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Graham DeLaet continues to battle the chipping yips in Canada

Published

10 years ago

on

I point out Graham DeLaet’s struggles with his short game not to mock the golfer, but to show legions of golfers across the world they’re not alone in their affliction.

Here’s the backstory.

In early June, the long-hitting Saskatchewan native withdrew from The Memorial, and on his Twitter account cited “incredible anxiety while chipping/pitching right now.”

“IT’S NOT FUN,” HE SAID. “I NEEDED TO WD TO GET IT SORTED OUT AND GET BACK ASAP.”

DeLaet returned to PGA Tour action in early July at the Barracuda Championship, where he finished T29. He also played last week’s Barbasol Championship, where he finished T8. But this week in his home country, the yips got the best of him in Round 1 of the RBC Canadian Open, where he carded an opening 77. His pitch on the ninth hole is shown below, and there was also a bunker fiasco on the 16th hole at Glen Abbey. Both incidents resulted in double bogeys.

DeLaet, currently No. 140 in the Official World Golf Rankings, is arguably one of the best PGA Tour players yet to win a Tour event, and one of the Tour’s best ball strikers, too. His short game, however, is statistically one of the worst on Tour. He ranks 188th in Strokes Gained around the green in 2016, as well as 170th in Sand Save Percentage.

Let’s hope that DeLaet’s relapse is only limited to the pressures he may feel in his home country, and that the work he’s surely put in around the greens starts to pay off soon.

There’s also something to say about the struggles great ball strikers seem to inherently face around and on the greens. It’s probably not a stretch to link the issues the tallest NBA basketball players seem to have shooting free throws, which is detailed in this fantastic piece from Tom Haberstroh in ESPN.com.

Maybe there’s something in the article that can help your twitchy short game and putting? If you have 5 minutes, it’s worth a read.

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10 Comments

10 Comments

  1. Andre

    Jul 25, 2016 at 6:24 pm

    It’s bound to happen given the ridiculous speed of the greens, though the lies the pros get around the greens, except in the U.S. Open leaves little excuse. I recall Geoff Ogilvy saying in a golf digest article last year there was at least one top level player who has chipping and pitching yips, and that they go out of their way to avoid playing certain shots around the greens. Don’t know if DeLaet was the man, or there are more out there. Greens are simply too fast on these courses… when you watch old broadcasts, for instance Julius Boros playing in Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf you see greens 5 times slower than what they face today, and generally more level. It’s said the fast green with incredible breaks is the last defense given the equipment revolution and the way modern pros work out. It’s absurd. The pressure to chip it close on fast greens is about the same as holing a breaking 4 footer on fast greens.

    Reply Report comment

  2. Brian

    Jul 25, 2016 at 8:29 am

    I can completely relate to DeLaet. I’m struggling with the same. I can hit chip and pitches on the practice green over and over with no problem. On the course, however…

    Reply Report comment

  3. Prototype Tester

    Jul 24, 2016 at 9:36 am

    Graham,
    You need to immediately purchase Monty Scheinblum’s short game video. Everything you need to know to get back on top.

    Reply Report comment

  4. James

    Jul 23, 2016 at 9:22 pm

    All you need to do Graham is put an XEONE 65 degree wedge in your bag and within a week your chipping woes will be over….we tried one this Saturday on the pratcie range, sand and tight lies..no brainer it is like stealing are they even legal????

    Reply Report comment

  5. Dennis clark

    Jul 23, 2016 at 4:46 pm

    At his Skill level, the problem has to be 90% mental and 10% in his head. It’s sad and sometimes terminal.

    Reply Report comment

  6. The dude

    Jul 23, 2016 at 10:00 am

    Chip crosshanded…..that works under the gun

    Reply Report comment

  7. Dave

    Jul 22, 2016 at 10:01 pm

    M. Smizzle you are a complete IDIOT.

    Reply Report comment

    • Brian

      Jul 25, 2016 at 8:31 am

      The fact that it needs to be explained further bolsters Dave’s claim…

      Reply Report comment

  8. Shallowface

    Jul 22, 2016 at 6:47 pm

    When I struggled with this many years ago it was due to having my eyes to the right of my target line at address as opposed to parallel to it. Once I fixed that, no more yips. Years later I saw Michael Breed instantly cure the chipping yips of a Big Break contestant by fixing his eye alignment. Seeing DeLaet shank that chip says to me that’s where the problem lies. Hope someone helps him with it.

    Reply Report comment

  9. George

    Jul 22, 2016 at 3:34 pm

    bruce this guy is a pga tour player not a weekend hacker

    Reply Report comment

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