The yips refer to a sudden, involuntary loss of control over a fine motor skill that an athlete normally performs automatically — most famously a golfer's putting stroke, but also seen in cricket bowling, baseball throwing, archery, and darts. The movement becomes jerky, hesitant, or unreliable in ways the athlete cannot consciously fix.
The yips are understood to have both physical and psychological components, and they sit on a spectrum. For many athletes, anxiety and over-conscious control play a major role: pressure causes the athlete to over-monitor a skill that should be automatic, disrupting it — closely related to the self-focus explanation of choking. In some cases there may also be a neurological component.
Approaches that help with the psychological side include reducing performance anxiety, regulating arousal, shifting to an external focus of attention, committing fully to the movement, and using a consistent routine. Because the yips can be stubborn and distressing, athletes experiencing them often benefit from working with qualified coaches and, where appropriate, professionals.