What Does the Word “Extension” Mean in Golf?

Even if your life depends on it, there’s nothing worse than not being able to find the center of the club face when you’re swinging. Especially if it happens regardless of which club in the bag you’re striking.

Excessive pace might be the culprit, but there are a variety of reasons why ball striking might be incorrect (posture, tempo, backswing, etc.). What many amateurs have in common is that they are unaware that this is the reason for their inconsistency.

Early extension is a term used to describe the slight shift that can take place during your backswing or downswing, which may throw your consistency into chaos. Continue reading to learn more about early extension, how to cure it, and the best swings for correcting on the downswing.

Define Early Extension? 

In golf, Early Extension refers to the act of moving your body and club head forward along the target line as soon as possible. This helps you get the club head into the ball earlier, which gives you more time to hit it in the sweet spot and generate more power. It also helps you stay down on the ball longer, which gives you more control over your shots.

There are a few different ways to achieve Early Extension in golf. You can do it by swinging your arms and club head forward together, or by pushing your body and club head ahead of the ball as you start your swing. Whichever method you use, make sure you do it in a smooth and controlled manner.

Early Extension is one of the most important fundamentals of golf, and it’s something you should work on improving every time you practice. The more you practice it, the better your shots will be. So start practicing today, and see how much your game improves!

The Most Important Early-Extension Misses

The standard extension error is to extend early and thus produce two major misses: a push block to the right and a hook to the left. These are significant misses from the initial extend!

When you have poor posture, the club path is pushed out and directed right by your hands. Alternatively, if you’re unaware of how good it’s going and decide to course correct at impact by flipping your hands, this will result in the awful hook.

The most aggravating part is that these mistakes utilize both sides of the course. In this frantic game, having two major blunders makes the challenge far more difficult than a single-sided mistake.

This is why it’s so important to identify and repair the problem as soon as possible.

How to Recognize an Early Extension?

If you’re having trouble with ball striking consistency, don’t just jump to the conclusion that it’s because of this problem since there are a lot of other reasons. Instead, be sure to thoroughly analyze the problem before attempting to solve anything that may not genuinely be occurring.

Here’s how to tell if your lower body is extending early.

-Check your posture. Are you slouching or bending at the waist? This is a common sign of early extension. Make sure you stay tall and straight throughout your swing.

-Watch your hips. Are they moving too far forward? This can also be a sign of early extension. Keep your hips parallel to the target line throughout your swing.

-Check your backswing. Are you keeping the club head behind you as you swing back? If not, this may be another sign of early extension. Make sure you keep the club head in front of you as you swing back.

-Check your downswing. Are you starting to move the club head forward too soon? If so, you may be experiencing early extension. Make sure you start your downswing slowly and smoothly, and don’t start moving the club head forward until after the ball has been struck.

Why Does a Golf Early Extension Happen?

It’s possible that this movement towards the golf ball is motivated by a number of factors.

Physical Limitations

The first is an actual health condition that is preventing you from extending. If, for example, your back, hips, knees, or ankles are restricted in mobility, early extension may be challenging.

A bodyweight squat is an excellent way to test your mobility. You’re much more likely to extend early if you can’t go down past parallel on the way down. During the swing, this stiffness typically drives you to modify your posture and spine.

To correct this problem, make sure to stretch frequently and stay active. Deep-tissue massages can also assist you relax by releasing muscular tension in the legs and back. Deep stretching exercises may be helpful in relieving chronic pain caused by muscle strain or injury.

Don’t forget that golf is a highly unnatural and physically demanding sport, so do all you can to keep playing for a long time. To counteract this issue (and your general health), focus on lower-body and core exercises that build strength and stability.

Golf’s Setup and Posture for Early Extension

In order to fix early extension, you need to work on your posture and setup. Poor posture is often the cause of early extension, so make sure you stay tall and straight throughout your swing. You also need to make sure your hips are parallel to the target line throughout your swing. Another common cause of early extension is a backswing that’s too far ahead of the ball. Make sure you keep the club head behind you as you swing back. And finally, don’t start moving the club head forward until after the ball has been struck. These tips will help you correct early extension and improve your ball striking consistency.

Fixing Early Rotation

The backswing should be characterized by a rotation, then an extension. The rotation must come before the extension!

Think about how you’ll feel more comfortable while using a wider stance. Your hips should open up considerably at impact. You’ll probably notice some tightness in your left hip, too. Furthermore, you will most likely notice that your hips are somewhat behind the typical posture.

It’s difficult to make changes when you’re uncomfortable, but you must persevere! One of my golf instructors used to say, “If it doesn’t feel odd, you’re probably doing it wrong.”

3 Drills for Early Extension

There are a number of drills you can do to help correct early extension. One drill is to place a golf club just in front of your toes, and make sure you keep the club head behind you as you swing back. You can also try placing a pole or cone on the ground just in front of the ball, and make sure you start your downswing slowly and smoothly, and don’t start moving the club head forward until after the ball has been struck. These drills will help you correct early extension and improve your ball striking consistency.

If you’re having trouble with early extension, make sure to consult a qualified professional. They can help you correct the problem and improve your game. Thanks for reading!

1. Drill for the Belt Buckle

Another drill you can use to help correct early extension is the belt buckle drill. To do this drill, take a belt and buckle it so that it’s tight around your waist. Now, try to make a golf swing without letting the belt move. This drill will help you stay tall and straight throughout your swing, and it will also help you keep the club head behind you as you swing back.

2. Stand Closer Drill

The second exercise is straightforward and allows you to modify your setup so that you can address the problem rather than attempting to manage it.

Step 1: Take a short iron and play the golf ball as you would normally.

Step 2: Close enough for casual shots but not too close for maximum control (this should be about one golf ball closer). You’ll feel as though you’re right on top of the ball, and you’ll probably think you’re addressing it on the hosel.

Step 3: Make some cautious swings (about 70% effort) and concentrate on turning your hips, rather than standing up through the swing. You’ll be compelled to turn on the downswing rather than terminating your swing, even though you appear to be crowding the ball.

3.Drilling a Pitching Wedge

The third drill is the pitching wedge drill. To do this drill, take a pitching wedge and place it on the ground just in front of the ball. Now, make a golf swing without letting the pitching wedge move. This drill will help you stay tall and straight throughout your swing, and it will also help you keep the club head behind you as you swing back. Thanks for reading!

Early extension is when you start the downswing too early, before the ball has been struck. This can cause problems with your ball striking consistency, and it can also lead to a loss of power. There are a number of things you can do to correct early extension, and in this article we will discuss three of them.

Frequently Asked Questions On Golf Swing Extension

Do you have any more queries regarding golf swing early extension? If that’s the case, we’ve got the most frequently asked questions covered.

Is it possible to have good golf with an early extension?

Yes, some golfers do this so often that they learn how to time their hands and are able to make it work. Some golfers struggle with it on chilly days (when their body is rigid) or when they’re tired late in the round.

In a perfect world, you’d want to fix this problem as soon as possible so that you aren’t as reliant on the downswing’s timing. On any hole, disaster can strike if you must frequently turn your wrists or consider too much during your swing. Bogeys and doubles may be approaching, so ensure you’re working to address the problem as soon as feasible. Remember, the world’s greatest golfers don’t rely on timing because they have strong foundations like this one. Because you no doubt know, on occasion your timing isn’t perfect.

We recommend that you have this repaired as soon as possible to assist you play more consistently. Don’t let the deadly assassin ruin your competition!

Is it possible that shanks develop after early extension?

Early extension can lead to a number of problems with your ball striking consistency, including shanks. Shanks are when the ball goes off to the side of the golf course, often resulting in a very poor shot. To correct early extension, you need to work on keeping the club head behind you as you swing back, and you also need to focus on turning your hips instead of standing up through the swing. Thanks for reading!

Is it harmful to pursue an extension early?

Yes, early extension can be bad because it can cause problems with your ball striking consistency, and it can also lead to a loss of power. It’s possible to do this at any time during the golf swing, although doing it too soon might result in huge misses on both sides of the game. If you continue to encounter this problem on a regular basis, you’ll find it difficult to score well because you’ll be missing out on a lot of fairways and greens.

Golf Swing Extension Conclusion

Hopefully, you have a clear understanding of how to eliminate early extensions from your game. Keep in mind that this is often caused by upper body or lower body issues (such as stiffness) as well as setup problems.

Early extension, on the other hand, may be repaired by improving your posture, lower body flexibility, and the exercises described above. The rule states that you should not move closer to the ball during the downswing.

However, keep in mind that you’ll need to stretch your golf swing. Simply make contact with the ball at the right time so that your body may rotate and deliver superb impact on the downswing.