You MUST Fix Your Early Extension (‘Hip Thrust’) for Better Ball Striking

Introduction

This topic may be the most important thing for you to work on if you want to improve your ball striking and lower your score.

It is one of the most COMMON and one of the most DAMAGING swing characteristics...

And it often stems from poor flexibility, a weak butt and neglected abdominals…

I’m talking about ‘Early Extension’. That nasty, early ‘Hip Thust’ towards the golf ball. Sometimes it happens on the backswing, but generally on the downswing before impact.

In this post we look at common problem shots that ‘Early Extension’ causes, how to quickly and easily figure out if you are an ‘Early Extender’ and what to do about it from a physical point of view if you are…

What is 'Early Extension' & Why Does it Happen?

‘Early Extension’ is simply defined as any forward movement of the pelvis toward the ball on the backswing or downswing...

This causes the upper body to lift up in order for the golfer to stay balanced, and results in a block to the right or a big hook to the left as the hands and arms desperately try to deliver the club to the ball despite being ‘stuck’ behind the hip thrust.

Two possible opposing directions your shots could go? Not good.

You can guard against one common miss, but not two…

Try this for yourself:

Make a downswing. As you do, drive you hips towards to golf ball and you will see that you are forced to lift your upper body. The result is simply inconsistency of ball striking.

Thin shots dominate although fat shots are possible. As is the dreaded…sh…sh…sh… shank (I didtn’t say it! I just wrote it…OK?)

So, could this be you…? Chances are extremely high the answer is yes…

Here are the stats (you already know I love stats!): Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) testing…

Out of over 90,000 amateur golfers tested worldwide an amazing 67% DO HAVE Early Extension!!

The pros? Just as amazing is of the more than a 100 PGA, European and LPGA golfers TPI have tested, 99% of them DON'T HAVE Early Extension!!

A line in the sand between amateur level ball striking and professional level ball striking?

Absolutely!!

This may be one of the biggest correlations as to whether you are a great ball striker or not...

How to (quickly and easily!) find out if this is a problem for you:

Download an app like V1 or something similar (we use V1) and get a friend to video you from behind, directly down the target line of your shot. Then, at address draw a vertical line on your rear end. Play the video and if at any stage daylight appears between that line and your rear end…

You have ‘Early Extended’.

Now, as I have said before my expertise lies in the physical body, not teaching the golf swing…

So what are the ‘Physical Limitations’ that may cause you to Early Extend:

1. Research has shown that an inability to perform a full overhead deep squat due to lack of flexibility in your ankles, hips, upper back or shoulders can FORCE a player to change spinal posture during the swing

2. Restricted lead hip internal rotation flexibility (the left hip for right handed golfers) means the golfer cannot rotate the lower body during the downswing without the dreaded ‘forward thrust’

3. Lack of separation between the upper body and lower body generally caused by restricted torso mobility and lack of flexibility in your lats means you can’t maintain stable posture during your swing

4. Stability problems: Weak or unstable gluteal (butt) and core musculature means you haven’t got a hope of being able to stabilise your lower body ‘back and away’ from the golf ball during the downswing (or on the backswing for that matter)

Conclusion

Is a lot of this starting to sound all too familiar? Are you sick of suffering through:

Alternating blocks to the right and nasty duck hooks left with thin shots and fat shots thrown in for good measure
Hips that drive forward at the golf ball causing you to ‘get stuck and lift up’
A general lack of flexibility and stability in the right areas?

Excellent, because you have come to the right place…

Beat your ‘Early Extension’ and you can dramatically improve your ball striking and your score.

In our Golf Fitness Membership Club exercise programs we tackle each of the ‘Physical Limitations’ outlined above EVERY SINGLE MONTH with new golf specific stretches, mobilisations & exercises...

Head here to sign up:

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You MUST Fix Your Early Extension (‘Hip Thrust’) for Better Ball Striking

Introduction

What is 'Early Extension' & Why Does it Happen?

Conclusion

Golf Fitness Membership Club

Further Reading, Watching, Drills & Exercise