How the Chair Drill Stops Early Extension and Improves Your Golf Swing
Learn how the Chair Drill helps eliminate early extension, improve hip rotation, increase swing speed, and create more consistent ball striking. Discover why your body—not your swing—is often the real problem.
How the Chair Drill Can Stop Early Extension and Help You Hit the Ball Farther
Have you ever felt like you’re making a good golf swing, yet the results are completely inconsistent?
One shot is pure.
The next is thin.
Then comes a fat shot.
Maybe you block it right.
Then hook the next one left.
Most golfers immediately blame their swing mechanics.
They head to the driving range.
They buy another training aid.
They watch another YouTube lesson hoping to find “the secret.”
But what if the problem isn’t your golf swing?
What if your body simply can’t stay in the positions needed to make an efficient golf swing?
One of the most common movement faults I see in golfers over 40 is something called early extension.
Fortunately, there’s one incredibly simple drill that can dramatically improve it.
It’s called the Chair Drill.
It costs nothing.
It takes only a few minutes.
And it provides instant feedback every single swing.
What Is Early Extension?
Early extension occurs when your hips move toward the golf ball during the downswing instead of rotating around your body.
Instead of maintaining posture, your pelvis moves closer to the ball.
Your body literally stands up through impact.
Imagine beginning your swing with your hips behind you.
As you start down, those hips should rotate around your spine.
Instead…
They move forward.
Once that happens, everything else has to compensate.
Your arms lose room.
Your club path changes.
Your timing becomes inconsistent.
Your brain begins making last-second corrections just to find the golf ball.
That’s why early extension often feels like you’re fighting your swing every round.
Why Early Extension Hurts Your Golf Game
Early extension creates a chain reaction throughout the golf swing.
Many golfers don’t realize just how many problems stem from this one movement pattern.
It commonly leads to:
Thin shots
Fat shots
Toe strikes
Blocks
Hooks
Loss of distance
Poor compression
Inconsistent contact
Lower swing speed
Increased back pain
You might even think your swing is changing every day.
In reality…
Your body simply can’t repeat the same movement consistently.
Why Golfers Over 40 Develop Early Extension
This is where golf fitness becomes so important.
Most golfers assume early extension is purely a swing flaw.
In many cases, it’s actually a physical limitation.
As we age, our bodies gradually lose mobility.
Hours spent sitting at work tighten:
Hip flexors
Glutes
Hamstrings
Thoracic spine
Ankles
Strength also begins to decline.
When your hips don’t rotate well…
Your body finds another way.
That compensation usually becomes early extension.
It’s not because you’re doing something wrong.
It’s because your body is solving a movement problem the only way it can.
Your Swing Is Only as Good as Your Body
One of the biggest lessons golfers learn during a TPI Golf Fitness Assessment is this:
The golf swing reflects what your body can physically do.
If your body lacks:
Hip mobility
Core stability
Glute strength
Thoracic rotation
Balance
No amount of swing lessons will completely solve the issue.
Your instructor can teach perfect mechanics.
But if your body can’t physically create those positions…
Your brain will always compensate.
That’s why the world’s best instructors now work alongside golf fitness professionals.
Better movement creates a better swing.
The Chair Drill
The Chair Drill is one of my favorite exercises because it immediately tells you whether your hips are moving correctly.
All you need is a chair.
Or even a golf bag.
Stand so your glutes lightly touch the back of the chair at address.
Now make your golf swing.
During the backswing and downswing…
Your hips should continue rotating while maintaining contact with the chair.
If your hips leave the chair and move toward the golf ball…
You’ve early extended.
The feedback is instant.
Your body immediately recognizes the mistake.
With repetition, you’ll begin teaching proper hip rotation naturally.
What the Chair Drill Teaches
The Chair Drill develops several important movement skills simultaneously.
Better Hip Rotation
Instead of sliding forward, your hips learn to rotate around your spine.
Improved Posture
Maintaining posture allows your arms room to swing naturally.
Better Ground Force
Proper hip movement lets you push into the ground more efficiently.
That translates into more clubhead speed.
Improved Balance
Golf is dynamic.
The better your balance…
The easier it becomes to deliver the club consistently.
Better Ball Striking
When posture stays intact, the club returns to impact far more consistently.
Better contact usually equals longer shots.
Common Mistakes During the Chair Drill
Many golfers accidentally perform the drill incorrectly.
Avoid these mistakes.
Pushing Against the Chair
The chair is feedback—not support.
Touch it lightly.
Don’t lean into it.
Sliding Instead of Rotating
Rotation is the goal.
Lateral movement isn’t.
Imagine your belt buckle turning around your spine.
Standing Up
Maintain your posture throughout the swing.
Standing up defeats the purpose.
Swinging Too Fast
Start with slow practice swings.
Movement quality always comes before speed.
The Chair Drill Won’t Fix Everything
This is important.
The Chair Drill teaches better movement.
But it doesn’t solve the reason you’re early extending.
You still need to identify why your body compensates.
Some golfers lack:
Hip internal rotation
Glute strength
Core stability
Thoracic mobility
Ankle mobility
Others have old injuries limiting movement.
Everyone is different.
That’s why no two golf fitness systems should be identical.
Why Every Golfer Needs a Physical Assessment
Imagine trying to fix a car without knowing which part is broken.
That’s exactly what many golfers do.
They continue taking swing lessons while ignoring the body.
A TPI Golf Fitness Assessment identifies the physical limitations affecting your golf swing.
You’ll learn:
Why you’re early extending
Which muscles need strengthening
Which joints lack mobility
Where your body compensates
How to improve your swing safely
Instead of guessing…
You’ll finally know exactly what your body needs.
Better Movement Creates More Speed
One of the biggest myths in golf is that swing speed only comes from swinging harder.
It doesn’t.
The longest hitters rotate efficiently.
They transfer energy from the ground.
They sequence their body correctly.
The Chair Drill helps establish the movement patterns necessary for that sequence.
Combined with a personalized golf fitness system, it can help golfers:
Increase swing speed
Improve consistency
Hit longer drives
Reduce unnecessary stress on the back
Play with less pain
Golf Fitness Is About More Than Flexibility
Many golfers think golf fitness simply means stretching.
Stretching is only one piece of the puzzle.
Real golf fitness combines:
Mobility
Stability
Strength
Balance
Power
Coordination
Movement efficiency
Every golfer has different limitations.
Your program should reflect that.
Final Thoughts
The Chair Drill is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve your golf swing because it teaches proper movement—not just swing positions.
If you struggle with early extension, inconsistent contact, or loss of distance, start by looking at how your body moves.
The golf swing is a reflection of your body’s ability to rotate, stabilize, and create power.
When you improve the way your body moves, you give yourself the opportunity to swing more efficiently, strike the ball more consistently, and enjoy the game with less frustration.
Remember:
Your swing can only be as good as your body’s ability to move.
The Chair Drill is a great place to start—but lasting improvement comes from identifying and correcting the physical limitations behind the compensation.
If you want to play your best golf for years to come, train the body that swings the club.
Schedule Your Golf Fitness Assessment
If you’re tired of inconsistent ball striking, losing distance, or feeling like your body is limiting your swing, it’s time to find out why.
At Chris Ownbey’s Golf Fitness, every golfer begins with a comprehensive TPI Golf Fitness Assessment. During this two-hour evaluation, we’ll identify the mobility restrictions, strength deficits, balance issues, and movement limitations that may be preventing you from reaching your potential.
You’ll receive a personalized golf fitness system designed to help you:
✔️ Increase swing speed
✔️ Improve hip and thoracic mobility
✔️ Eliminate movement compensations like early extension
✔️ Reduce back, hip, and shoulder discomfort
✔️ Improve consistency and ball striking
✔️ Play better golf for years to come
Whether you’re a weekend golfer or a competitive player, the first step isn’t another swing tip—it’s understanding what your body is capable of doing.
Book your TPI Golf Fitness Assessment today and discover how improving your body can improve your golf game.
Chris Ownbey’s Golf Fitness
Serving Carrollton, Plano, Dallas, Frisco, Lewisville, Farmers Branch, and the surrounding North Texas area.
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