Tommy Fleetwood's simple swing balance drill

Welcome to Shaving Strokes, the GOLF.com series where we share the progress, lessons learned and takeaways from novice golfers like you — including the speed bumps and challenges they've faced along the way.

One of the most common problems beginners struggle with is maintaining balance in the golf swing, many of us with handicaps tend to fall forward or back too much as we shift weight.

Obviously, when your weight isn't distributed properly, you'll see inconsistent shot results due to poor ball-striking problems – which is also the reason why so many of us are stuck with handicaps!

To help you learn how to maintain swing balance, PGA Tour pro Tommy Fleetwood has a simple distance exercise machine to try. So check out the video and tips below (courtesy of Iamthepar's Instagram account).

Whether you're a mid-to-higher who's used to swinging with a wedge or someone who can't squeeze the ball with first contact, the drill that Fleetwood describes is a cure-all for bad swing habits.

“One of my favorite tips, and many Tour players do on the range, is that they take it [lead] foot off [the ground] when they go back and try to step or go in when they shoot,” said Fleetwood.

“People talk about going with the gun sometimes, but I really like – and I've seen a lot of guys – put them back and hit the floor. [with the lead foot]and they swing from there.”

Working on this move, Fleetwood says, will insure you won't backslide, which can be one of the biggest causes of mishits like skulls or shanks.

He says: “You can't back down, you have to go in when you shoot, find your weight on that [lead] side, hit the ball first to create that nice, hot divot and get the flight you want.”

If you struggle to keep your balance on turns, Fleetwood's drill is a great practice tool to get a feel for how your body moves during backswing and impact. So try it yourself: Avoid focusing on the outcome of the shot and just go through the process of improving your golf swing.