Texas Children's Houston Open

Memorial Park Golf Course



Short Game

Keep Your Buttons Moving

August 06, 2008
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TURN YOUR CHEST: Focusing on your shirt buttons will help you make a good turn and solid contact.

Within 20 yards of the green, many amateurs swing the club with only their arms in fear that they'll hit the ball past their target. But the correct chipping action requires the body to turn back and through with the arms and the club. One swing thought I use to achieve this is, Keep your shirt buttons moving.

Start in an address position where your shirt buttons are slightly ahead of the ball. Your weight should be on your front foot, and the ball should be centered to slightly back in your stance.

Now make a backswing so your buttons turn away from the target. Then swing the club down and through, focusing on turning your shirt buttons toward the target. This will ensure that you keep your hands nice and solid through impact and make the body turn needed to hit solid chip shots.

Based at ChampionsGate near Orlando, Leadbetter runs 30 academies worldwide.