The Scientists
CHARLES ADLER, 49
DEBBIE CREWS, 54
Seeking to develop a pill to cure the yips

Adler, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology, Mayo Clinic
"I'm the lead researcher in this collaboration between the Mayo Clinic and Arizona
State University. I believe we're taking yips research to a new level. We're looking
at 48 golfers. Through the study of muscle movement and brainwaves, we're
trying to prove that the yips are, for some, neurological. For others, it's psychological.
For the first group, we think it's similar to Parkinson's, or writer's cramp. If we
confirm that theory, then for the group with a muscular problem, you could treat
that. You could literally take a pill to fix the yips."

Crews, Ph.D, faculty research associate, kinesiology, Arizona State University
"My heart goes out to people with the yips. We had a guy seven-putt from five feet!
He just went back and forth, hands twitching. Some people don't know they
have it. They say, 'No, I don't yip at all!' Then
they attempt 75 putts, and they visibly
twitch on every single one, and they
don't know it. So the thought of
being able to help these people —
yeah, that's a great feeling."

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