Getting to Grips with the Yips with Dr. Noel Rousseau and Trevor Jones

August 25, 2025·52 min·2 clips

The yips is like being in fog with your nervous system pulling the handbrake

Mark Immelman hosts Trevor Jones (mental performance coach) and Noel Rousseau (sports psychologist) discussing the yips in golf. Starting with Tommy Fleetwood's visualization-to-championship journey, they explore how 50% of golfers experience the yips, a taboo psychological and neurological condition. They present a neuroscience-based framework: the yips involves nervous system activation (vagus nerve pulling the 'handbrake'). Their solution uses 'ACE driving' (Acknowledge, Compose, Engage) instead of 'BAD driving' (Blind spots, Avoidance, Distraction). They discuss Type 1 (neurological) vs. Type 2 (anxiety-based) yips, technique modifications (putter changes), and real cases. The episode bridges golf-specific issues with broader clinical psychology and performance anxiety solutions.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from On the Mark Golf Podcast