10 Best Golf Swing Training Aids to Help Improve Your Game
Key Takeaways
After thorough testing, we found that the Tour Striker Planemate is your best bet to get rid of slices, and the Orange Whip Golf Swing Trainer will definitely help get your tempo right. The Tour Striker Smart Aid is the best tool to fix chicken wings, while the Sure Set Golf Swing Trainer is excellent for perfecting your backswing. We also tested other tools to help improve distance, impact, and control.
Golf has never been an easy game to master. Most novice or intermediate players will need a lot of hand-holding and practice to master it.
That's why we decided to compile a list of the best golf swing training aids to help you improve fast. These training aids have been thoroughly tested and proven to help fix problems with slices, chicken wings, backswings, swing speed, distance, tempo, etc., and thus improve the players' overall performance.
In the end, it's up to you to decide which parts of your golf game need improvement and choose the right tools from our list to help you become a better golfer.
GOLF IS A PUZZLE WITHOUT AN ANSWER. I PLAYED THE GAME FOR 50 YEARS AND I STILL HAVEN’T THE SLIGHTEST IDEA OF HOW TO PLAY.
~ Gary Player
- 1) In a Hurry? Here Are the Top 3 Golf Swing Training Aids We Like the Most
- 2) How Do Golf Training Aids Work?
- 3) Are Golf Training Aids Worth It?
- 4) Identifying Which Part of Your Game Needs Improvement
-
5)
The Best Golf Swing Training Aids We Know Work
- 5.1) #1 - Best Training Aid For Slicers - Tour Striker Planemate
- 5.2) #2 - Best Training Aid For Tempo - Orange Whip Golf Swing Trainer
- 5.3) #3 - Best Training Aid For Perfecting Your Release - Impact Snap Golf Trainer
- 5.4) #4 - Best Training Aid To Fix The Chicken Wing - Tour Striker Smart Ball Golf Training Aid
- 5.5) #5 - Best Backswing Training Aid - Sure Set Golf Swing Trainer
- 5.6) #6 - Best Training Aid For Distance - SuperSpeed Golf Training System
- 5.7) #7 - Best Training Aid For Improving Impact - PARTAGE Smash Bag Golf Training Aid
- 5.8) #8 - Best Training Aid For Clubface Control - The Hanger Golf Training Aid
- 5.9) #9 - Best Golf Training Aid To Stop Flipping Hands - Anti-Flip Stick Impact Golf Swing Training Aid
- 5.10) #10 - Best Training Aid For Increasing Lag - The Lag Stick
- 6) Frequently Asked Questions About Golf Swing Training Aids
- 7) Conclusion
In a Hurry? Here Are the Top 3 Golf Swing Training Aids We Like the Most
- Simple but effective
- Affordable price with premium quality
- The proprietary designs of the counterweight and flexible shaft help practice your swings without risking injury
- Use it anywhere: at home, the office, etc.
- Made with high-quality materials
- Multiple options cover golfers of different ages, genders, and sizes
- Helps to increase your clubhead speed
- Golf Digest's Best Training Aids for Golf 2019
- Developed and recommended by professional PGA instructors
- Small in size, but the results are there
- Achieve the perfect impact position every time
- Simple but effective
- Affordable price with premium quality
- The proprietary designs of the counterweight and flexible shaft help practice your swings without risking injury
- Use it anywhere: at home, the office, etc.
- Made with high-quality materials
- Multiple options cover golfers of different ages, genders, and sizes
- Helps to increase your clubhead speed
- Golf Digest's Best Training Aids for Golf 2019
- Developed and recommended by professional PGA instructors
- Small in size, but the results are there
- Achieve the perfect impact position every time
Last updated February 7, 2023. Those are affiliate links, we may earn a small commission when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. Product images are served from Amazon Product Advertising API.
How Do Golf Training Aids Work?
Golf training aids are not designed to help you get the perfect swing or avoid fat shots; instead, they focus on giving you feedback on what went wrong. This will eventually lead you to the perfection you are looking for.
Related: Stress-Free Golf Swing Review
The answer to this question is vast and can be addressed based on the type of training aid you use to improve your game. It is worth identifying your playing style, strengths, and weaknesses to understand how training aids will help you. You could take the opinion of a professional to help you do this assessment to get the most appropriate golf aids.
For instance, if you are looking to improve your putting abilities, there are golf putting aids that help you with this task. These aids will help you improve your stroke curve, reduce the off-center strikes, and help maintain the proper speed throughout the stroke.
Are Golf Training Aids Worth It?
Nowadays, Golf training aids have become a huge market; they come in all shapes and sizes, and there are a plethora of products to choose from.
Among the most popular is golf ball-stabilizing grips and swing trainers. Still, a lot of golfers ask themselves the same question: are golf training aids useful? Are they worth spending the extra cash? The answer to these questions is debatable, as some golfers swear by training aids, while others consider them to be a total waste of money and energy. Since I have tried a number of these products myself, my answer to those questions is— not all of them.
I genuinely believe that it's a good idea to invest in a good training aid if you're serious about improving your game. Training aids are designed to help you better hit golf balls.
As a golfer, the challenge for you is to manage to identify which parts of your game need improvement, and accordingly, choose the right aid(s) to help you overcome any problems you are facing. That's why we decided to test various training aids and help our readers make the right choice.
Identifying Which Part of Your Game Needs Improvement
You cannot merely buy training aids and expect them to work wonders on your golfing style. There are training aids that cover different aspects of the game ranging from your swing plane to chipping and improving your handicap (Learn more about handicap in golf here). So, it is essential to identify where you need help with your skills. This will make the task easier and help you achieve excellence in the game.
You need to know which area requires more attention; for instance, is it the faulty swing? Or are you getting a lot of fat or thin golf shots due to reduced weight transfer, or is it because of a weak grip, bad release, etc.? This realization will lead you to buy those training aids that can give you feedback on your shots and help improve your strike.
Does this look like a lot of homework to do? You do not always have to analyze it yourself. Preferably a professional can help you identify your golfing traits and places where you are not getting it right.
If you have trouble with the golf grip, then a flex can help you correct it, improve your tempo, and give you those perfect shots.
Here is a great short video (9 minutes 27 seconds) from Clay Ballard providing simple tips to improve your swing and start controlling your shots
The Best Golf Swing Training Aids We Know Work
We have come up with the top 10 golf training tools that many players have reported to be effective. There are a wide variety of devices like golf swing aids, weighted golf clubs, and other tools that are best used to practice golf at home, as well as ones you can carry with you. You will need to decide where you intend to use these aids to help you make the best use.
You can go through each of the options given below and choose the one(s) to help you better with your golf performance.
#1 - Best Training Aid For Slicers - Tour Striker Planemate
Tired of slicing your golf ball [1]? Then, you are in the right place. Topping our list is the Tour Striker Planemate as a unique training aid that helps with all the stages of your swing. It promises slice fixing, enhanced swings through constant practice, muscle memory, and resistance band training. In the end, the player gets used to the exact body movements that will help achieve the best possible results.
The concept of the Planemate is quite simple; it uses a belt that goes around the player's waist, with some resistance bands that attach to the golf club. The bands provide resistance to the muscles so as to build muscle strength and memory that help with better release and exit.
This tool comes with three different detachable bands: The standard green band for pitch motion is mainly used in less than full swings; it provides moderate resistance to develop discipline during the takeaway and follow through.
Another green-colored standard band for full swings helps with muscle memory and develops smooth backswings that are shallow at contact. Finally, a pro red full swing band, more suited for higher-level and professional golfers, provides even higher resistance for better progress.
Pros
- Affordable price.
- It actually works; efficiency does not always mean spending too much money.
- Easy to use.
Cons
- Better suited for beginners. High-level golfers might find this tool less than useful.
Nothing to add here. A simple, practical tool that does what it promises without breaking the bank. We loved it during our test.
#2 - Best Training Aid For Tempo - Orange Whip Golf Swing Trainer
Another tool with a simple yet effective design. The Orange Whip is a training aid that is designed for men and taller women. It helps to practice and enhance your swing without the need for a real golf ball or even a golf club.
In fact, this tool combines the ball and club in a single tool that can be used anywhere, anytime, to get some practice. The Orange Whip weighs 1.75lbs and is 47in. long in full size. Other variants of the same product fit other age and gender categories: Mid-size, compact, and junior.
The Orange Whip is made using premium quality materials and has been voted as one of the best teaching and learning tools even by PGA and LPGA professionals.
While it is certainly true that good tempo, also known as swing tempo or swing cadence [2] can make a huge difference in your golf game, the pace at which you swing the club is not as simple as it sounds.
Some golf instructors advocate swinging faster than others.
So, is it possible to swing faster? Yes, it is. In fact, golf tempo, or swing tempo, is a swing concept that is used to improve your game—defined as the elapsed time of your swing from backswing to follow-through.
The Orange Whip helps improve your tempo, rhythm, balance, flexibility, and strength. In addition to the flexible shaft, the innovative counterweight system helps improve your swings through practice without the risk of injury. A lot of golfers reported benefiting from this training aid thanks to its simplicity and efficacy.
Pros
- Simple but effective.
- Affordable price.
- The proprietary designs of the counterweight and flexible shaft help practice your swings without risking injury.
- Use it anywhere: at home, the office, etc.
Cons
- Can we use it on a golf course? Probably not.
A great, affordable training aid that can help practice your swings whenever and wherever you feel like it—highly recommended.
#3 - Best Training Aid For Perfecting Your Release - Impact Snap Golf Trainer
The Impact Snap is a tool that has been used for years now by professional PGA instructors to help improve golfers' impact. It was named best training aid four years in a row by Golf Digest and has been developed by Marty Nowicki, a four-time PGA section teacher of the year.
It teaches a muscle memory pattern that enables golfers to always use proper release mechanics, focusing mainly on wrist movement. The result is a perfect impact position for all your swings, more distance, control, and consistency.
Moreover, the Impact Snap offers the possibility of adding a club head attachment, which is sold separately, to provide more precise visual feedback on how your wrist movements can affect your swing, specifically your impact. A greatly useful addition to anyone who can afford to buy both.
Pros
- Developed and recommended by professional PGA instructors.
- Small in size, but the results are there.
- The compatible clubhead is very handy.
Cons
- The price is not very affordable, especially if you decide to buy the clubhead attachment.
Overall, the Impact Snap is a very useful training aid; it will help improve impact and the overall swing for better results. This is the tool to opt for if budget is not a problem for you.
#4 - Best Training Aid To Fix The Chicken Wing - Tour Striker Smart Ball Golf Training Aid
In golf, a chicken wing [3] simply refers to how a golfer's arm looks like a chicken wing, especially during the follow-through. It is a problem that a lot of golfers encounter, especially beginners. It causes golfers to waste a lot of energy to get decent swings; The goal is to achieve the best results using the least possible amount of energy.
One very good tool to help get rid of that annoying problem is the Tour Striker Smart Ball. It is an inflatable ball that connects to an adjustable lanyard, so it ensures it fits anyone. In addition, it helps the golfer understand how the body and the arms work for an effective golf swing.
The Smart Ball can be used flat, under the armpit, in between the forearms, or inflated to ensure the player swings effectively and gets rid of the chicken wing and the flying trail elbow to get longer shots using less energy.
Pros
- Simple to use.
- Helps solve the chicken wing issue.
- Small size; good portability.
Cons
- The quality of the lanyard can be improved.
We liked the Smart Ball during our test; It is extremely simple to use. A simple fix to one of the golfers' most dreaded issues.
#5 - Best Backswing Training Aid - Sure Set Golf Swing Trainer
Have you been looking for an effective training aid to work on your backswing position? Look no further! The Sure-Set golf swing trainer is the right tool for you. This high-quality, small, adjustable, and portable tool helps with improved wrist hinge, shoulder turn, and forearm rotation for a perfect backswing and better game consistency.
This user-friendly training aid was invented by world-famous PGA coach Dan Frost. Its high adjustability means it is compatible with golfers with different hand sizes and arm lengths. It also has an ergonomic padded grip and a soft shoulder cushion, which means it is very comfortable to use. The lightweight tool can also fold and fit in a bag or suitcase, so you can take it with you wherever you go.
Pros
- Adjustable and portable.
- Useful for beginners and professionals alike.
- Created by pros.
- Very easy and comfortable to use.
Cons
- Some users reported the handle easily comes off.
We loved using the Sure-Set golf trainer. With some practice, it is guaranteed to improve your backswing and overall consistency.
#6 - Best Training Aid For Distance - SuperSpeed Golf Training System
The SuperSpeed training system is a promising set of weighted golf clubs intended to improve golfers' swing speeds.
It is used by many tour professionals worldwide and promises to improve your swing speeds by 5 to 8% through a series of ten-minute practice sessions, three times a week. We could only assume that the benefits will be more substantial if you choose to have more and/or longer sessions.
There are many variants of the SuperSpeed system to cater to the needs of golfers from different age and gender categories: All-star, Men's, Junior, PeeWee, and Senior.
All variants include three colored weighted clubs: Blue, green, and red. Each one has a specific weight compared to a driver and provides different swing speed gains ranging between 12% for the red club (the heaviest of the three) and 19% for the green one (the lightest). The system also comes with almost two years' worth of video instruction online.
Pros
- The system does work.
- Made with high-quality materials.
- Multiple options cover golfers of different ages, genders, and sizes.
Cons
- The swing speed monitor needed to take full advantage of the system.
- A little bit expensive.
The SuperSpeed training system is excellent; it does help improve your swing speeds. However, to fully benefit from the potential of this system, it has to be coupled with a good quality swing speed monitor/analyzer, and all golfers know that those are not very cheap. Still, This is a no-brainer when it comes to swing speed training aids.
#7 - Best Training Aid For Improving Impact - PARTAGE Smash Bag Golf Training Aid
Do you want to practice your impact indoors but can't think of a way to do it? The company PARTAGE has the solution for you: An indoor smash bag specifically designed to help golfers work on their impact at home, the office, or any other indoor environment.
The smash bag can be filled with any unneeded towels or clothes you have at home and helps eliminate fat and thin shots, in addition to teaching the golfer the feeling of the correct impact. Also, it has a target map, which was specifically designed by PARTAGE to provide visual instant feedback on the quality and accuracy of the impact. Finally, it's made of PVC and Nylon, which guarantees durability.
Pros
- PVC and Nylon are durable materials.
- Great for indoor impact training.
- The target map is a good idea.
Cons
- The bag was torn towards the bottom seam during our test; The bag was still usable, but it is a negative point on the proclaimed durability.
We believe the PARTAGE Golf Smash Bag is a great tool to work on impact. It is made of sturdy materials so that it can take all your swings. It is a great innovative idea that delivers everything it promises.
#8 - Best Training Aid For Clubface Control - The Hanger Golf Training Aid
The Hanger is a new tool designed by Watson Golf. It can help golfers who have problems with the clubface and path control. Usually, this is an issue for inexperienced golfers.
The tool easily attaches to the irons and includes a club face reference head so that the player has more control over the swing path. Practicing with The Hanger will accelerate the process of building the right muscle memory needed to achieve the perfect face and path control.
The reference head will always ensure you are in the correct position and will always keep the clubface outside your hands. This is thanks to the visual and tactile instant feedback it provides during every club swing. Its small size and lightweight means you can take it with you and practice wherever you go.
Pros
- Easily attaches to the irons.
- Affordable price.
- Small size; good portability.
Cons
- Made of plastic; questionable durability.
The Hanger is an excellent tool to help golfers with face and path control. It simply does what it was made to do. However, we did notice that the screws that attach the tool to the irons tend to come loose. We hope there will be an upcoming version that addresses these build quality issues.
#9 - Best Golf Training Aid To Stop Flipping Hands - Anti-Flip Stick Impact Golf Swing Training Aid
Flipping hands or scooping is a common issue among golfers, especially beginners. It simply refers to the situation where the golfer lets the clubhead pass their hands too early. It usually happens because of a wrong body movement during the swing.
The anti-flip stick is here to help you avoid scooping and teach golfers proper impact and swing plane techniques.
The concept of this training aid is simple. It is a stick that attaches to the top of your golf club; it fits all standard-sized club grips. It provides immediate feedback during the practice sessions. If the stick touches your side before impact, it means that your hands flipped and your body stopped rotating correctly during the swing.
Through practice, the tool will help you develop golf muscle memory for a more powerful impact position and gain more power, distance, and better control over the golf ball.
Pros
- Easy to install, easy to use.
- NOT expensive.
- Fits all standard-sized grips.
- Instant tactile feedback for faster adjustments.
Cons
- The rubber part is a little thick, making it harder for small-handed people to use.
- Doesn't stick very well to the club grip. Detaches easily.
This is an interesting little tool to help beginners overcome a serious problem. Just attach to the club end and start practicing immediately. It would be highly appreciated if some instruction manual or C.D were included in the package.
#10 - Best Training Aid For Increasing Lag - The Lag Stick
In golf, swing lag is a very important part of the game that can help achieve straighter shots, longer distances, and better impacts. It refers to the angle between the golfer's leading arm and the club shaft during the downswing.
One good training aid that can help golfers improve their swing lag is the Lag Stick, a small stick that connects to the top of the club to help players focus on that crucial 90-degree angle between the leading arm and the shaft, thus achieving the best possible shots and distance.
The leading arm (the left arm for right-handed players and vice versa) should be at a 90-degree angle, with the shaft always facing skywards during the whole downswing stage. This creates some resistance and allows the lower body parts to rotate and help provide more power to achieve better overall shots. If lag is properly mastered, the whole performance is improved.
Pros
- A small, simple device to install and use.
- Cheap but useful.
- Helps with more than just swing lag; improves the entire performance.
Cons
- Might not be very helpful if your goal is to develop a true lag in full swing.
In fact, the lag stick not only greatly helps with swing lag, but it can also help golfers get rid of some very common and annoying issues such as hand-flipping, scooping, thin and fat shots, casting, etc. Overall, the lag stick seems to be a solution to a lot of problems encountered by golfers; the product comes with an instructions pamphlet, and there are videos that will guide buyers on how to use the Lag Stick to improve their game. Those are provided by the manufacturers of the tool.
Frequently Asked Questions About Golf Swing Training Aids
There are many golf aids that can help you fix your swing, but most of them are designed for a specific purpose or to help a particular swing flaw. The best aids can make golf easier, fun, and more effective. They can teach you the right basics and help you develop a solid swing.
Here is a shortlist of the most common questions about golf swing training aids. If you have additional questions, please reach out to us in the comment section below.
How Do I Know Which Golf Training Aid I Need?
This depends on your skills and level of expertise in the game. The golf training aid market is exploding with many options, all claiming to improve one or more skills required in the sport. However, it is up to you to analyze which one is the ideal training aid for you.
This will come to you with a lot of practice. Another effective way of getting to know which training aid will suit you is to ask a pro. If you are training under a teacher, he should be the best person to guide you on this.
If you are looking to improve your putting skills, you can look to invest in putting training aids. On the other hand, if you have just begun the game and are looking to master the swing planes, you can look at options such as swing trainers, smash bags, tour strikers, and so on.
Again, this does not mean you can outright invest in them as these aids are pretty expensive and serve particular improvement areas. If you are not training under a teacher, you might spend some time and money on getting the right training aids.
Do Golf Training Aids Really Work?
Yes, golf training aids do work. The thought of using training aids will help you analyze your weaknesses in the game. An excellent quality training aid will help you become a better golfer.
However, it will not help you if you are not ready to put in the extra effort in training. It is no magic tool or aid to give you instant results.
For the golf training aid to work effectively, you will need to identify the right one to address your faults in the game; it can be anything from swing, fat shots, wrong alignment, etc. Each tool will address a particular area that needs improvement; so, it is not "one size fits all".
Can You Carry a Training Aid in Your Golf Bag?
There are two possible answers to this question. First, if you are a high-level or professional golfer taking part in an official tournament, then the answer is no. This is because the USGA (United States Golf Association) forbids the use and carrying of any golfing aids like alignment sticks, weighted caps, non-conforming clubs, or any other training devices that may give the player a potential advantage during a golf tournament.
On the other hand, if you want to use your training aids during a practice session, then the answer is yes. Usually, the tools that can fit in your golf bag can be used on the golf course or the driving range, while bigger items that don't fit are generally better kept and used at home.
You need to consider the benefits you can get by taking the tool with you to practice sessions; if you believe it will help, then you should take it and use it to practice and be a better golfer.
What Golf Training Aids Do Pros Use?
Golfers of different skill levels of the game use training aids to make the most out of their potential. While novices use aids that help them with the grip (like a grip trainer), clubface impact, clubhead speed, and alignment, the pros are better off using aids to improve the swing speed, cover effortless distances, etc. Pros also aim to maintain the tempo, flexibility, and balance by using the whip training aid.
Some of the training aids we have mentioned in the article are used and endorsed by most PGA and LPGA professional golfers. They also tend to invest a lot of time in swing trainers as it is no easy task to conquer this sport.
Superspeed golf training systems are also quite popular among the pros.
What Is the Best Golf Swing Training Aid?
All of the options we have reviewed help get you to the right swing one way or another, with each focusing on a single area where the player might lack the required skill. So, all the training aids will get you to the right swing plane, and there is no one such tool that will give you the right swing. Out of the options we have reviewed, the Tour Striker Planemate is a more aggressive tool focusing on improving the swing plane in golfers.
The Hanger training aid also helps you solve many issues the players might have with the swing paths.
How Can I Practice Golf at Home or in the office?
There are many ways to practice golf at home, even if you have space constraints. Most of the training aids we have discussed in the tutorial will help you practice the sport at home or any other comfortable place.
First of all, you will have to start by improving your fitness levels with regular workout routines, core strengthening exercises, and stretching exercises. Next, you can practice your fundamentals in front of a full-length mirror; aspects like posture, grip, etc., can be perfected by this method.
You can find a small space in your home just enough to practice your swing drills. There should be enough space to make a full swing. You can also practice putting at home or your office by using the best and most elegant putting sets for the office. There are plenty of options you can select that are suitable for your vacant space.
Conclusion
It's time to wrap up and discuss some key takeaways. Golf is undoubtedly a leisure sport. However, it requires a lot of dedication, practice, and passion for excelling in the game. Golf training aids can be of great help to achieve perfection in each of the areas. The following are some crucial points to keep in mind:
- Training aids are useful to improve your game and not to do the task on your behalf. Making efforts and practice are necessary to see or feel improvement.
- Use the aids after careful consideration of your improvement areas. Don't just buy any devices you come across; instead, carefully choose which ones you need to improve your game.
- Seek professional help to analyze your golf style to help you choose the right tool. Sometimes, it's impossible for a beginner or even a medium-level golfer to identify their weaknesses. Try to get professional help every time you feel like you need it.
- Practice religiously with the training aid to achieve perfection. The tools are here to help you get better, not to do the job for you. Regular "practice makes perfect."
- Work on grip, hand, and arm coordination to perfect your swing plane, but don't forget that the whole body is used for a perfect swing. Lower body rotation is also crucial to getting good results.
We hope this article will act as a starting point to help you choose the right training tool to improve your performance in this fantastic sport. Do share your success stories with us and comment below as to which training aid turned out to be your favorite and how it helped you improve your game. It's always good to hear a good story; if a tool helps you with a specific part of your golfing, please be kind enough to share your entire experience with us and with the world. Your own story could inspire someone, somewhere to become a better golfer.
Happy Golfing!
References:
- What Is a Slice in Golf? (And How to Fix It). LiveAbout. Retrieved from https://www.liveabout.com/what-is-a-slice-in-golf-1560987
- How to Get Proper Tempo in a Golf Swing. Golf Week. Retrieved from https://golftips.golfweek.usatoday.com/proper-tempo-golf-swing-20325.html
- Chicken Winging | Swing Characteristics | TPI. MyTPI. Retrieved from https://www.mytpi.com/improve-my-game/swing-characteristics/chicken-winging_v2
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