When a putting problem may be more than technique
Golfers use the yips to describe sudden unwanted jerks, tremor-like movements or disruptions of an otherwise smooth putting stroke. These episodes are often attributed to nerves or a mechanical mistake. A study published online in Movement Disorders Clinical Practice on 26 October 2026 takes a closer look at what specialist neurologists actually observe on video. It does not say that every missed putt is a neurological condition.
What the researchers did
A team led by Erik van Wensen asked 13 neurologists specialising in movement disorders to review videos of 15 golfers. Ten golfers had the yips; five did not. The footage showed wrist movement during putting under three conditions: the usual two-handed stroke, right-hand-only putting and left-hand-only putting.
The specialists recorded whether they believed a movement disorder was present and how they would describe the movement. This was a small, selected video-panel study, not a population survey, an individual clinical examination or a validated self-diagnosis exercise.
What the panel found
The study reported an overall classification accuracy of 0.84, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.71–0.92. Agreement between raters was statistically significant but far from perfect: Gwet's AC1 was 0.56 for identifying a movement disorder. The most frequent description of the movement was dystonia, with Gwet's AC1 of 0.57 for that judgement.
Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder involving involuntary muscle contractions or movements. In some people, symptoms occur mainly during a particular task. The video findings were most consistent with this task-specific pattern, according to the authors. An accuracy value of 0.84 does not mean that 84% of golfers who miss putts have dystonia, nor can it diagnose anyone who watches a video of their own stroke.
What golfers can usefully observe
If putts repeatedly miss their target, a PGA-qualified coach can first review conventional performance factors: start line, putter-face orientation at impact, centred contact, pace control and the reading of the green. A misread, a technical inconsistency, performance anxiety and an involuntary movement are different possibilities, even when the resulting miss looks similar.
If a golfer notices an abrupt movement that seems outside their control, a short, comfortable video of their normal putting stroke—showing the hands and putter head—can help them describe what happened to a coach or clinician. Note when the movement occurs and whether it happens consistently. The researchers tested putting with each hand separately, but that experimental comparison is not an at-home diagnostic test. Plenty of golfers perform differently with one hand even without a movement disorder.
What to do about repeated involuntary movements
Avoid forcing the wrists into a rigid position or repeatedly changing the grip on the assumption that the cause has been identified. A golf coach can examine the mechanics. If unwanted jerks, tremor or loss of movement control persist, particularly when they interfere with play, discuss them with a healthcare professional, who can decide whether assessment by a movement-disorders neurologist is appropriate.
One poor putting round is not a medical warning sign by itself. The useful distinction is between a bad outcome and a repeated, involuntary movement that deserves careful assessment rather than blame or guesswork.
What this study cannot tell us
Only 15 golfers were filmed. Video judgements are not a substitute for a full clinical assessment, and the study did not test treatments, grips, drills or improvements in putting scores. Earlier Mayo Clinic reporting also stresses that the yips can have neurological causes in some golfers and non-neurological components in others.
Takeaway: work on conventional putting skills when the issue is ordinary inconsistency, but do not assume persistent involuntary movements can always be fixed by another mechanical swing tip.
Primary source: van Wensen E. et al., The Phenomenology of the Golfers' Yips, a Video-Panel Study, Movement Disorders Clinical Practice, published online 26 October 2026, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/mdc3.70867. Background: Mayo Clinic News Network, 5 February 2026.
