The Five Common Swing Faults

Most golfers don't struggle from lack of effort — they struggle because the body can't manage the forces the swing demands. The swing is a high-force kinematic sequence; a break anywhere in the chain forces compensation, inconsistency, and injury risk. These five faults share one root: the inability to stabilize, sequence, and control force. Read each as a capacity signal, not just a technical error.

Fault	What You See	What It's Telling You
Early Extension	Standing up through impact, losing spine angle & distance from the ball	Center-of-mass problem; force leaks through the lumbo-pelvic region; poor glute/adductor/hip-flexor coordination. Not a timing issue — a capacity/force-management issue
Reverse Spine Angle	Moving toward the target in the backswing instead of loading the trail side	Lost width, torque, elastic storage; self-reinforcing (forward going back → forward coming through); often paired with lead-knee valgus collapse
Excessive Sway	Hips move laterally beyond stance width rather than rotating within it	Body leaves its base of support → lost rotational force, poor hip force control, spinal displacement. Movement without load, control, or intent
Over-the-Top	Arms pull down, upper body dominates, "chopping" out-to-in path (classic slice)	Breakdown of 3D motion; a ground-use, posture, and sequencing problem — often rooted in a rushed/unstable setup. Not a hand problem
Ineffective Weight Transfer	Reverse pivots, sway, early extension, loss of athletic feel	Poor pressure creation, control, and redirection. Nearly every major fault has a weight-transfer component

Coaching the expert eye: see the fault → understand why it appears → decide whether the limitation is technical, physical, or both. If a golfer can move better, they can swing better — then technical refinements stick.