Golf Training Aid

Inforgraphic Credit: Meghan Carter

Body Position Guides: Body position guides are used to align your body during your address and swing. Examples of body positioning training aids are stands with padded guides and full circle trainers that force you into the proper position and your swing into the proper path.  For example, the Path Pro eliminates swaying, the trapped position, lunging and over-swinging.  It also teaches you proper impact, extension and balance (intheholegolf.com).  The Swing Machine by Mad Jack creates a circular frame around your body that directs your swing along the proper plane (golftrainingaids.com).

Ground Guides: Ground guides help you align your feet, hips, shoulders, head, the ball, clubface, take-away and swing path.  They sit on the ground, giving you visual cues to where you should be positioned throughout the swing.  For example, the Impact Trac directs the proper take-away, body turn, impact line and follow-through (golftrainingaids.com).  The Vision Track, on the other hand, ensures proper alignment of your feet, shoulders, clubface, ball, eyes and head (intheholegolf.com).

Mirror Guides: If you want feedback from your ground guides, consider a mirrored golf training aid.  Like the ground guides, the mirrors have lines that align your body. The added benefit is that you can see if you are doing it correctly. For example, the Player's Image has position markers for your ball, feet, head and shoulders.  It also has checkpoints for every stage of your swing.  It shows you how your body and club should be positioned, and your reflection lets you see if you are doing it right (shegolfs.com).

Arm Braces: The angles of your elbows, wrists and arms are crucial for a smooth, powerful swing.  An arm brace golf training aid will mold your body into the proper position.  For example, the Swingyde attaches to your club and extends out against your left wrist (for right-handed players).  It braces your wrist for correct wrist angle, club alignment, grip, swing arc, impact positioning and more (intheholegolf.com).  The Swing Extender, on the other hand, attaches to your right bicep -- for right-handed players -- forcing your elbow into the proper 90-degree position at the top of your backswing (golftrainingaids.net).  Those devices and others train your body to swing correctly, taking the thought and guesswork out of your practice time.

Body Control Devices: Erratic movements and uncontrolled motion often plagued players' golf swings. To obtain the correct, controlled motion necessary to execute a perfect swing, you can use an arm restraint, leg band or a wrist brace. For example, the Swing Jacket is worn around your torso and has cuffs that hold your upper arms in the proper positions, tight into your body.  The cuffs slide along tracks on the vest, guiding your arms through the perfect swing (break90golftrainingaids.com). If your legs are always shifting out of position, a golf training aid such as the Power Leg Coil helps your legs remain stable while enhancing your body turn (golftrainingaids.com).

Modified Clubs: Hinged clubs, weighted clubs and wind resistance golf training aids teach you proper technique and timing.  For example, Medicus Dual Hinged Clubs improve your backswing and downswing by identifying flaws.  On the perfect swing, neither of the hinges bend (golftrainingaids.com). The Power Swing Fan creates resistance throughout your swing, forcing your body to swing the club rather than lift it.  By following the path of least resistance, you will improve both your backswing and your downswing. Also, evenly weighted practice clubs, such as those by Momentus, engrain proper technique, which you can then apply to a standard club.  Practicing with an evenly weighted club as compared to a regular club improves your consistency, flexibility, strength, club head speed, swing plane and balance.

Point of Impact Analysis: Several golf training aids analyze how your club hits the ball.  There are hitting bags, special club heads, marking sprays and recording decals.  For example, On-Mark Impact Spray goes onto your clubface, and when you strike a ball the location of the hit is revealed (golftrainingaids.org). Impact decals work in a similar way, but instead of spraying them on they are applied as stickers (break90golftrainingaids.com).

Laser Guides: To see your swing plane use laser attachments for your club. A laser golf training aid can either point straight from the butt of the club or down the shaft to the club head. By analyzing the path of the laser, you can diagnose problems and shift your swing back into the correct plane. For example, the Butch Harmon Golf Laser Trainer has two lasers, one for the path and one for the plane. The immediate feedback from the lasers helps you adjust your swing wherever you are playing (intheholegolf.com).

High-tech Aids: If you are a really serious about improving your game and want even more feedback, look into bio-feedback devices, swing analysis software and electronic swing monitors.  They provide instant, accurate information to make the most of each swing.  For example, the SwingHat is a hat that monitors your spine angle and tempo, providing you with instant, audio feedback (break90golftrainingaids.com).  The Swingscope is a small device that attaches to your hip, monitoring the muscle movements of your lower body, hips and shoulders (intheholegolf.com).  If you want to go all out, try V1 Golf Software Company's swing analysis software.  The powerful and easy to use program will allow you to hone your swing by seeing where you are now and where you need to be (golftrainingaids.net).

Flexible Clubs: Pulling with hands and arms rather than using your torso is a common mistake that hurts your rhythm and tempo, which decreases distance and accuracy.  Using a club with a flexible shaft will easily diagnose the problem and teach you the correct way to swing.  For example, the Whippy TempoMaster Driver enhances your follow through, distance and weight transfer, while eliminating coming over the top and pulling from the top (break90golftrainingaids.com).

Tempo Meters: If you need help maintaining consistent rhythm, try an electronic rhythm trainer.  They vibrate, beep or blink to help you find, improve and maintain your optimum tempo.  For example, the Swing Tempo measures your personal rhythm, retains it and helps you keep it no matter what club you are swinging (intheholegolf.com). Consistent rhythm produces consistent swings, which lead to more accuracy.

Increasing Speed: Clubs that are evenly weighted or have weighted heads can help increase your flexibility, strength and rotation speed, which all increase your swing speed.  For example, the Momentus Iron has an evenly weighted shaft that trains your body to swing along the proper path, while strengthening your muscles (intheholegolf.com). Another type of weighted club, the SwingWave, has a chamber of water on the end.  It is designed to guide you through the proper swing motion and timing while increasing your strength and flexibility (golftrainingaids.org).

Measuring Speed: There are electronic and analog devices that can tell you your swing speed. For example, SwingMate by Bel-Tronics is a small electronic device that measures the velocity of your swing without any club attachments (golftrainingaids.net). The Speed Stik, on the other hand, is a weighted stick that gives you your velocity when swung.  It not only reads your speed, but also improves your swing and your swing speed (break90golftrainingaids.com).