Golf training aids have come a long way, and in 2024, the right ones can help improve your game, especially if you’re just starting out. These tools are designed to help you improve the fundamentals of the game, create consistency, and build repetition.
We’ve scoured the golf training aid market, tested these products, and concluded which ones are most beneficial to your golf game. If you’re looking to take a couple of strokes off your scorecard, continue reading.
Best Golf Training Aids: Swing Trainers
Swing trainers are essential for golfers looking to improve the rhythm, flow, and consistency of ball striking.
Improved Swing Mechanics
- Correct Posture and Alignment: Helps maintain proper posture and alignment throughout your swing.
- Refined Technique: Provides immediate feedback, allowing for quick adjustments and refinement.
- Consistent Practice: Enables regular, coach-independent practice for continuous improvement.
Enhanced Muscle Memory
- Repetition and Muscle Conditioning: Promotes repetitive practice, crucial for developing muscle memory.
- Strength and Flexibility: Improves muscle conditioning, leading to better control and power.
- Mental Reinforcement: Reinforces correct swing mentally and physically.
Consistent Ball Striking
- Better Contact with the Ball: Promotes smoother, more controlled swings, reducing mishits.
- Improved Accuracy: Enhances accuracy, leading to more shots landing where intended.
- Confidence Boost: Builds confidence through consistent, reliable ball striking.
Top Swing Trainers of 2024
Orange Whip Trainer
image source orangewhipgolf.com
The Orange Whip Trainer is a long, flexible shaft with a weighted ball at the end. Its intended purpose is to improve your tempo and rhythm. When you feel comfortable with it, you can gradually ramp up the speed to improve clubhead speed. You just have to make sure everything in your swing is in tune.
It also enhances your muscle memory. With regular use, the orange whip ingrains the correct mechanics into your body. After just a few sessions, my swing felt more natural and fluid. Plus, the resistance provided by the trainer helped build my strength and flexibility, which are crucial for a powerful and effective swing.
Lag Shot
image source lagshotgolf.com
Like the Orange Whip Trainer, Lag Shot’s purpose is to create perfect rhythm, tempo, and timing in your swing. Except in this case, the three club options they offer — driver, 7 iron, and a wedge — are all the length of standard clubs.
Lag Shot boasts an extremely flexible blue shaft. What I love most about this trainer is that it has an actual golf club head at the end, and you can hit real golf balls with it.
Tour Striker
image source www.tourstriker.com
The Tour Striker is one of the more difficult swing trainers to master, but if you can, you’ll be ball-striking like you’re on the PGA Tour.
At first glance, this training aid looks like your typical iron. However, when you look at the face, it’s rounded at the bottom and on the sides and only offers a small sweet spot in the center of the face. The purpose of this is to learn to compress the golf ball.
Many amateur golfers don’t know how to compress a golf ball, and that results in chunking the ball, thin shots, super high shots, and less yardage.
Divot Board
image source www.divotboard.com
Divot Board: The Original Divot Training Aid
If you’re taking divots during a practice swing, take notice of the direction of the divot and where you’re lined up. Simply put, divots tell a big story — your club path is critical to the trajectory and flight path your ball takes.
The Divot Board provides instant, real-time feedback. It’s small and portable, so you can take it to the range or use it in your backyard.
Best Golf Training Aids: Grip Trainers
Grip trainers might not be the most glamorous tools in your golf bag, but their impact on your game is profound. Here’s why they are so important:
Correct Hand Positioning
- Establish Proper Grip: Grip trainers help you set and maintain the correct hand positioning on the club.
- Consistent Mechanics: Ensures consistent grip, which translates to more reliable swings.
- Immediate Feedback: Provides instant feedback, allowing you to adjust your grip for optimal results.
Better Control and Power
- Enhanced Control: Develop muscle memory for the correct grip, leading to better control over the clubface.
- Increased Power: A proper grip enables you to leverage your body’s strength more effectively, adding power to your shots.
- Precision Shots: Improved control results in more precise and accurate shots.
Prevention of Common Grip Mistakes
- Avoid Slices and Hooks: Helps prevent common grip mistakes that lead to slices, hooks, and inconsistent shots.
- Correct Technique: Ingrains the correct grip technique, reducing the likelihood of errors.
- Consistent Performance: This leads to more consistent and accurate performance on the course.
Top Grip Training Picks
Me and My Golf True Grip Training Glove
image source shop.meandmygolf.com
The Me and My Golf True Grip Training Glove design is truly revolutionary. By placing the club grip along the blue silicone area, it becomes perfectly positioned in your hand. The non-slip silicone palm and finger application provides unmatched grip and performance, making it easier to maintain control.
The glove features dual knuckle and arrow tip indicators that serve as visual guides to improve your grip technique. These indicators help you align your knuckles correctly.
This glove is also designed for all weather conditions. It offers elite performance and durability, with exceptional grip and flexibility regardless of the weather. Additionally, it’s lightweight and breathable, providing an ultra-soft feel for enhanced comfort. Plus, it’s safe for both hand and machine washing, making maintenance a breeze.
SKLZ Golf Grip Trainer
Image source www.sklz.com
Too strong of a grip can cause duck hooks and too weak of a grip can cause misses to the right; the SKLZ Golf Grip Trainer fixes those issues.
This grip trainer has an ergonomic design that makes sure your hands are correctly positioned on the club.This immediate feedback is invaluable, allowing for quick adjustments and perfecting your grip technique.
One of the standout features is its portability. Lightweight and easy to carry, you can use it at the driving range or even at home.
The SKLZ Golf Grip Trainer also helps eliminate common grip mistakes, such as gripping too tightly or placing hands incorrectly, which are used to cause frustrating slices and hooks. Durable and reliable, it maintains its effectiveness despite frequent use.
Maxfli Weighted Swing Trainer with Molded Grip Alignment
Image source www.golfgalaxy.com
This trainer offers the benefits of a swing trainer with a proper grip alignment aid. It has a molded handle to reinforce a proper grip. The weighted end piece helps engage more muscles when swinging, so you can create a strong, fast swing with better control.
After training, standard clubs feel lighter and more workable than ever before.
Best Golf Training Aids: Putting
Putting aids are essential tools if you find yourself constantly three-putting and struggle with pace and consistent strikes.
Improved Accuracy and Consistency
- Develop a more precise and consistent stroke.
- Provide visual and tactile feedback for correct alignment and follow-through.
- Result in fewer missed putts and increased confidence.
Better Distance Control
- Train to gauge strength and pace for various lengths of putts.
- Improve feel for how hard to hit the ball, reducing three-putts.
- Enhance overall game performance by mastering distance control.
Enhanced Focus and Confidence
- Enhance focus through purposeful practice.
- Build mental resilience and ability to handle pressure.
- Translate confidence from practice to the course, leading to better performance.
Top Putting Practice Picks
Perfect Practice Perfect Putting Mat
image source perfectpractice.com
This training aid is a mouthful, but it’s one of the best. I’ve had my perfect putting mat for about two years now, and it’s helped me limit my three putts quite a bit.
The built-in alignment guides help ensure a square putter face and correct stroke path, which significantly improved my accuracy. It has a larger hole (a regulation hole) and a smaller hole if you want to challenge yourself even more. Depending on the size you get, this mat can go up to 10 feet. It also has a rollback system, so you don’t have to go and get each ball after you hit it. If you play on soft and slow greens, this mat may feel a little faster than what you’re used to, but that’s golf — conditions always vary.
Puttout Devil Ball
image source puttout.golf
I quickly understood the hype about these things, and they’ve become a key part of my putting practice. These intentionally unbalanced balls highlight any flaws in your stroke, forcing you to focus on precision and consistency. Practicing with them has improved my stroke mechanics and built my mental toughness, making me more confident on the green. Lightweight and portable, they’re perfect for practicing anywhere.
If you want to elevate your putting skills, the Puttout Devil Ball is a fantastic tool.
Me and My Golf Breaking Ball Putting Mat
image source shop.meandmygolf.com
If you’re someone who struggles to putt with breaks and has trouble reading greens, this is the mat for you.
The Me and My Golf Breaking Ball Putting Mat is designed with various slopes, allowing you to practice putts that break left and right. It’s helped me read greens and find my line — and trust it. The mat’s high-quality surface provides a true roll, making the practice sessions feel authentic.
The only issue is the mat doesn’t have an actual cup for the ball to roll into.
Start Practicing Today
Golf is the one sport that, if you want to get better at, you have to spend countless hours perfecting your craft. It’s all about consistency and repetition — and these tools will help you in your journey.
Get yourself some training aids and start practicing today!