One of the most common golf swing problems happens before the club even moves—during your setup and posture. In the early months of this golf season, I’ve performed numerous functional screenings and video swing analyses, and two challenges consistently show up for amateur golfers: maintaining a proper spine angle and holding posture throughout the swing.

According to the Titleist Performance Institute, 64.3% of amateur golfers lose their initial posture at some point during the swing. This is often called early extension, a forward movement of the hips toward the ball during the downswing. If you’ve ever been told to “keep your head down” after a bad shot, chances are you’re an early extender.

What causes early extension and how can you fix it?

Several physical characteristics come into play:

1. Deep squat ability: You should be able to squat with feet straight (no turning out), thighs parallel to the ground, and hands held overhead. It’s harder than it sounds. Only about 29% of people can perform this perfectly.

2. Lead hip internal rotation: Limited rotation in the lead hip often forces the hips to move forward or sideways instead of rotating properly. For right-handed golfers, this can result in weak pushes or blocks to the right or topping the ball.

3. Upper and lower body separation and stability: A stable lower body and the ability to separate upper body movement from lower body movement are essential to keeping posture during the downswing.

At Move by BJC, I design golf fitness programs to target these specific areas. For clients struggling with posture loss, we focus on strengthening the glutes and core, while also improving hip and pelvic mobility. The goal: a swing that’s powerful, consistent, and repeatable.

Are you an early extender? Find out with an initial golf performance consultation at Move by BJC. This includes:

• A functional movement screening
• A golf swing analysis at the driving range
• Your personalized golf fitness program

From there, we’ll continue refining both your golf-specific fitness and on-course swing through targeted drills and exercises.

Don’t let poor posture sabotage your game, get your body moving the way it’s meant to for golf success. Call us today to schedule your consultation at 314-286-0525.

- Aaron Gutjahr, exercise physiologist, golf fitness specialist, and Move by BJC manager