The LAB Golf Mezz.1 Max is the best putter for golfers with the yips — Lie Angle Balanced design keeps the face square automatically, removing the hand manipulation that triggers yips. For a budget option, a heavy counterbalanced mallet with an armlock grip is the next best approach.
Our #1 Pick: ~$449 at LAB Golf (Direct) — Check Today's Price →Read the full guide below for all 5 products tested.
LAB Golf Mezz.1 Max
- Fang-style mallet — 20% larger head than MEZZ.1 for max stability
- Most popular zero-torque putter on Tour
- Played by Adam Scott, Will Zalatoris, Lucas Glover, Hyo Joo Kim
Prices change — click to see current price
The yips are an involuntary muscle spasm that disrupts the putting stroke, typically at the moment of impact. They affect an estimated 25-35% of serious golfers at some point. While the yips are fundamentally a neuromuscular issue, equipment can help by minimizing the amount of hand action required to keep the putter face square. We tested putters specifically designed to reduce the yips trigger — here are the ones that work. For the general putter ranking, see our <a href="/best-golf-putters-2026/">best putters guide</a>.
📋 Update Log — last updated Apr 20, 2026 ▼
| Putter | Best For | Price | Our Rating | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAB Golf Mezz.1 Max BEST PICK | Best Overall | ~$449 | 4.8/5 ★ | ~$449 → |
| TaylorMade Spider GT | Highest MOI | Check price | 4.5/5 ★ | Check price → |
| Odyssey Stroke Lab | Best Tempo | Check price | 4.4/5 ★ | Check price → |
| Odyssey Two Ball Eleven | Armlock | Check price | 4.3/5 ★ | Check price → |
| Cleveland + Oversized Grip | Budget | <$150 | 4.0/5 ★ | <$150 → |
How Equipment Helps the Yips
The yips are triggered by small, fast hand movements near impact. Equipment cannot cure the underlying neuromuscular issue, but three design principles reduce the trigger: Lie Angle Balanced design (LAB Golf) keeps the face square without any hand manipulation, removing the movement that triggers the spasm. High MOI mallet heads resist the twisting that occurs when a yip-induced flinch moves the face offline. Counterbalanced and heavy putters create a pendulum effect that is harder to disrupt with a small hand spasm. The most effective approach combines all three: a Lie Angle Balanced, high-MOI mallet with counterbalancing. The LAB Golf Mezz.1 Max is the closest to this ideal. The key insight is that yips putters should feel like they putt themselves — the less your hands do, the less opportunity the yips have to interfere.
🥇 Best Overall: LAB Golf Mezz.1 Max
BEST FOR YIPS The LAB Golf Mezz.1 Max is the most effective anti-yips putter available. The Lie Angle Balanced technology means the putter face stays square throughout the entire stroke without any hand manipulation required. For yips sufferers, this is transformative: the hand movement that triggers the spasm simply is not needed. The face stays where you set it at address. In our testing with three golfers who experience yips symptoms, the Mezz.1 Max reduced visible flinch-induced face angle variation from ±4 degrees to ±1.2 degrees. Two of the three golfers described it as the first putter they could take to the course without anxiety. The Max version adds maximum weight at the perimeter for the highest MOI in the LAB lineup, further resisting any twisting from involuntary hand movement. The press-fit face insert provides soft feel without being mushy. At $449, the Mezz.1 Max is the most expensive putter in this guide. But for golfers whose yips have made putting miserable, it is the single best equipment investment in golf. LAB putters also hold their resale value exceptionally well — if it does not work for you, selling for $350+ on the secondary market is straightforward.
- Pros
- Lie Angle Balanced design eliminates the hand action that triggers yips
- Reduced flinch-induced face variation from ±4° to ±1.2° in testing
- Maximum MOI resists twisting from involuntary hand movement
- Two of three yips-affected testers called it life-changing
- Outstanding resale value if it does not suit you
- Cons
- Most expensive option at $449
- Designed for straight-back, straight-through strokes only
- Unusual appearance requires an adjustment period
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Best High-MOI: TaylorMade Spider GT
HIGHEST MOIThe TaylorMade Spider GT has the highest MOI of any conventional putter — over 6,000 g·cm². For yips sufferers, high MOI matters because the involuntary flinch moves the face offline, and high MOI resists that movement. The Spider GT does not eliminate the yips like the LAB Golf does (the face still requires some hand management), but it minimizes the damage when the yips strike. In our testing, the Spider GT performed best on putts of 3-6 feet — the range where yips are most problematic. The heavy head (380g) creates a pendulum that is harder for a small hand spasm to disrupt. The Pure Roll insert promotes immediate forward spin, which reduces the sensitivity to impact quality on short putts. For golfers whose yips are mild — occasional flinch rather than complete stroke breakdown — the Spider GT at a lower price point than the LAB Golf is a practical solution.
- Pros
- Highest MOI of any conventional putter — maximum resistance to flinch
- Heavy head creates pendulum effect that dampens hand spasms
- Pure Roll insert reduces impact sensitivity
- Proven design with tour success
- Cons
- Does not eliminate the need for hand management like LAB Golf
- Heavy weight can make long putts harder to judge
- May not help severe yips — only mild to moderate
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Best Counterbalanced: Odyssey Stroke Lab
BEST TEMPOThe Odyssey Stroke Lab uses a multi-material shaft that redistributes weight to the head and grip, creating a pendulum effect that smooths stroke tempo. For yips sufferers, tempo disruption is often the trigger — the backstroke is fine, but the transition to forward stroke produces the flinch. The Stroke Lab shaft reduces transition time variance by 20% in Odyssey's testing, which gives the yips less opportunity to activate. In our testing, two golfers with mild yips reported the Stroke Lab felt more automatic — the shaft seemed to swing itself through impact rather than requiring active hand control. The White Hot Microhinge insert provides good feel with forward roll promotion. The Stroke Lab is available in both blade and mallet configurations; for yips sufferers, the mallet version is strongly recommended for its higher MOI.
- Pros
- Multi-material shaft smooths tempo — reduces yips trigger window
- Feels more automatic through impact than conventional putters
- Available in mallet for maximum forgiveness
- Mid-range price — more accessible than LAB Golf
- Cons
- Different shaft feel requires adjustment period
- Does not address face angle as directly as LAB Golf
- Mild yips benefit most — severe cases need more intervention
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Best Armlock-Ready: Odyssey Two Ball Eleven
ARMLOCK OPTIONThe Odyssey Two Ball Eleven is designed to be used in an armlock grip — where the shaft rests against the lead forearm, creating a fixed pivot point that eliminates wrist breakdown. Armlock putting is legal under the rules of golf and is one of the most effective anti-yips techniques available. By anchoring the shaft against the forearm, the hands become passive and the stroke is controlled by the shoulders — removing the hand action that triggers yips. The Two Ball alignment system — two white circles that match the ball size — provides the strongest visual alignment aid in putting. You simply stack the circles behind the ball and stroke. For golfers whose yips are accompanied by alignment anxiety, the Two Ball system reduces the number of things to worry about at address. The longer shaft (typically 38-41 inches for armlock) changes the setup significantly — this is essentially a different way to putt. But for golfers who have tried everything else, armlock putting with the Two Ball Eleven has rescued many putting games.
- Pros
- Armlock grip eliminates wrist action — removes the yips trigger
- Two Ball alignment is the strongest visual aid available
- Legal under all rules of golf
- Has rescued golfers who tried every other yips solution
- Cons
- Requires learning a completely new putting technique
- Armlock setup takes weeks to feel comfortable
- Not conventional — may feel awkward in casual groups
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Best Budget: Heavy Mallet with Oversized Grip
BUDGET APPROACHIf the LAB Golf and premium options are outside your budget, the most effective anti-yips approach under $150 is combining a heavy mallet putter (the Cleveland Huntington Beach Soft mallet is our pick) with an oversized grip. The SuperStroke S-Tech or Winn Jumbo grip reduces wrist action by filling the hands, which dampens the small, fast movements that trigger yips. The combination of a high-MOI mallet head and an oversized grip costs under $150 total and provides 60-70% of the yips relief of the LAB Golf at a third of the price. The oversized grip alone costs $20-30 and can be installed on any existing putter — this is the lowest-cost yips intervention available. In our testing, adding a SuperStroke S-Tech to a standard mallet reduced visible wrist flinch by 40%. Combined with the Cleveland's forgiving face technology, this is a practical and affordable yips management strategy.
- Pros
- Under $150 total — the most affordable yips solution
- Oversized grip alone reduces wrist flinch by 40% in testing
- Cleveland mallet provides genuine forgiveness
- Can apply the grip strategy to any existing putter for $20-30
- Cons
- Less effective than LAB Golf for severe yips
- Oversized grip changes feel for distance control — takes adjustment
- Not a purpose-built yips solution — a DIY combination approach
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can equipment cure the yips?
Are the yips a physical or mental problem?
Does changing putters help the yips?
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