yips
n.— «The grass between the ball and the blade will cause a bit of run so allow for it and practice this shot at least twenty times the next time you go out, not that you will perfect it that quickly but having practiced it—it won’t give you those mental yips the next time you’re in that spot.» —“It’s Well Worth While to Practice on Getting Out of Golfing Trouble” by Hutt Martin Nevada State Journal (Reno) Aug. 11, 1940. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Louis in Reno, Nevada, grew up in Montreal, Canada, speaking Québécois French. His father was fond of saying j’aime vacher le matin, puis je prends mon temps, meaning “I like to loaf and take my time in the morning.” Vacher comes...
Book recommendations and the art of apology. Martha and Grant share some good reads, including an opinionated romp through English grammar, a Spanish-language adventure novel, an account of 19th-century dictionary wars, and a gorgeously illustrated...