Today’s market is flooded with training aids. You can find one for almost every part of the game. And every day more and more are introduced. While a training aid won’t reduce your golf handicap overnight or replace golf tips, it will help improve your golf game if you work faithfully with it.
Below are five training aids golfers often ask for in my golf lessons. Designed to improve your swing or a phase of your swing, these products help correct flaws, improve mechanics and/or ingrain swing feel. The key, as always, is to find a training aid that works for you before you invest your hard-earned money.
(And by the way, I am in no way affiliated with these companies nor do I make any money from these reviews.)
Incredible Assist Swing Trainer (www.matzie.com)
Available from Gibas & Matzie Golf Products, the Amazing ASSIST Training Club improves your swing and increases strength. It’s like getting a free golf lesson. Its weighted head and bent shaft teaches correct hand action. The ASSIST improves muscle memory, extension and weight transfer, as well as tempo and timing.
As the club swings, the proper release action is exaggerated to eliminate clipping, increase clubhead speed, and produce straight shots. Additionally, the training grip places the thumbs and V-shaped index fingers of the hands in the traditional 11 and 12 o’clock positions. You can use it at home, on the course, or before your golf lessons.
The Amazing ASSIST is ideal for pregame or practice warmups or for everyday use to improve your swing. The ASSIST is available for men, women and youth, and for right-handed and left-handed people. An instructional video comes with the product. The cost is $70.
Tac-tic of the elbow (www.4golftraining.com)
Keeping your left (right-handed) elbow as straight as possible determines the width of your swing arc, as I’ve explained in my golf tips. The wider the turning arc, the greater the power. The Elbow Tac-Tic sleeve clicks as the elbow breaks, providing the instant response needed to correct your swing and keep your left elbow extended. The Tac-tic also works on the right arm, clicking when the elbow is bent at the correct point of the backswing. Cost: 39.95.
the speed stick (www.speedstik.com)
Most golf instructions will tell you that clubhead speed determines how far you hit the ball. The faster the clubhead speed, the further the ball will go. Exercising with the Speed Stik increases a golfer’s clubhead speed and trains proper balance and swing on the flat. Swing the Speed Stick in a continuous back and forth motion, keeping it about 18 inches off the ground. Start slowly at first and then build up the momentum. Check the speedometer for your MPH. Each 1 MPH increase equals three more yards of distance. Repeat a few days a week and record your distance. Cost: $99.99
impact ball (www.theimpactball.com)
Impact Ball develops the feeling of hitting a ball correctly. Available through To-M-Pact Golf, Inc., it is easy to use and understand. It is based on the idea that many recreational players have certain swing flaws (chicken wings, flying elbows, etc.) or that they try to pick the ball off the ground when they hit. Sometimes even the best golf instruction cannot rid a player of certain faults.
The impact ball works. It is placed between the forearms and is held there throughout the swing. The ball is two-color, and the only thought to focus on is making the ball change color as the club moves across the impact area. The product trains golfers to hit the ball solidly with a square clubface, eliminating any attempt to flip or pick the ball during the shot.
Impact Ball addresses all phases of the game: chipping, throwing, putting, driving and bunkering. You can hit balls at the shooting range with the Impact Ball or practice swinging the stick with it at home. The cost: $39.95 + shipping and handling.
The Magic Swing Driver (www.swingmagic.com)
Training with the Kallassy Magic Swing Controller ingrains proper movement into your swing. Designed to improve timing, tempo, and rhythm, the Swing Magic synchronizes the movement of your arms, hands, and body. A sliding training clip allows you to separate your right hand (for right-handers) during the backswing. By separating the right hand on the backswing and reconnecting it on the downswing, you create a flat golf swing, essential for hitting the ball consistently. It also prevents you from crossing the line. Cost: $89.95.
Remember, a training aid is not a panacea, as I often mention in my golf tips. It won’t dramatically improve your game overnight. It will not compensate for good course management. And it won’t replace an individual golf lesson. But you’ll ingrain the fundamentals of a good swing, cut strokes off your scores, and lower your golf handicap, if you practice faithfully with it. Just make sure the training aid is right for you before you buy it.
