Morris · check your swing
Early extension: when the pelvis moves towards the ball
The key observation is space, not how high your head looks. Check whether the pelvis moves towards the ball before impact and what that does to the room for your arms.
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What to look for
TPI's definition focuses on the lower body moving towards the ball. A rising head alone is not enough to identify that pattern. Keep the camera position steady and include the feet, pelvis and club in the frame.
As a working hypothesis, a pelvis that crowds the ball can leave less room for the arms. Check whether that actually happens in your swing and how it matches the strike. Do not infer weak muscles, limited mobility or a medical condition from a swing clip.
A turn with room
Eric Cogorno and Mike Malaska's corpus lesson discusses hip depth. The useful cue here is that the pelvis can turn without chasing the ball. It is not an instruction to freeze the hips or hold the whole body at its address height.
Morris would compare a comfortable rehearsal with your normal motion, then check whether contact improves. If you can only achieve the picture by forcing a position, bring the video to a qualified coach rather than pushing harder into the drill.
Use a chair as a reference
A slow rehearsal proposed by Morris, informed by the hip-depth topic; not a copied instructor drill.
- 1
Make space
Without a ball, stand with a stable chair just behind your hips and enough clearance for a slow rehearsal. Keep the club away from furniture and other people.
- 2
Turn gently
Rehearse the backswing and downswing while noticing the space behind the pelvis. Use the chair as a light reference, not something to push against or brace into.
- 3
Remove the reference
Move away from the chair and repeat the comfortable feeling. Film from the same position and compare the pelvis and contact with the original swing.
Self-check: Look for space and comfortable balance, then test the strike. Stop if the rehearsal causes pain; a physical cause needs an appropriate in-person assessment.
Teacher reference
Eric Cogorno Golf · Mike Malaska — How To Create Hip Depth And Fix Early Extension
Morris wrote this explanation. The link credits the teaching topic; it does not imply the instructor endorses Morris or reproduce a transcript.
Apply it to your own game
A swing video and a description of your miss help turn a general idea into a specific check.
Sources
- Eric Cogorno Golf · Mike Malaska — How To Create Hip Depth And Fix Early Extension — Reference from the instruction corpus. Our own explanation; the Morris rehearsal is not a transcript of this video · Reviewed 20-10-2026.
- TPI — Early Extension — Definition of the swing characteristic · Reviewed 20-10-2026.
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Common questions
Is early extension just lifting my head?
No. The defining observation is lower-body movement towards the ball. A head-height change can occur with different motions and needs context.
Should I keep my hips still?
No. The aim of this rehearsal is a turn with room for the arms, not a frozen pelvis. Compare the result with your actual ball strike.
Can video tell me why it happens?
Video can suggest a movement pattern and a testable hypothesis. It cannot diagnose a strength, mobility or medical problem from that pattern alone.
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