involuntary movement disrupting the smooth motion of the golf putting stroke. The study's aim was to provide an objective measurement of the yips by identifying and quantifying the kinematic parameters of the involuntary movement component. Additionally, muscle activity of the forearm was compared between yips-affected and unaffected putts. The study uses a within-subject design, which allows the comparison of yipsaffected putts with unaffected putts within the same participant. Six yips-affected and 6 unaffected experienced golfers performed 90 putts each alternating between both hands, the right hand only, and the left hand only. The putts were performed on an artificial indoor green and alternated between putts with ball and putts without ball. The putting motion was captured using a 12-camera VICON system. Additionally, muscle activity of forearm flexor and extensor groups was measured on both arms. It was found that the yips were provoked 100% reliably when putting the ball with the dominant hand only. The yips largely disappeared when there was no ball. Moreover, kinematic analyses show that a higher maximal rotation velocity and a larger number of directional changes in the affected wrist's rotation clearly distinguished the yips-affected from unaffected putts. The EMG results revealed no significant differences between yips-affected and unaffected putts. Overall the results show that putting the ball with the dominant hand only reliably provokes the yips that can be measured by the wrist's rate of rotation and the number of the rotation's directional changes.

Zusammenfassung. Die Sportpsychologie in den Niederlanden hat in den vergangenen 25 Jahren eine erfolgreiche Entwicklung erlebt. Bis circa 1985 war die Stellung der Sportpsychologie relativ marginal; seitdem kann jedoch die Rede von einer beachtlichen Verbesserung sein. Der Lehre und Forschung auf dem Gebiet der Sportpsychologie wird an verschiedenen Universitäten gegenwärtig vermehrt Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt. Die Einstellung innerhalb der Sportwelt gegenüber der Sportpsychologie, wie beispielsweise der Unterstützung der Sportler durch mentales Training, ist auf der ganzen Linie positiv. Das durch den Sport und die Medien geformte Bild der Sportpsychologie ist damit wohlwollender als einstmals. Vor grob drei Jahren wurde die Akkreditierungsregelung eingeführt, wodurch die Qualität der Sportpsychologie gewahrt wird. Als direkte Folge dieser Regelung startete in 2007 die Ausbildung zum Angewandten Sportpsychologen, was die weitere Professionalisierung der Sportpsychologie markiert.