The Yips: Mayo Clinic study

The Yips have afflicted golfers from Old Tom Morris, one of the sport's most influential figures and the designer of Scotland's Old Course at St. Andrews, to Doug Sanders, who missed a 30-inch putt to lose the 1970 British Open to Jack Nicklaus.

Sanders spent the fourth round holding off Jack Nicklaus for the lead. He reached the final green, where he needed only to make a 30-inch putt to win. But he missed it - one of the most famous short misses in golf history. Sanders played well in the 18-hole playoff the following day, but Nicklaus made a putt on the final hole to beat him.

The passage of 38 years hasn't dulled the emotional and financial pain of his putting gaffe. "That putt probably cost me hundreds of millions of dollars over my lifetime,'' he said. "I'd rather be famous for making a shot, not missing one. But famous is famous, I guess.''

Sanders has said he knows one proven cure for the Yips: "It's called vodka tonic.'' Alternatively, he says, "Sometimes if you have three or four beers, it really helps a lot.''

The Mayo Clinic has done a study on the Yips, and you can view it by clicking here or the link which appears in the right column.