Final Thursday, I watched a pupil apply on the vary with textbook kind. Lovely setup, easy takeaway, excellent place on the prime — every little thing appeared flawless via the primary three-quarters of his swing.
Then got here the predictable breakdown: twenty consecutive pictures the place he’d get up via impression and blade the ball throughout the vary.
After one other skinny shot skipped towards the 150-yard marker, he checked out me with real confusion. “I really feel like I’m doing every little thing proper,” he mentioned.
That is the curse of early extension — probably the most frequent swing flaws I see, and probably the most damaging to ball compression. After twenty-plus years of educating, I’ve discovered that golfers who get up of their swing aren’t making a aware option to damage their pictures. They’re responding to setup and swing points that drive this compensation.
Right here’s what drives me loopy: most golfers assume standing up is a downswing drawback. It’s not. The true perpetrator normally begins at tackle or within the backswing, creating a sequence response that makes early extension inevitable.
Why you’re standing up (and it’s not what you assume)
Early extension — the technical time period for standing up via impression — occurs when your hips thrust towards the ball and your backbone angle adjustments dramatically. This swing attribute causes the arms and membership to get caught behind your physique in the course of the downswing, forcing your torso to compensate by standing up.
The most typical trigger? Poor posture at setup. I see golfers hunched over the ball, creating an excessive amount of bend of their backbone. Once they begin the downswing, there’s nowhere for his or her arms to go besides up and out. Standing up turns into the one strategy to make contact.
One other main perpetrator: the dreaded “excessive” transfer. The over-the-top swing path creates a vicious cycle — when golfers begin their downswing with their higher physique as an alternative of their decrease physique, the membership approaches the ball from exterior the goal line. You’ll thrust your hips ahead (that is additionally referred to as early extension) in an effort to keep up your steadiness and keep away from chunking behind the ball.
The setup answer that adjustments every little thing
Correct posture eliminates most early extension earlier than you even begin your swing. Right here’s what works:
Stand tall first, then hinge ahead out of your hips — not your waist. Your backbone ought to preserve its pure curves, not spherical right into a C-shape. Take into consideration sticking your chest out and your butt again, such as you’re about to take a seat in a chair that’s barely too distant.
Your arms ought to cling naturally out of your shoulders. When you’re reaching for the ball or pulling your arms tight to your physique, you’re creating the area points that drive early extension later.
One drill that transforms my college students: Observe your setup towards a wall. Your butt ought to contact the wall at tackle and keep related all through your backswing. When you lose contact, you’re altering your backbone angle in methods that can drive compensation strikes later.
The psychological shift that creates compression
The most important breakthrough occurs when golfers perceive that ball compression comes from two key elements working collectively: ahead shaft lean and a descending strike. The loft of your membership will get the ball airborne — your job is to create the circumstances for strong compression.
Ahead shaft lean is the key. When your arms keep forward of the clubhead via impression, you successfully scale back the loft in your membership face. A 7-iron turns into extra like a 6-iron for that cut up second, creating the compressed contact you’re after.
Take into consideration hitting the ball first, then the bottom — however along with your arms main the best way. This psychological picture retains you in correct posture whereas guaranteeing your arms keep forward of the clubhead at impression.
The important thing isn’t hitting down more durable. It’s sustaining that ahead shaft lean whereas making a managed descending strike. Whenever you mix correct hand place with ball-first contact, compression occurs naturally.
The psychological shift that stops the standing
The most important breakthrough occurs when golfers cease making an attempt to raise the ball and begin making an attempt to hit down and thru it. The loft of your membership will get the ball airborne — your job is to make strong, descending contact.
Take into consideration hitting the ball first, then the bottom. This psychological picture ought to assist maintain you in your posture via impression as an alternative of standing as much as assist the ball fly.
I inform college students to think about they’re making an attempt to drive the ball into the bottom. Sounds counterintuitive, however this thought course of creates the correct angle of assault for compressed contact.
The apply that makes it everlasting
Right here’s a drill that eliminates early extension: Place a chair or bench about six inches behind your butt at tackle. Make apply swings whereas sustaining contact with the chair all through your backswing and downswing. When you get up or thrust your hips ahead, you’ll lose contact with the chair instantly.
This offers you prompt suggestions about your backbone angle all through the swing. Most golfers are shocked to find how a lot they’re standing up — and the way significantly better their contact turns into once they preserve their posture.
Cease combating your swing and begin fixing the actual issues. Correct setup and weight shift get rid of early extension naturally, providing you with the compressed contact you’ve been chasing.
Your ball-striking will enhance whenever you work with physics as an alternative of towards it.
The put up How to Stop Standing Up in the Golf Swing and Compress the Ball appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
