One of the most common swing problems I see among recreational golfers is anticipated extension.
You’ve probably heard the term before. It happens 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 just telling a golfer to keep his hips doesn’t always work. To make lasting improvement, you need to understand what causes your hips to move toward the ball in the first place.
Cause #1: Steep descent
Many amateur golfers struggle with a strong downswing. Instead of allowing the club to approach the ball on a more neutral path, they drive it too vertically or over the top. When this happens, the body instinctively looks for a way to make contact. For some golfers, that compensation involves pushing the ball forward to help the club find a path for impact. It’s not necessarily a conscious decision. It is an athletic reaction to a club that is out of position.
The solution starts early in the swing. Focus on making a full 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 doesn’t need to make as many last-second compensations.
Cause No. 2: Hanging weight
Another common contributor to early extension is poor pressure transfer. When you have too much pressure on your track foot for too long, it becomes difficult to rotate and move the ball effectively. Your arms can be trapped behind your body, leaving you searching for space at impact.
One of the keys I teach is to learn to load into the inside of your trailing foot during the backswing, then shift the 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 for impact.
Rory McIlroy is an excellent example of how effective lower body movement can create space for the club. He shifts the pressure to his lead side while allowing his pelvis to rotate and slide through the impact. His hips don’t just travel 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
A popular drill for forward extension is to stand with your backside against a wall or chair and try to maintain the relationship with 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 foot, the same compensation can return. That’s why they encourage golfers to look deeper. Start by evaluating your backswing turn, downswing path and pressure change. As movements improve, your patients often begin to work better naturally.
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