Who is this book for?

Those with putting and chipping woes. Those with the yips. Those over 40 with nerves of balsam wood.

I often head to the course as a single. Almost everyone I've met golfing is someone whose company I can enjoy. If I'm lucky, I get a really good conversation on top of doing what I love.

I never announce that I'm a golf instructor. It's like I'm setting up some hierarchy. I'm the golf expert - you're a layman. I suppose it would be like going on a first date with a psychiatrist...who needs that grief? Do psychiatrists date? Maybe they can only date other psychiatrists.

But, over the golf seasons, I have observed patterns and tendencies of all levels of golfer. My niche of instruction is for those over forty who are looking for an improvement that is realistic in an older person's carcass. Hey, we all have our aches and pains, some chronic, some transient. Also, there are the psychological - physiological battles of nerves. Where mind over matter seems to be some made-up garbage offered up by some foaming-at-the-mouth high school football coach.

The saddest occasion was when I golfed with Tom. He was 72 and what I first noticed is that this guy could generate some fantastic clubhead speed. His drives and approaches to the green were striped with a force of a man 20 years younger.

Then...THE UGLY!

This poor man could not chip and putt. Seriously, a person just taking up the game would have better outcomes. He claimed it was cataracts, that he just couldn't see well enough. But, what I saw was a battle of nerves that was impossible for him to win.

He told me after a few holes that this was his last season. That the game was too hard on his body and that he wanted to focus on projects around the house. I spent the better part of the next hour or so trying to convince him to abandon his exit from golf. I suspected it was his short game. Honestly, I think he was embarrassed and was tired of having to explain away his poor short game.

Tom's putting routine: first, he'd read the putt, practice swinging the putter for weight, etc. Then he'd position himself over the ball, look at his target, then take the putter back and STOP - couldn't pull the trigger until seemingly the tension in his body boiled over and he lashed/spasmed at it. On longer putts, he was lucky to get it to a 10' circle - absolutely no success with short putts.

It was hard to watch him suffer through it and the worst thing was that he knew it was hard for me to watch so he must have felt like he was making me uncomfortable.

He joked about his poor chipping and putting, but as a seemingly proud man, I could understand why he was quitting.

I did console him with my own version of putting yips and what I had done to combat them.

The so-called....Zombie Short Game.

He was a stubborn chap; so although he told me he'd try it, I think it was too late, that he had resigned himself to his wife's honey-do list of home projects.

I've witnessed all kinds of yips or twitches or disconnects between striking a golf ball and getting it close to your target. Here's one of the most common disconnects: the technique is sound - maybe, he's watched all the touring pro you-tube videos. He looks like Tiger or Phil around the greens. BUT...he leaves his putts and chips way short. Why does this repeatedly happen when you feel like you are executing perfectly - no hitches or spasms....damnation! Well, in my mind, I categorize this as a yip.

I plan to share with you a technique that may help. It's helped me and many of my students.

I wonder...could "the zombie technique" have helped Shaq with his free throws? Same issue methinks.