Struggling with Early Extension?

Thanks to a suggestion from our viewer, Jeffrey, we are discussing the problem of early extension in your downswing. If you’d like to watch the full video, the link is below. Jeffrey, who is a low handicapper, is struggling with early extension in the downswing. This is something we want to avoid. So what’s happening is that for some reason, rather than maintaining our primary spine angle, we see movement toward the ball. This often happens with better players who are trying to swing the club on a nice path from inside the target line, down to the target line and then back around inside. What usually happens here is that the player’s shaft often gets back behind them a little bit and if they stay on that swing path without adjusting something, they will catch the club on the hosel. We want to get the club more in front of our chest throughout the swing to make sure we are on the correct swing path. Here’s a great drill in order to rectify this early extension.

Set up in your golf posture and take a small back swing. Feel as though your hands are dropping down in front of your chest but keep the hinge in your wrists so that the club is parallel to the ground when your hands hit the low end of your swing (see photo to the right). At that point, turn through the shot. Notice that my hands are dropping straight down below my shoulders. As you swing through the shot, try to feel like your weight is getting into your front heel on the way through. Maintain that primary spine angle all the way through the shot.

Another drill you can do to try to resolve the early extension is the hockey drill. This makes it very easy for us to keep our hands ahead of chest. Grip the club like a hockey stick (see photo below). Take your normal set up, take the club back and keep your back turned toward the target. If you’re early extending, you’re probably getting the club caught back behind you on the way down. This hockey drill enables you to keep your hands in front of your chest while keeping your club on the correct swing path.