Many of us are visual people. We learn by seeing how someone does something and then imitating that person. That's why I sometimes recommend to students talking my golf lessons to watch how the pros do something. Some players excel at hitting a particular type of shot. Others illustrate perfectly the correct execution of a technique. Whatever it is, you can sometimes learn as much about golf from watching how a pro does something as you can from taking a private golf instruction session.

Take Phil Mickelson. He's a crafty left-handed player and among the tour's best golfers. Over the years he's become known for his uncanny ability to hit a flop shot, as I mentioned in one of my golf tips. It's become one of his signature shots. You can learn a lot from watching how he hits it, especially if you're left-handed. Of course, some of the flop shots he hits exceed our abilities, so be careful what you try to imitate. Nevertheless, you can takeaway something from watching him hit that shot.

Below are some players to keep an eye next time you're watching golf on television. We've focused on three key areas in the swing and added drills to help you improve in those areas.

1. The Stack Up
All accomplished players display a solid position at impact. This position is called "the stack up." If you took a photo, it would look something life this: At impact, the player's left wrist (right-hander) is flat while his right wrist is bent. His left hip is clearing out of the way while the weight on the toes of his left foot is transferred to the left heel. Meanwhile, his left shoulder, hip, knee, and hand are all on top of his left foot. There's no hang-back. And there's no reverse "C" position. Try watching Darren Clarke next time he plays on TV to see how well he stacks up at impact.

The "hitting short shots from a pre-impact position" drill is often used to teach players about the stack up position. Start with the club at the top of the downswing then swing down on the ball through impact. The key is sucking your tummy against your spine and maintaining that feel while lifting the toes of your lead foot and shifting your weight onto your left heel. Concentrate on being on top of the ball at impact, not hanging back.

2. Alignment of Your Elbow
In giving golf lessons I noticed that some players have an extra hard time keeping their swings in sync. Often, it?s because they need to work on improving the alignment of their right elbow (right-hander) and wrist at the top of the swing. This does two things. It keeps you from going too far back in your backswing, and it keeps you in sync with the coiling of your upper body, improving consistency and increasing swing speed. Keep an eye on Davis Love to see how well he executes this move.

Start with your right elbow slightly bowed out at setup, in the alignment it'll have at the top of the backswing. As you take the club away, bend your right wrist back so you can see creases in the skin. Continue to make several swings, always stopping at the top to check the alignment of the right elbow and the bend in the right wrist. This drill creates the feel of a solid backswing while ingraining the proper arm and elbow positions.

3. The Head Turn
Locking your head in a set position throughout your swing is wrong, as my golf tips point out. It's the primary cause of the slice inducing "chicken wing" (flying elbow). It is also the root of many back problems. Your head should turn naturally through the ball for maximum power. This enables the hips to clear out of the way, creates better extension of your arms after impact, and puts less stress on your lower back and neck. Watch David Duval and Annika Sorenstam swivel their heads toward the target through impact.

At address, place a second ball about two feet in front of the ball you're trying to hit. Make sure the ball is slightly inside of the target line. While hitting off the tee, look at the second ball during impact. This rotates your head to the target while keeping it in sync with the movement of your upper body. You should feel your hips clearing much more easily and a better extension of your arms.

Keep an eye on these three key areas next time your see a tournament on television. Watch how the pros perform in these areas and see if you can pick up any tips from what they do. Also work on the drills described above. If you really want to lower that golf handicap, you need to create an efficient, balanced swing. This approach is one way to do it.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros." He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

Some people contend that when it comes to driving for power, you either have it or you don't. While it's true that some people have more natural ability to hit a golf ball than others, that doesn't mean you can't add distance to your drives. You may never drive the ball as far as PGA pro Scott Hend, who once averaged 318.9 yards through the Reno-Tahoe Open, but you can definitely get more out of your drives through an efficient, balanced swing. The key: seal the power leaks.

Power leaks, as I've written about in my golf tips, are physical flaws that inhibit the efficiency of your swing. Usually, they're little things that make a big difference. Often, we don't even know we're doing them, so they go undetected. But string enough of them together in a swing and they can rob you of power and distance. And that, in turn, can affect both your game and your golf handicap. Let's examine some common leaks and see how to can seal them off.

The Setup
Becoming more efficient in your swing doesn't mean rebuilding it, just tweaking it. And a good place to start is your setup. Among the biggest enemy's of power in your setup, as I've mentioned in my golf tips, is tension. You must be loose and relaxed over the ball to generate power. And relaxing during your setup starts with your hands. If your hands are relaxed, the rest of you will be also. So grab the club loosely in your fingers and relax your hands. Let that relaxed feeling travel through your arms, your shoulders, and then the rest of your body. Now you're ready to hit.

The takeaway is the most critical element in your swing. If you've eliminated the tension from your hands and arms, you've positioned yourself nicely for the takeaway. As you do, make sure you maintain a good spine angle. That's another power leak. If you slouch, you'll have to compensate during your swing. Keep the spine angle set while swinging. It's your axis of power around which everything else turns. It helps generate the torque you need for extra distance. Also, try keeping about 60 percent of your weight on your toes.

Another power leak is your right elbow (right-handers). It's the first joint to hinge in your backswing. Keep it relaxed and relatively close to your body. As you take the club back, your right elbow folds, allowing the club to start on plane. Don't fight it when the elbow folds and the club works up and to the inside. That's all part of a good backswing. When you reach the top of your swing, feel the coil in your right knee, uniting it to your right hip. Don't straighten out your right knee. That creates a huge power leak. And position the ball inside the left toe. That ensures that you'll strike the ball on the upswing, helping produce the right launch angle.

The Swing
The most common power leak among weekend golfers is the hip slide. Instead of supporting the turning of the body and upper body, the right knee stiffens and the right hip slides laterally away from the target, creating a huge power leak. The club is out of position now. The golfer throws the club out and down from the top, creating a steep angle of descent and a downward blow. The result: a dead pull or a weak slice.

As for the downswing, the less interference from the body the better off you are. If you take the club back properly, the body stores that power, creating torque. And it wants to release that power in the downswing. If you hinder that release of power with your body, you inhibit your power, creating another leak. Instead, maintain your spine angle and stay behind the ball. Focus on keep the club extending down the target line after striking the ball. When you finish, check the balance in your swing. It's a great indicator of just how efficient your swing was.

One other thing on power leaks. The body itself can be a huge power leak. Flexibility and core strength are the keys. Try keeping the body flexible and strong through workouts. If you have a better range of muscle movements, you'll be in a better position to swing the club throughout the golf swing. So work on flexibility and core strength when you can. And don't forget to do some stretching before your start a round.

Not all of us can hit the ball as far as a PGA pro, like Scott Hend. That doesn't mean we can't generate more power from our swings. We just need to seal off the power leaks by creating a balanced, more efficient swing. Do that and you'll be creating the conditions necessary to improve your golf handicap.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros." He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.