Last Thursday, I watched a student practice on the range with textbook form. Beautiful setup, smooth takeaway, perfect position at the top — everything looked flawless through the first three-quarters of his swing.

Then came the predictable breakdown: twenty consecutive shots where he’d stand up through impact and blade the ball across the range.

After another thin shot skipped toward the 150-yard marker, he looked at me with genuine confusion. “I feel like I’m doing everything right,” he said.

This is the curse of early extension — one of the most common swing flaws I see, and one of the most destructive to ball compression. After twenty-plus years of teaching, I’ve learned that golfers who stand up in their swing aren’t making a conscious choice to ruin their shots. They’re responding to setup and swing issues that force this compensation.

Here’s what drives me crazy: most golfers think standing up is a downswing problem. It’s not. The real culprit usually starts at address or in the backswing, creating a chain reaction that makes early extension inevitable.

Why you’re standing up (and it’s not what you think)

Early extension — the technical term for standing up through impact — happens when your hips thrust toward the ball and your spine angle changes dramatically. This swing characteristic causes the arms and club to get stuck behind your body during the downswing, forcing your torso to compensate by standing up.

The most common cause? Poor posture at setup. I see golfers hunched over the ball, creating too much bend in their spine. When they start the downswing, there’s nowhere for their arms to go except up and out. Standing up becomes the only way to make contact.

Another major culprit: the dreaded “over the top” move. The over-the-top swing path creates a vicious cycle — when golfers start their downswing with their upper body instead of their lower body, the club approaches the ball from outside the target line. You will thrust your hips forward (this is also called early extension) in an effort to maintain your balance and avoid chunking behind the ball.

The setup solution that changes everything

Proper posture eliminates most early extension before you even start your swing. Here’s what works:

Stand tall first, then hinge forward from your hips — not your waist. Your spine should maintain its natural curves, not round into a C-shape. Think about sticking your chest out and your butt back, like you’re about to sit in a chair that’s slightly too far away.

Your arms should hang naturally from your shoulders. If you’re reaching for the ball or pulling your arms tight to your body, you’re creating the space issues that force early extension later.

One drill that transforms my students: Practice your setup against a wall. Your butt should touch the wall at address and stay connected throughout your backswing. If you lose contact, you’re changing your spine angle in ways that will force compensation moves later.

The mental shift that creates compression

The biggest breakthrough happens when golfers understand that ball compression comes from two key factors working together: forward shaft lean and a descending strike. The loft of your club gets the ball airborne — your job is to create the conditions for solid compression.

Forward shaft lean is the secret. When your hands stay ahead of the clubhead through impact, you effectively reduce the loft on your club face. A 7-iron becomes more like a 6-iron for that split second, creating the compressed contact you’re after.

Think about hitting the ball first, then the ground — but with your hands leading the way. This mental image keeps you in proper posture while ensuring your hands stay ahead of the clubhead at impact.

The key isn’t hitting down harder. It’s maintaining that forward shaft lean while making a controlled descending strike. When you combine proper hand position with ball-first contact, compression happens naturally.

The mental shift that stops the standing

The biggest breakthrough happens when golfers stop trying to lift the ball and start trying to hit down and through it. The loft of your club gets the ball airborne — your job is to make solid, descending contact.

Think about hitting the ball first, then the ground. This mental image should help keep you in your posture through impact instead of standing up to help the ball fly.

I tell students to imagine they’re trying to drive the ball into the ground. Sounds counterintuitive, but this thought process creates the proper angle of attack for compressed contact.

The practice that makes it permanent

Here’s a drill that eliminates early extension: Place a chair or bench about six inches behind your butt at address. Make practice swings while maintaining contact with the chair throughout your backswing and downswing. If you stand up or thrust your hips forward, you’ll lose contact with the chair immediately.

This gives you instant feedback about your spine angle throughout the swing. Most golfers are shocked to discover how much they’re standing up — and how much better their contact becomes when they maintain their posture.

Stop fighting your swing and start fixing the real problems. Proper setup and weight shift eliminate early extension naturally, giving you the compressed contact you’ve been chasing.

Your ball-striking will improve when you work with physics instead of against it.

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