Golf
Best Golf Training Aids to Perfect your Process
The desire to perfect a golf swing is not only reserved for recreational players. Amateurs and professionals alike are constantly focused on playing their best game.
It all starts with the waggle in the tee box, shaking off of the yips, manifesting the perfect swing that will get the ball as close to the green as possible. We try to channel all the Masters, from Tiger Woods to Matthew Wolff, or Bubba Watson to Rory McIlroy.
Golf is more than a physical sport; it requires a ton of practice on and off the links. If you didn’t step foot on the green at a young age, you have a lot of catching up to do. Your golf score average is your golf score against par, which is calculated by every score you produce good or bad. When you can’t afford a professional trainer, the best golf training aids are the next best thing to help lower your score.
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What is a golf training aid and do I need one?
Collected data will help design practice plans and manage the volume, intensity, and frequency of your golfing sessions. You will be able to measure improvements in your long-game, short-game, and putting techniques without error. Want to really master your golf swing and putting skills? Use training aids! It’s not “amateur” to do so — it’s practical and proactive.
A common misconception is that professional golfers no longer need to improve their technique. Some of the top players are known to use training aids to keep their game on par, to practice swings, better contact, or putts. Over the years, training aids have become more high-tech while helping identify flaws. Giant golf simulators are now considered old technology. Today, devices are compact and portable, fitting in the average golf bag, and are created for experiential learning. QMan’s round-up of the best golf training aids will have you perfecting your process in no time.
The 7 Best Golf Training Aids in 2022
Best for swing: Tour Sticks Alignment Sticks
If you are in the market for the best golf swing training aid, the Tour Sticks Alignment Sticks are portable, multifunctional tools that help reinforce the basics of your alignment and swing plane. The product is far from complex; it is simply two fiberglass rods, with a rubber cap on one end and pointed on the other to stake in the ground. No matter your stage of expertise, these alignment sticks have been proven to help golfers of all ages and stages. The sticks can be used in several different ways, come in a variety of ten different bright colors, and are made in the USA.
Best for putting: EyeLine Golf Groove Putting Laser Plus
EyeLine Golf Groove Putting Laser Plus has put a high-tech spin on everyday putting stroke trainers. This is by far one of the best putting training aids on the market. The laser helps slow your stroke, by setting the laser between the impact point of your putter, bisecting the putter head, and selecting a crosswise point. Sensors attached to your club collect data, which is then promptly sent to your smartphone to both track progress and encourage the improvement of your stroke. Plus, between the high-grade glass lens and polycarbonate shaft connector, you know this product is built to last!
Best overall: Orange Whip
The Orange Whip is one of the most popular and well-known training aids in the golf community, and will help ring out any kinks in your swing. Essentially an orange rubber ball attached to a flexible shaft with grip, the Orange Whip works by exaggerating the motion of a driver during the swing. Weighing in at 1.75 pounds and stretching out to 47 inches in length, this tool helps bring attention to your tempo, the motion of your backswing, and how to adjust accordingly. Plus, it can help warm up your muscles before hitting the green.
Best for strike: SKLZ Smash Bag
An impact bag is a training tool that is designed to help improve your strike. When hitting the ball, you ideally want the face of your club to hit square to your target line. SKLZ Smash Bag is meant to help get your swing right at around 70-90 mph. Made of durable PVC and nylon, this tool can easily handle the constant impact with your 9 iron. Stuff it with clothes or towels before hitting the ball target map on the front. Every time your club smashes the bag, it will make a lot of noise – that just means you are doing something right.
Best for hand/wrist alignment: Impact Snap Golf Swing Trainer
Golfers will quickly learn how important the position of their wrists is during a golf swing. Achieving your stance that will consistently be accurate takes time and patience. If a golfer accidentally flips their wrists, it can cause errors like duck hooks, which is exactly why the Impact Snap Golf Swing Trainer is designed to teach golfers proper hand and wrist placement during the swing. Using this aid promises immediate feedback within three steps of a swing – your backswing, your downswing, and finally at impact – and focuses on club release and point of impact. Additional club head attachments are sold separately.
Best for speed: Rypstick Golf Speed Trainer
The Rypstick Golf Speed Trainer is an aid for golfers who are looking to gain speed in their golf swing. It is a single stick that houses three removable weight plugs, which help you work towards your desired speed. Rypstick has caught the attention of players on the PGA tour; keeping the tool in their golf bags allows them to continue daily training while traveling from course to course. A bonus to this tool is that the team at Rypstick promises to evaluate everyone’s swing, and offers a program to help anyone achieve a faster swing and eventually lower their scores.
Best for club to ball contact: EyeLine Golf Speed Trap 1.0
Looking for a device that will improve club-to-ball contact? The EyeLine Golf Speed Trap may look simple, but that simplicity promises improvement in just three easy steps. Working for both right-handed and left-handed folks, this compact aid comes with a base and four rods, but not all steps require each component.
The first step requires only the plastic base; this is to get adjusted. Step two incorporates the base and all four rods pointing outward, for a wide swing path. Once comfortable swinging at the ball and hitting it consistently, golfers can move on to the third step – adjusting the rods to mimic the shot shape you are looking to improve. Although this device seems really simple, do not write it off before giving it a try.
The Takeaway
There are a bunch of different training aids available on the market, all advertising that they will make you a better golfer. It is important to recognize that not all gadgets are made for every golfer, for every problem. The trick is to focus on bettering one weakness at a time, creating a practice plan to keep you motivated. If you are new to the sport, focus on tempo, speed, and flexibility. Remember to not roll your wrists when taking a swing, and always follow through.
You no longer need huge, bulky training aids to improve your game, just as you don’t necessarily need the latest futuristic digital tech. The aforementioned products are simple, tried-and-true golf training aids that will serve you well on your journey to become a better golfer.
FAQs
1. Why use golf training aids?
A golf swing is as unique as the player, meaning not all golfers share the same skills. Golf training aids can allow people to strengthen some of their weaknesses, one device at a time. Lowering your score on the green calls for patience and training, and when one cannot afford a coach, or wants to train on their own, training aids are a great resource.
2. How much are golf training aids?
Golf training aids can vary in price, depending on the tool and the technology. Training tools will cost anywhere up to a couple of hundred dollars, but that is not the rule. Generally, there a few tools with price points more for professional coaches. The training tools amateur golf players require are low tech and low price, but most effective.
3. What are the best golf training aids?
If we have to choose one, the title for best golf training aid goes to the Orange Whip. This simple tool was created to help with flexibility, balance, and strength. It is a favorite training tool for the professionals who play in the PGA, and LPGA. Using the Orange Whip will strengthen your core golf muscles, improving your range of motion.