2 huge reasons golfers have early extension — and how to fix them | Instruction
One of the most common swing problems I see among recreational golfers is early extension.
You’ve probably heard the term before. It occurs when your hips and pelvis move toward the golf ball during the downswing, leaving less room for your arms and club to move freely through impact. The result? Your chest rises, your posture changes, and making consistent contact becomes much more difficult.
But here’s something I’ve learned after decades of teaching golfers around the world: Early extension is often the result of another swing flaw, not the original problem. That’s why simply telling a golfer to keep their hips back doesn’t always work. To make a lasting improvement, you need to understand what’s causing your hips to move toward the ball in the first place.
Cause No. 1: Steep downswing
Many amateur golfers struggle with a steep downswing. Instead of allowing the club to approach the ball on a more neutral path, they bring it down too vertically or over the top. When that happens, the body instinctively looks for a way to make contact. For some golfers, that compensation involves pushing the hips toward the ball to help the club find a path to impact. It’s not necessarily a conscious decision. It’s an athletic reaction to a club that’s out of position.
The solution starts earlier in the swing. Focus on making a complete backswing turn that gives your arms and club enough depth to approach the ball from a better position. When the club is in a better position on the downswing, your body won’t need to make as many last-second compensations.
Cause No. 2: Weight stuck back
Another common contributor to early extension is poor pressure transfer. When you keep too much pressure on your trail foot for too long, it becomes hard to rotate and move through the ball effectively. Your arms can get trapped behind your body, leaving you searching for space at impact.
One of the keys I teach is learning to load into the inside of your trail foot during the backswing, then shift pressure toward your lead foot as you transition into the downswing. This creates a better foundation for rotation and helps your hips work more naturally through impact.
Rory McIlroy is an excellent example of how effective lower-body movement can create room for the club. He shifts pressure toward his lead side while allowing his pelvis to rotate and clear through impact. His hips don’t simply drive toward the golf ball. Instead, his lower body helps create space for his arms to swing through with tremendous speed.
You don’t need Rory’s flexibility or athleticism to benefit from the same principles. Even a modest improvement in your pressure shift and rotation can make a noticeable difference.
How to fix early extension
One popular drill for early extension is to stand with your backside against a wall or chair and try to maintain that relationship through your swing. It can be a useful way to develop awareness of proper hip movement, but it doesn’t necessarily address why your hips are moving toward the ball in the first place.
If your club is still too steep or your pressure remains stuck on your trail foot, the same compensation may return. That’s why I encourage golfers to look deeper. Start by evaluating your backswing turn, downswing path and pressure shift. When those movements improve, your hips often begin to work better naturally.
