Small improvements are the difference between occasionally breaking 80 and consistently shooting around par.

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Footwork is a detail that even the most conscientious player can overlook without the help of video or a teacher’s trained eye.

Sloppy footwork is a common good-player’s mistake. In the quest to generate more speed, the player tends to lift his or her left heel on the backswing. This is fine, but the heel has to come back down in the right spot. The tendency is for the heel to back up (left, top), sliding away from the target, or lunge forward (left, bottom) towards the target. Both moves ruin good body sequencing on the downswing and sacrifice clubhead speed.

To get an accurate read on where your feet are, use a tee as a guide when you practice (above).

Set up with the driver, and stick a tee in the ground just outside your left heel. When you start your downswing, nudge the tee forward with your heel – re-centre your weight – before you rotate to the finish. With better footwork, you’ll hit the ball more squarely because of improved sequencing.

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