Early extension in golf is a common ailment for amateur players — especially new players and those who don’t stretch properly before a round. While it can lead to a variety of issues in your swing, it mostly happens due to physical limitations.
Issues that have been known to cause early extension can be as simple as poor posture to as complex as an inability to rotate your hips. Regardless of what’s causing early extension in your golf swing, though, there are a few ways to correct the problem.
Sure, there are stretches and other routines to help loosen you up before a round, but today we’re going to focus on a fun drill that GOLF Top 100 Teacher Jason Baile demonstrates. In the video above, Baile (the Director of Instruction at Jupiter Hills), shows us how a water bottle can reduce early extension.
Why standing closer to the ball can fix your swing’s dreaded ‘early extension’
“If you’re one of those players who fights early extension and gets your butt coming forward towards the golf ball, I have a great tip for you,” Baile says. “I’ve got a water bottle sitting here inside my trail ankle, and, as I work through impact, I want to see if I can knock that water bottle down with the inside of my foot.”
Why is this important? By incorporating the water bottle, you’ll fully engage your core and rotation, creating a more consistent swing path to the golf ball. This will help generate clubhead speed while maintaining your proper posture through the swing.
“The inside of my trail foot is going to bank before it works the toe up,” Baile adds. “If you struggle with that, it’s because the right knee is working out, and your heel is actually working around the water bottle.
“So if you struggle with early extension, keeping that butt back and knocking that water bottle over leaves a lot of room for the handle to travel to the golf ball.”
You can practice this drill at home or with a golf ball on the range, so get to it and watch as your posture improves, along with your golf shots.