6 Top 100 Teacher-approved tricks to cure your early extension in a hurry

Ben Hogan once said the most difficult thing about golf is staying bent forward for a second. It was a simplified, but he was correct. As you’ve probably found out if you did the early extension exercises I wrote about last week, they’re not always easy. But the more you do them, the better the movement will be in your swing.

But it’s still going to take some time.

If you have early extension and you need a few swing solutions to guide you through in the meantime, try some of these:

1. Flare your toes

Flaring your toes at address will allow your hips to turn a little easier, rotation without as many compensations will allow you to stay in posture better.

2. Use hybrids more

Using hybrids in place of long irons will allow you to sweep your shots, finding the correct point on the ground with irons is more difficult if you’re extending into the ball

3. Turn full on the tee

Only make a “full turn” going back when the ball is on a tee, this way if you do early extend going back or down the teed up ball can be struck without fear of the ground interfering with the contact.

4. Don’t go too upright

Resist the urge making your clubs excessively longer and more upright, which will only encourage you to early extend more. Always get fit from a professional fitter, and make sure to explain to them what you’re working on so they can adjust accordingly.

5. Practice standing close to the ball

In practice, stand as close as you can to the ball, you’ll find that extending promotes a shaft shallowing move which over time makes the golfer “reach” more for the ball at address and through impact.

6. Think ‘heel up’

Try visualizing you’re delivering the iron or hybrid with the toe of the club in the air at impact. This will promote a lower handle through impact, which will in turn make you feel more bent from the hips forward (flexion, the opposite of extension).

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