Tip: Stretch Out Your Drives

Maintaining good width in your swing will help you hit longer tee shots. Simply put, a wider swing arc covers more distance so you can maximize clubhead speed. Try this drill: Grab a towel with your hands about a foot apart as shown (left) and stretch the towel tight as you simulate your backswing and downswing. Notice how your left and right sides keep their distance from each other as they pull in opposing directions. This is the feeling of width you want when you swing.

—David Leadbetter / Golf Digest Teaching Professional

Stay stacked

Keep your upper body between your feet

Whether it's a hockey player on ice, a girl on roller skates, or Sam Snead hitting golf balls barefoot, stability is the key to making athletic moves. Jack Nicklaus said golf is played "inside the feet"—meaning your torso's weight should be stacked over your feet during the swing.

Don't let your left hip slide forward on the downswing, causing the weight of your upper body to drift to the outsides of your feet (inset, right). If your weight drifts, you lose stability and power.

Think of it this way: If you were swinging on a sheet of ice, you'd have to keep your weight centered over your feet, or you'd slip. That's a good image. Focus on the feeling that your weight is being supported on the insides of your feet.