What Is Early Extension in Golf? How to Spot and Fix It

Updated October 12, 2026 · Written by the Your Golf Plan team · Written for right-handed golfers; if you play left-handed, flip left and right.

Early extension is when your hips and pelvis move toward the ball during the downswing, so your spine angle straightens before impact. It is one of the most common swing faults, and it quietly causes a lot of the other things golfers complain about.

What it does to your shots

Thin and topped shots, because you stand up and the club bottoms out early.
Blocks and hooks, because there is no room for the arms to swing through, so the face is held open or flipped shut.
Lost power, because the body stops rotating and the arms take over.
Back strain for some golfers, since the lower back takes the load.

Why it happens

Setup: standing too close to the ball, or too upright, so the arms run out of room.
Limited hip mobility, so the pelvis cannot rotate and slides forward instead.
Trying to hit up on the ball, especially with the driver.
Sequencing: the hips thrust at the ball rather than rotating open.

How to see it on video

Film from down the line at hip height. At address, picture a vertical line touching your backside. In a good swing your backside stays close to that line until impact. In early extension your hips move toward the ball and away from the line, and your torso straightens.

From face-on, your head and chest rise toward impact and your posture looks more upright than at address.

If you have back or hip pain, get that checked before you change your swing.

Drills that help

Wall drill

Set up with your backside lightly touching a wall or the back of a chair, in your normal posture.
Make slow practice swings and keep your trail cheek in contact with the wall as long as you can.
As you rotate through, the contact should stay or slide off only after impact.

What you should feel: The hips rotate rather than thrust, and your chest stays over the ball.

Hinge setup check

Stand tall, then push your hips back until you feel your hamstrings tighten.
Let your arms hang and your knees flex a little. Weight on the middle of your feet.
Set the club down and make swings. Check that you do not creep toward the ball.

What you should feel: You have room to swing the arms past your body.

Not sure this is your problem?

Drills only work if you are fixing the right thing. Film your swing from down the line and face-on, and a PGA coach will tell you what is actually happening and give you one drill to work on.

Get a coach to look at your swing · $35

What a coach looks for on video

Pelvis and tailbone distance from the ball at address, top, and impact
Spine angle through the downswing
Hip and shoulder rotation and the order they start
Whether setup distance from the ball is part of the cause
Signs that mobility may be limiting the swing

That is the difference between guessing from a guide and knowing from your own swing. Two short videos are enough for a coach to check all of this.

Keep going

Common questions

Is early extension a mobility or a swing problem?

It can be both. Setup and sequencing are swing issues you can fix. If tight hips or a stiff lower back limit rotation, a physio or fitness professional can help alongside swing work.

What shot does early extension cause?

Most often thin and topped shots, plus blocks to the right or snap hooks for right-handed golfers.

Have a coach look at your swing

Send two short phone videos and tell us what you are working on. A PGA coach sends back a video review and a drill built around your swing, usually within 24 hours and always within 48.

Get your swing analysis · $35