The right training aids can greatly help you improve you game. If you’re planning to use them, this article will focus on some of the best training aids for golf, as well as tips on how to choose one for your specific need.
Training aids come in different types, shapes, and functions. It’s up to you to identify what you need to improve in your golf swing, and what tools are available that can help you achieve your goals.
With that said, here are 7 popular golf practice aids that you can use—from a grip trainer to an inflatable, flocked ball.
Table of Contents
Best Golf Training Aids Review
SKLZ Golf Tempo & Grip Trainer for Right-Handed Golfers
The SKLZ Golf Tempo & Grip Trainer is a great golf grip training aid for right-handed golfers who want to improve their golf swing tempo and timing. It also promises to help develop muscle memory for correct hand placement and grip.
Another benefit of the SKLZ Golf Tempo & Grip Trainer is it offers a simple way to practice your golf swing indoors. It’s short enough that you can practice full swings in your home, office, or any enclosed space without worrying about breaking things.
This golf club training aid, which attaches to the end of your grip, has three important features:
- Molded grip – This helps correct the placement and positioning of your hands to create the proper club grip.
- Weights – The two weights are removable and adjustable to imitate irons and woods. The heavy weights also help loosen and strengthen your golf muscles.
- Slightly curved shaft – This design allows you to know how it feels to release a golf club and swing plane with weights.
Pros:
- Works great in fixing common golf swing faults
- Allows you to practice indoors because it’s short
- Will give you more confidence in your golf swing
- A great tool for practicing your grip and tempo
Cons:
- Feels awkward for some because of the heavy weight
- Not suitable for golfers with large hands
SKLZ Gold Flex Golf Swing Trainer Warm-Up Stick
The SKLZ Gold Flex Golf Swing Trainer Warm-Up Stick features a whippy shaft that has a weighted ball at the tip. The shaft is available in two lengths: 48 inches and 40 inches. The 48-inch shaft is more suitable for taller male or female golfers, while the 40-inch shaft is mainly for children or smaller female golfers.
The whippy shaft helps you lengthen your swing. This gives you enough time to gain speed on the downswing, which results in more power and control.
The exaggerated flex in the shaft also forces you to start the downswing with your lower body, while your upper body quickly follows. This promotes better follow-through, so you can maintain your overall balance after every swing.
Like the SKLZ Golf Tempo & Grip Trainer, this golf swing helper has a weighted, yellow ball (2.5-pound) on the end. It offers several purposes:
- It simulates the feel of a driver or an iron.
- It creates muscle memory in your golf swing.
- And it stops early release (because you need to wait for it to reach the top of your swing).
Pros:
- Can help you practice to create lag in your golf swing
- Excellent choice if you want to develop your flexibility and tempo
- Will help you strengthen the muscles of your arms and back
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Not designed for developing better swing mechanics (according to a few)
- Grips may become loose.
Orange Whip Full-Sized Golf Swing Trainer Aid – for Improved Rhythm, Flexibility, Balance, Tempo, and Strength – 47”
If you’re looking for a golf swing aid that’s approved by PGA and LPGA Professionals, the Orange Whip Full-Sized Golf Swing Trainer Aid is for you. It’s a well-known training aid that Jim “Jimmy Hack” Hackenberg invented.
The Orange Whip Trainer is exactly what its name suggests. It’s a long and flexible shaft with a weighted orange rubber ball on one end and a black grip on the other end.
It’s available in four lengths: Full-size (47 inches), Mid-size (43 inches), Compact (35.5 inches), and Junior (38 inches). If you’re around 5’7” or taller, you’ll probably need the 47-inch model.
More than the shaft length, the weight is another important consideration. This golf swing training aid weighs 1.75 pounds, if you choose the 47-inch shaft. The patented counter-weighted system ball—along with the excess shaft flexibility—will help make your swings stronger (without losing control), improve your tempo, increase your upper body mobility, and help you to stop slicing the ball.
Caution: If you’re planning to use the Orange Whip Trainer indoors, make sure you have enough room for it. You can seriously hurt someone or destroy nearby objects with it.
Pros:
- A great training for developing flexibility and strength
- Produce improvements in your swing in a short time
- Can be used for your workouts
- Strengthens core muscles, hands, and wrists
Cons:
- Much better for warming up than using it for training
- Too long for some people
IZZO Golf Smooth Swing
The IZZO Golf Smooth Swing is a one-size-fits-all swing path training aid that both left-handed and right-handed golfers can use. It’s made of heavy-duty neoprene, which is a good material because it can withstand pulling, twisting, and varying weather conditions.
The IZZO corrects many common swing faults in golf, including:
- The flying elbow
- The chicken wing
How does it fix these issues?
This golf swing tool will help you learn the correct golf takeaway. As a result, you don’t need to make adjustments later in your swing and struggle hitting better golf shots.
The IZZO Golf Smooth Swing is suitable for most golfers, regardless of handicap or skill level. However, if you’re a low handicapper, haven’t played the game for quite a while, or want to fix common golf swing issues, it’s one of the best golf swing training aids you could give to yourself.
Pros:
- Helps keep your elbows stay together and level on backswing
- Provides results fast (especially if you combine it with the ZEPP sensors)
- Great for warming up before a round
- Gives you the ability to do full swings while it’s on your arms
Cons:
- Won’t make you a scratch golfer overnight
- Doesn’t come with instructions or guidelines
The Patented Tour Striker Smart Ball
If you need a portable and easy-to-use swing training tool, the Patented Tour Striker Smart Ball is a great option. It can help you to correct bad golf swing mistakes (e.g., chicken wing and flying elbow), as well as help you to properly sequence your arms and body for a more effective golf swing.
The Patented Tour Striker Smart Ball doesn’t have complex parts—just an adjustable lanyard and a flocked inflatable ball. When inflated, which you can easily do with your mouth, it measures around 6 inches and weighs almost as much as a golf ball (around 1.620 ounces). Deflation is also simple and quick.
The Tour Striker is convenient to bring anywhere with you. It’s small enough to fit inside your golf back pocket./Here’s how to use it:
- Inflate the golfswing ball by mouth or air pump.
- Wear the lanyard around your neck.
- Adjust the tightness of the lanyard, so the flocked ball fits between your forearms.
- Then, start making swings while the flocked ball rests between your forearms.
Note: You don’t need to make a full swing when using this. By making short backswings, you’ll learn how to sync your arms and body as you swing for solid ball hitting.
Pros:
- Offers immediate feedback to know what you did wrong
- Can help improve your swing after just a few uses
- Effortless to deflate and re-inflate
- Doesn’t restrict your arms between swings
Cons:
- Quite expensive
- Not as durable as expected (specifically the ball and lanyard connector)
SelfieGOLF Record Golf Swing – Cell Phone Holder Golf Analyzer Accessories | Winner of The PGA Best Product | Selfie Putting Training Aids Works with Any Golf Bag and Alignment Stick
Recording your swings using your phone can greatly help improve your game. But what if you don’t have someone to do that for you or carrying a tripod stand might be impractical?
That’s exactly why you need the SelfieGOLF Record Golf Swing. This golf club training aid features a clip-on design that consists of three types of clip holders:
- A clip for any golf bag
- A stick clip that fits any golf club and alignment stick (not included)
- A phone clip that accommodates any phone size (up to 3.4 inches wide)
The SelfieGOLF is adjustable to make sure you get the best angle and height. You could rotate the phone clip by 360 degrees and twist it horizontally or vertically to take photos, broadcast live, or video call using a detachable wireless remote.
The SelfieGOLF is made of good-quality materials, so you don’t need to buy a new one any time soon. Not only that, it’s light, resistant to corrosion, and universal in design to fit most phone sizes.
With this golf swing training aid, you can easily share your videos with anyone, like other golfers or your coach, to get helpful insights. You also have the option to sync it with other devices through Bluetooth®.
What’s included:
- User’s manual
- Storage bag
- Additional pair of stick holders
- Bag clip
- Phone clip
- Guarantee: 30-day, money-back guarantee or a new SelfieGOLF with 1-year warranty
Pros:
- Fits different sizes of phones and alignment sticks
- Made from thick and sturdy materials
- Provides an easy way to record your swings
- Tight and sturdy clips
Cons:
- Comes with a detachable bag clip, which you could easily lose
- Only has one record/view mode: vertical or portrait
EyeLine Golf Speed Trap 1.0 – Build Confidence and Accuracy. Improve Your Swing with Slice and Hook Corrector- Swing Trainer & Path Aid, Size 12 x 18 Inches
The EyeLine Golf Speed Trap 1.0 golf swing path trainer is essential if you want to hit longer and straighter shots. Like most golf practice aids, it can help you correct golf swing issues that plague most golfers, such as the dreaded slice.
This training aid has a U-shaped, polycarbonate board with guide marks that are useful in your golf ball position for every golf club. It has rods that are detachable, so you can strategically arrange them to fit your needs.
For instance:
- If you’re right-handed, you can place one rod at the back (left) and one in front (right) to fix a hook.
- If you want to correct a slice, put one rod to the right corner at the back and another rod at the front side corner of the board (or inside your left foot, if you’re right-handed).
Note: You can still use the EyeLine Golf Speed Trap 1.0 without the rods, like if you just want to focus on your angle of attack.
Pros:
- Gives feedback almost immediately
- Heavy-duty plexiglass board
- Doesn’t require you to manually reset the slot
- Boosts your confidence
Cons:
- Not the cheapest golf swing practice tool
- Doesn’t fix all swing mistakes (like hitting a draw)
How to Choose Good Golf Training Aids
The market is filled with golf practice aids for almost every conceivable swing fault. With so many options out there, what’s the best golf swing aid for you?
Consider Your Weaknesses
The truth is there’s really no single training aid that’s best for all golfers. The best training aids are those that can efficiently address a flaw specific to your golf swing.
So, your first priority is to identify and analyze your strengths and weaknesses before you buy any golf training equipment. Do you struggle with consistency because of poor alignment? Is your grip too weak? Do you need fixes for that nasty hook or slice?
Once you know what you need to focus on during your practice, it’s time to search for the golf training aids that will help you. Don’t also forget to get a good coach, who could help you develop a good practice plan that you can follow on a regular basis.
For instance, you can use the SelfieGOLF Record Golf Swing instead of propping your smart phone against your golf bag or ask a stranger to record your swings.
The SKLZ Golf Tempo & Grip Trainer with interchangeable weights is a great tool for improving your tempo and grip (by teaching you correct hand placement).
There’s also the popular Orange Whip Full-Sized Golf Swing Trainer Aid. You can use it to develop the correct tempo and improve the flexibility and strength of your golf muscles.
If you suffer from over-the-top downswing, The Patented Tour Striker Smart Ball can help you tame that problem. You can also use it for your putting practice.
Choosing the Best Golf Teaching Aids
The market is flooded with training aids golf, which is both good and bad at the same time. Good because you have plenty of options. Bad because there are some products that don’t really work, so do your diligent research before buying.
In general, golf practice gadgets belong to any of these categories:
- Golf hitting nets
- Golf hitting and practice mats
- Practice golf balls
- Putting training aids
- Golf alignment aids
- Golf swing training aids
- Golf swing plane training aids
- Golf impact and face control training aids
- Golf takeaway training aids
- Golf swing tempo trainer
- Golf training aids for speed
- Golf training accessories (e.g., training apps and launch monitors)
But what if you’re a beginner who doesn’t have a clue on what your weaknesses are? What golf improvement tools should you use?
If you asked experienced golfers, they’ll most likely suggest that you start by developing the proper swing form and technique. Most beginner golfers struggle with finding the proper golf swing tempo, which prevents them from striking the ball accurately.
Aside from tempo, the proper grip is also necessary for getting your swing perfect. For some beginners, this doesn’t come naturally. That’s why the SKLZ Golf Tempo & Grip Trainer and others like it are worth considering because they can help you practice and improve on these areas.
Other things to consider when buying the best golf training aids:
Is it easy to use?
Spending too much time trying to put together or learn how to use a golf swing training device is just not worth it—unless, of course, it really delivers on its promise. You want something that requires zero to little assembly and doesn’t feel like it’s harder to use than playing actual golf.
Is it built to last?
It’s only natural for anyone—including you—to expect for a training aid to withstand rough use for months or years. The build quality has to reflect the price you’ve paid for it. Unfortunately, there are a lot of training aids that are made of flimsy, plastic materials.
So, take the time to find out what a product is made of. Check out the reputation of the manufacturer and the feedback of people who’ve already bought it.
What’s the manufacturer warranty? Most golf training devices come with a 1-year or a 2-year warranty, which usually covers parts that break down due to factory defects.
Does it work?
The short answer: Yes!
It’s rare to find swing aids for golf that flat-out doesn’t work. However, it’s also wrong to assume that all golf practice tools can solve all of the performance problems every golfer have.
Unlike what others might think, most of these golf training aids aren’t based on snake oil science. Many recreational and pro golfers even use some of these top rated golf training aids on various tours.
Let’s take the Orange Whip Full-Sized Golf Swing Trainer Aid as a good example. Jim Hackenberg, who was an aspiring PGA Tour player-turned golf teacher, got the inspiration for the Orange Whip from watching the best golfers in the world.
When he was caddying on the PGA Tour, he observed how the best golfers swing from a good vantage point at address. He found out that they have relaxed hands and body, with balance and rhythm in their golf swing.
What’s the result? He created a training tool that helps average golfers achieve the same thing. Today, more than 200 pro golfers, as well as casual golfers, use the Orange Whip Full-Sized Golf Swing Trainer Aid on various tours.
Can you use it for other swing flaws?
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned golfer, you need a versatile tool to reinforce fundamentals and fix common swing faults. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of these golf practice tools.
Some of the best golf training aids that work will allow you to focus on more than one critical area of your game. This one of the things people love about the EyeLine Golf Speed Trap 1.0—it can improve a faulty swing path and alignment and train you to different types of shots. These are the training tools that you should invest on.
Versatility doesn’t only mean being multifunctional. It also means that golfers of all ages and skill levels can use it. Some of the best golf practice tools are great for both golfers and coaches.
There’s no surefire way to know which training aids will be worth your time and money. So, before deciding which ones to buy, it’s a good idea to consult your local pro for an assessment.
Conclusion
We hope you find our review of the best golf practice tools and buying considerations helpful. As you can see, you have a ton of choices out there. But while some of them can help you become a better golfer over time, it’s still important for you to understand these:
- They can’t magically cure all of the flaws in your swing. Their main purpose is to provide you with real-time feedback, so you can make the necessary fixes and develop an effective training plan.
- It could take some time before you can significantly improve your golf form and technique by using these training aids.
- Effective golf training aids, good coaching, and committing to train regularly are the best investments you can make.