Swing Fault- "Early Extension"

This is one of the most common swing faults (of the twelve) that can have a negative impact on your game!

“Early Extension”
64.3% of amateur players came off line
31.07% of amateur players stayed on the line
4.51% of amateur players sat deep into the line

Defined-
When the hips and spine start into hip extension or straighten up to early in the downswing, it is termed Early Extension. This is where the hips and pelvis move closer to the ball on downswing. This causes the upper body to lift up in order to maintain their balance. The lower body does not easily rotate through impact, instead in pushes forward into the space where the club is supposed to go, forcing the player to stand up.

Causes-
1. Stiffness of joints in lower body- Hips, low back complex, sacro-iliac joints, knees, ankles
2. Can’t rotate around lead hip (internal rotation)- if the pelvis is unable to rotate around the lead hip due to joint or muscular restrictions then forward and lateral movements will dominate the pattern.
3. Inability to separate upper and lower body- and visa versa allows the player to maintain a stable posture and a proper sequence of motion during the swing. Limited trunk to pelvis separation is usually caused by reduced spinal mobility and shortened lat flexibility.
4. Inability to stabilize trunk- abs/glutes- the ability to stabilize the lower body is directly proportional to gluteal and abdominal strength. A stable neutral pelvic posture helps prevent thrusting toward the ball.

Non-body causes-
1. Clubs to long
2. Player is too far from ball
3. Player has too much weight on their heels at address
4. Player has poor swing path
5. Other posture faults

Remember, the ONLY way to fix swing faults is to correct them in the gym! Till you address your physical issues, you will never live up to your potential as a golfer!

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