Best Putter for Yips: 2023 Tips And Buying Guide

Have you ever stood over an important putt or an easy tap in birdie and missed blatantly?

You might have experienced the yips.

And it’s one of the worst feelings to experience over the course of 18 holes. If left unaddressed, your confidence on the greens will plummet and your handicap will trend upward.

Lucky for you, your current putter can be blamed for your shortcomings on the greens. 

There’s good and bad news when it comes to the yips; the good news is there are putters designed to be the perfect tools to apply forgiveness to this involuntary (and embarrassing) happening.

The bad news is, failing to acquire it can yield an unfortunate outcome for your short game. 

But you can breathe easy, Golfible has done the heavy lifting for you, expertly reviewing the best putters to beat this phenomenon.

Below – we’ll break down our top picks depending on budget, quality, and features like grip
– discuss how and why the yips take place
– outline what to look for in a putter to correct it. 

Let’s jump in.

Best Putter for Yips Summary

Putters For Yips Specification Table comparison

Reviews of the Best Alternatives

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Lab Golf Directed Force 2.1 Putter

Top Pick

Rating: 9.2 /10

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£379.00 out of stock

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Pros

• Lie Angle Balancing leads to greater control over the direction of the ball
• Unique grip featuring the shaft running through the edge rather than the center means more putts hit up through impact, creating more consistency

Cons

• Design is very different than any other putter on the market

LAB Golf’s Directed Force 2.1 Putter was the easy favorite in our testing to determine the best overall putter for players experiencing the yips.

If you have the yips on the green and you’re willing to try anything, no matter the looks or unconventional feel, to get the ball rolling consistently, then LAB Golf’s 2.1 Putter is for you.

At first glance, you might roll your eyes at the Directed Force 2.1, but give it a few minutes on the green and you’ll be wanting to tell everyone you know about this unique putter.

Using this putter is like playing on easy mode.

LAB Golf takes their name from their Lie Angle Balancing tech. This design makes the club stay square through impact on every single stroke, so you have much more control over the direction of the ball without having to think too much about the putter’s face angle.

In addition, the shaft on this club looks very weird. Instead of running through the center of the grip, it’s off-axis through the edge. This is intentional, and it naturally points the club face upward, meaning your putts have a tendency to be hit on the upswing and roll over the top rather than jammed into the ground. The result is a consistent feel for any golfer.

For players with the yips, these two features take the thinking out of your putts. No more worrying about being on-plane or hitting the ball on the upswing, the club does that for you. The result is a straight and controllable putt, even on poor strokes.

This raises your confidence and will have you sinking more putts in no time.

What we love about the Lab Golf Directed Force 2.1 Putter

• LAB Tech: Lie Angle Balanced tech means your putts stay straight with no additional effort on your part.
• Off-Axis Shaft: The shaft gives a naturally upward motion, meaning no more putts jammed into the ground and a naturally consistent stroke.

Drawbacks of the Lab Golf Directed Force 2.1 Putter

Appearance: There’s no getting around it, this is a strange-looking putter. But for most of our testers, the results far outweighed the look.

If you want to beat the yips on the green, look no further than LAB Golf’s Directed Force 2.1 Putter. Once you get over the design, you’ll love the effortless consistency this club produces.

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Ping Heppler Tomcat 14 Putter

Runner Up

Rating: 9.1 /10

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Pros

• Visual cues make it hard to overthink your putts
• Custom fit shaft can be tweaked to fit any golfer’s style

Cons

• Some putters showed wear quickly

Ping’s Heppler Tomcat 14 putter was our runner up in our extensive search for the best putter for golfers with the yips on the green.

We all know having the yips is all mental, so Ping set out to make the most visually helpful putter on the market. After testing it out, those visual cues were very helpful and propelled it to #2 on our list.

So, how does the design alone help you get your confidence back on the greens?

First, this putter makes alignment natural by including 14 uniquely-spaced dots on the back rails of the club head.

These dots were inspired by an airport runway, naturally causing your brain to line the ball up easily without thinking too much about it.

For our testers prone to the yips, this simple tool helped them sink more putts.

Another thing that sets this putter apart is its adjustable shaft. You might not realize it, but the length of your putter shaft has a big impact on the way your club strikes the ball.

The default shaft on the club is adjustable in length and made of black chrome, which not only looks great with the black and bronze club head, but also lets golfers experiment with different shaft lengths.

What this means for you is the chance to find the length that makes your swing the most efficient, giving you the confidence to shake the yips on the green.

What we love about the Ping Heppler Tomcat 14

• Visually Appealing and Helpful: While the design is a little funky for some, we love the way this putter looks. Its black chrome shaft and bronze accents not only look great, but paired with the unique 14-dot alignment pattern, it helps you sink more putts by aligning them easily without overthinking it.
• Adjustable Shaft: The shaft length can be changed anywhere between 32” and 36”, allowing golfers to find the perfect length for their stroke.

Drawbacks of the Ping Heppler Tomcat 14

Durability: We tested these putters for several rounds and a couple people in our group noticed chips on the club head. Since it’s black this is to be expected, but it was a little concerning that it happened so quickly.

We all know the yips are just in our heads, and the Ping Heppler Tomcat 14 has several features that make putting more natural and make it less likely to overthink when you’re standing over the ball

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Taylormade Spider GT Notchback Putter

Best Value For Money

Rating: 8.8 /10

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$309.99

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Pros

• Classic design with natural visual cues to help alignment
• Tungsten weighting on the back edge of the club head improves stability

Cons

• No customization options

TaylorMade’s Spider GT Notchback Putter was a top contender in our testing for the best putter on the market for players with the yips, and its price point makes it our choice for the best value putter for the yips.

A simple club with a classic design, TaylorMade packed some very helpful features into the Spider GT Notchback.

You will immediately notice the black line and flat groove in the back of the club head to subconsciously line every putt up without even thinking about it, which helped us not overthink our putts.

It’s also a heavier club, with a “halo” of tungsten weights around the back edge of the club head. This makes it easy to have a natural back and forth stroke, meaning putts were straighter and we didn’t get off plane so easily.

What we love about the TaylorMade Spider GT Notchback Putter

• Easy Visual Cues: Designed with a time-tested club head, the ball-shaped groove and black mid-line helped us sink more putts without thinking too hard.
• Heavy Head Means Better Strokes: With equal weighting around the back of the club head, it’s easy to simply move the club back and through every time. No more teetering to the left or right.

Drawbacks of the TaylorMade Spider GT Notchback Putter

No customization options: We like the weighting in the club, but it won’t be right for everyone and there is no changing it. Test this putter before committing to buying it.

If you have the yips on the greens but don’t want to break the bank to find the right solution, TaylorMade’s Spider GT Notchback Putter provides a cost-effective and helpful option to get you rolling the ball with confidence again.

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Odyssey Tri-Hot #2 Putter

Best Blade Option For Yips

Rating: 8.8 /10

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$499.99

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Pros

• Looks like a blade, feels like a mallet, giving great forgiveness to players who prefer a blade style
• Customizable front weights so you can dial it in to your preference

Cons

• The weight of the putter takes a lot of getting used to

In our search for the best putter for the yips, Odyssey’s Tri-Hot #2 Putter was our testers’ favorite blade-style option.

If you’re struggling with the yips but you’ve always played with and/or prefer a blade-style putter, then you’ll love the feel and options the Tri-Hot #2 will provide for your game.

The first thing we noticed when we grabbed this putter is how heavy the club head is.

This blade-style putter is packed full of tungsten right behind the club face so it has the weight of a mallet and the look of a blade.

For golfers with the yips, this allows you to make a shorter stroke and takes a lot of thinking out of the game, leading to more consistent putts.

Since the club is so heavy, Odyssey does give players the option to change out the weighting in the club head and give a more traditional feel if they choose to do so.

We loved the extra weight in the blade, and our guys with the yips said it helped them make a smooth stroke rather than rushing or overthinking their shot.

What we love about the Odyssey Tri-Hot #2 Putter

• Tungsten-Packed Face: The weight of the club is noticeable as soon as you pick it up, and on the greens it helps you make a short, confident stroke and gets the ball moving quickly.
• Customizable Feel: Adjustable weights in the club face make the club an option for any golfer.

Drawbacks of the Odyssey Tri-Hot #2 Putter

Weight = Speed: The weight of the club makes the ball pop off the face of the putter, which is helpful for the yips but it also takes getting used to so you don’t blow the ball past the hole.

If you need something to help with the yips and prefer a blade, Odyssey’s Tri-Hot #2 can help solve your putting woes.

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Flat Cat Solution Putter Grip

Best Oversized Putter Grip For Yips

Rating: 8.7 /10

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$39.99

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Last Amazon price update was: September 22, 2023 4:54 pm

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Pros

• Square grip promotes limited wrist movement, meaning putts travel straighter
• Available in four sizes to fit any hand size or grip preference

Cons

• Increased weight can hurt distance control

If you have the yips on the greens you’re likely to try anything to fix them, including going out and buying an entirely new putter.

We tested the best putters on the market and created a list of the best ones for the yips, but something some people don’t consider that can make a big change is trying a new grip.

In addition to putters, we tested the best oversized grips on the market to find the one that helped with the yips the most and Flat Cat’s Solution Putter Grip was the clear favorite.

Not only is this grip larger than most, it also has a flat front and back sides so your wrists and palms are square with the club face as you stand over the ball.

This square setup is perfect for people with the yips because it promotes a true pendulum swing and keeps your wrists from turning the club face.

The result is consistently straight putts that don’t require a lot of thinking, perfect for killing the yips.

Since it’s important to have your hands in the right position with this grip, we also love that it comes in four sizes so you can pick the one that feels best for you.

What we love about the Flat Cat Solution Putter Grip

• Naturally Square Alignment: The design of the grip forces your palms and wrists to be square with the club face, meaning fewer pulled or pushed putts and less room for wrist error.
• Multiple Size Options: Different size options mean that you can pick the grip that feels right for your game.

Drawbacks of the Flat Cat Solution Putter Grip

Weight: Part of the design of the grip is added weight to the putter. Some of our group liked the weight, but others thought it took away some feel from putting.

Before you buy a whole new putter to combat the yips, it might be worth giving the Flat Cat Solution Putter Grip a chance to feel the advantage of being square all the way through each putt.

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Why Do People Get the Yips?

Some people say the yips are purely in the head; not so others claim. It is something that affects many golfers all of whom seek a cure.

It is not merely the pressure of the moment or it would no longer affect golfers who are ‘’serial winners.’’ Take Ernie Els as an example of this. 

It is human to be anxious when under increased pressure of course but that does not mean anxiety is the root cause.

The term ‘’yips’’ was coined by Tommy Armour, the famous Scottish golfer a century ago; he described it as a “brain spasm that impairs the short game.”

In the Shawnee Open, Armour, who had won the US Open a month previously, took 23 putts to complete a single hole!

The other names formerly used to describe the condition such as ‘’the waggles,” or ‘’the jerks” have now largely been forgotten. There are three reasons why the condition occurs:

Focal Dystonia

• The neurological condition “Focal Dystonia” which causes involuntary movements during certain actions sums up the problem. It does not result in any golfer necessarily being a poor putter in general but certainly, it taxes the brain from short distances.

Studies have been made whereby golfers are connected to devices that measure reaction and response confirming that the putting yips is a neurological issue that affects the muscles in the arms preventing them from operating as the brain intended.

The result is that the stroke is ‘’jerky’’ and rarely successful because it takes the putter face off its intended path. 

It is something found in other sports where players are seeking a smooth action, games such as darts and snooker.

• Mental Pressure is something that is likely to worsen a pre-existing condition as opposed to causing it in the first place. Some golfers speak of trying to distract their conscious minds from the process of putting so that they do not give the moment too much importance.
• Emotional Issues are related in a way. The putting problem can be the result of things that have happened during previous rounds when a similar putt was unsuccessful or even earlier in the round; a very poor shot or two. It is difficult to forget such things and easy to bring them to the front of the mind as pressure builds.

The Ways to Cure the Yips in Putting

If you suffer from the yips, the first thing you should do is to try putting one-handed, first with your right hand and then with your left. Frequently you will find that you have the problem in just one of your hands.

If that is the case, you should try using different grips with the problem hand. It will no longer be the dominant hand now and will have less impact your short putting.

If you watch professional golf, you will see a range of different grips these days, many a result of the player having developed the yips.

The golf industry understands that yipping is a significant problem in golf and has set about finding a solution in manufacturing putters to combat it as far as possible.

Some players have had success by concentrating on breathing which can be a way to take their minds off the putt itself, and the process of making the stroke.

What to Look for in a Putter to Cure Yips

Weight

Yips are almost always a factor in short putts when there is little room for maneuver because of a short back swing and follow through. 

When putts are longer and hence so are the back swings, there is time to adjust a slight yip to straighten the putter face again.

Manufacturers have produced heavier heads counterbalanced with weights in the grip to increase stability. If you just release the putter in a pendulum motion, the swing becomes more automatic.

Grips

Standard grips are usually thin to get players gripping the putter firmly, if not too tensely. That is counterproductive for golfers with the yips who should have a large grip on their putters.

It means there is far less tension in the whole process of putting. It is easier to relax and therefore produce a smoother swing.

Length

A longer shaft in the putter can help someone with a bad case of the yips. Anchoring a belly putter was the solution for a while but that is now illegal.

However, some of the best golfers using the broomstick putters to help their strokes even though there are strict rules about their use.

These golfers clearly find the design which varies between 48 and 52 inches long helps them to relax.

The Impact of Fat Grips on Reducing the Yips

Part of the reason the yips can be so tough to deal with is because your putting declines so you notice the problem, and then you try to fix that problem.

When you’re putting and trying to fix a problem, then it usually becomes worse.

You can try to compensate for mistakes by using your wrists or rotating your hands, two habits that only make the yips worse because ultimately they can make your club face turn during your stroke.

Using a fat grip putter can help give your wrists and hands less power over your putting stroke.

A fat grip helps your hands stay still and your stroke is naturally more pendulum-like. This small change, which is both mental and physical, can help cure the yips quickly.

Because there is more grip to hold on to, you also have the ability to let your hands relax. Less tension on the hand and wrist muscles also helps keep the angle of the club face square.

These seemingly small features are proven to help putts fall and help players get over the yips.

If you haven’t tried a larger putter grip and you are struggling to get your confidence back on the greens, a fat grip can be just what you need to start consistently making putts again.

Conclusion

If you want to cure the yips you have work to do but you can also get help from manufacturers who have studied the problem and sought solutions. Balancing all aspects of price, quality and features, our choice for the best golf putter for yips is the TaylorMade Spider and we wish you well in solving your problem.

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