Inspiration Golf The 10 Best Golf Training Aids of 2024 Dial in before tee off with Tour Sticks Alignment Sticks By Sam Hayes Sam Hayes Sam Hayes is a Massachusetts-based writer who specializes in lifestyle, health, and travel. He covers an array of golf-related topics for TripSavvy. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 04/04/23 We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. TripSavvy / Chloe Jeong For golfers looking to get better at the game, training aids can be true difference-makers. Fortunately, there are several good tools on the market to facilitate improvement. “As a general rule, training tools are all good,” says Laird Small, master instructor of Pebble Beach Golf Academy at Pebble Beach Resorts. Of course, like with most things, there are some tools players can do without. “Avoid training tools that don’t specifically address your swing or short game problems. All training tools should help you feel the difference between what you do and what you should do,” Small says. So whether a player has issues with alignment, tempo, impact, or putting, there’s an aid that can help. Here are the best golf training aids for all facets of the game. The Rundown Best for Alignment: Tour Sticks Alignment Sticks at Toursticks.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best for Putting Practice: EyeLine Golf Groove Putting Laser Plus at Amazon ($125) Jump to Review Best Affordable Launch Monitor: FlightScope Mevo at Amazon ($449) Jump to Review Best for On the Course: Arccos Golf Caddie Smart Sensors at Amazon ($176) Jump to Review Best for Improving Tempo: Orange Whip Golf Swing Trainer Aid at Amazon ($120) Jump to Review Best for Promoting Extension: The Tour Striker Smart Ball at Amazon ($50) Jump to Review Best for Seeing Impact: Acu-Strike Practice Mat at Acustrikegolf.com (See Price) Jump to Review Best for Boosting Speed: Super Speed Golf Training System at Amazon ($300) Jump to Review Best for Feeling Impact Position: SKLZ Smash Bag Golf Swing Trainer at Amazon ($33) Jump to Review Beset for Putter Face Alignment: Pelz Golf DP4007 Putting Tutor at Amazon ($17) Jump to Review Best for Alignment Tour Sticks Alignment Sticks Fairway Golf View On Toursticks.com View On Fairwaygolfusa.com What We Like Multi-purpose Comes with video training drills What We Don't Like Fiberglass can give splinters Every golfer should have a set of alignment rods in the bag for warming up before a round or for dedicated range sessions. As the gold standard, Tour Sticks are a versatile tool that can help square your body to the target and ingrain that feeling for when you’re on the course. You can also use them to practice swing plane drills or to keep your putter on line. They are affordable and offer many ways to help you practice; there’s little reason not to pick up a set. Price at time of publication: $21 Best for Putting Practice EyeLine Golf Groove Putting Laser Plus EyeLine View On Amazon $125 View On Eyelinegolf.com What We Like Compact and lightweight Specific focus What We Don't Like Doesn't fit all putter shafts The EyeLine Golf Groove Putting Laser Plus attaches to the grip of your putter and shoots perpendicular laser lines to display on the putting surface. Golfers then use the lines to keep their face and path alignment on track throughout their stroke. The sleek tool comes with a case and can fit easily in your golf bag, so you can bring it to all your practice sessions to start saving strokes on the green. And considering the shortest of putts counts just as much as the longest of drives, we suggest spending time on putting training. Price at time of publication: $125 Best Affordable Launch Monitor FlightScope Mevo Amazon View On Amazon $449 View On Flightscopemevo.com What We Like Tracks lots of data Captures and trims videos for you Easy to use What We Don't Like Does not sync across devices You will need a radar system if you want to dial in your distances like the pros do. Of course, the Trackman models tour stars use are wildly expensive. But the Mevo is an infinitely more affordable option. The device uses 3D Doppler radar to send club head speed, ball speed, spin rate, carry distance, and launch angle data to a smartphone app. So players can gather data on their swing, improve launch conditions and figure out just how far they hit each club. Price at time of publication: $499 The 9 Best Golf Grips Best for On the Course Arccos Golf Caddie Smart Sensors Amazon View On Amazon $176 View On Walmart $175 View On Dick's $100 What We Like Comes with 14 sensors Many users report improved play What We Don't Like Requires some effort to function well The Arccos system is a training aid you use on the course. Sensors that players attach to each club paired with a smartphone app automatically track shots during a round. The software also serves as a GPS rangefinder and offers artificial intelligence-provided strokes gained information so the golfer can better target areas of their game that require improvement. After 90 holes played using the system, the golfer also gets access to A.I. caddy advice, which is fantastic during practice rounds and can be made USGA competition conforming by flipping into tournament mode, which turns off the live elevation adjustments. Price at time of publication: $180 Best for Improving Tempo Orange Whip Golf Swing Trainer Aid Amazon View On Amazon $120 View On Golfgalaxy.com View On Orangewhipgolf.com What We Like Doubles as a warm-up tool Improves lag Strengthens swing muscles What We Don't Like Pricey Tempo, tempo, tempo—is one of the keys to a precise, repeatable golf swing. The Orange Whip presents players with a weighted orange ball attached to 47 inch-long, hyper-flexible driver shaft, and grip. The extra heft and length compels golfers to swing in better rhythm and balance while practicing with the device. It’s also less clunky and clinky than using two or three irons at once to stretch out on the first tee. Price at time of publication: $109 Best for Promoting Extension The Tour Striker Smart Ball Tour Striker View On Amazon $50 View On Tourstriker.com What We Like Super specific focus Easy to use What We Don't Like Some reviews mention air leaks This training aid helps golfers keep their arms together during the swing for more fluidity and better shots. The genius of the Tour Striker Smart Ball is its simplicity. The device is just an inflatable ball attached to a lanyard worn around the neck. When practicing with the Smart Ball, the aim is to hold the ball between the forearms throughout the swing, promoting more extension and helping players eliminate the “chicken wing” that typically ends in poor contact. Price at time of publication: $50 The 8 Best Golf Putters of 2024 Best for Seeing Impact Acu-Strike Practice Mat Acu-Strike View On Acustrikegolf.com What We Like Has professional endorsements Compact What We Don't Like No exchanges or returns During range sessions on mats or bashing foam balls in the garage during winter, it can be difficult to know at what point the club's sole is interacting with the ground. You could be hitting it fat or thin, not knowing it, and then committing the error to muscle memory—which is hard for your body to forget. The Acu-Strike Practice Mat lets you see where that impact has happened thanks to a fabric surface that leaves a dark mark where the club head struck it and the direction it was traveling. So you can adjust your swing path accordingly, and the dark mark wipes away with a rub of the club the other way. Price at time of publication: $120 Best for Boosting Speed Super Speed Golf Training System Dick's Sporting Goods View On Amazon $300 View On Dick's $200 View On Golfgalaxy.com What We Like Includes online video instruction Recommended 10 mins, 3x per week What We Don't Like Pricey For players who want to hit it farther… and that’s all of them, speed is the name of the game. You can’t bomb it 300 yards off the tee with a mediocre swing speed, and you must learn how to swing it faster. The Super Speed Golf Training System features an overspeed training regiment using three “clubs,” one 20 percent lighter than a normal driver, another 10 percent lighter, and one 5 percent heavier that players swing according to the brand’s online lessons they call “swing protocols.” Golfers advance through the program as they develop more speed. Price at time of publication: $230 The 9 Best Golf Wedges of 2024 Best for Feeling Impact Position SKLZ Smash Bag Golf Swing Trainer Amazon View On Amazon $33 View On Walmart $33 View On Dick's $35 What We Like Ideal for off-course practice Helps engage lower body What We Don't Like Some reviews mention durability issues Perfect for indoor training during the winter or a rainy day, an impact bag helps you feel what you’re trying to accomplish with the swing. Swing the club into the SKLZ Smash Bag and stops the club and the swing at the impact position so players can better understand where their chest, hips, feet, balance, and hands are when the club hits the ball. It also works as a trainer on the range, so golfers can try to execute any modifications they make using a ball immediately afterward. Price at time of publication: $35 Beset for Putter Face Alignment Pelz Golf DP4007 Putting Tutor Amazon View On Amazon $17 View On Dick's $50 View On Pgatoursuperstore.com What We Like Useful for all skill levels Many reviews mention improvement What We Don't Like Doesn't include golf ball A 300-yard drive and a six-foot putt count the same in golf, and for most players, the key to shooting lower scores for most golfers is improved putting. But to be good on the greens, players need to get the ball started on line with a square club face. The Pelz Golf Putting Tutor helps with both of those goals. A line on the board points the way to the target, but if the ball isn’t struck properly, it collides with metal marbles giving the player feedback for improvement. Price at time of publication: $50 Final Verdict Choosing a golf aid should depend on what area of the player's game needs improvement. But we think most golfers would benefit from throwing Tour Sticks Alignment Sticks in the bag for practice sessions. The Arccos Caddie Sensors are also an excellent choice for players who want to use data to analyze their game and hone in on areas for improvement. What to Look for in Golf Training Aids Look for aids that can help your personalized game. If you consistently hit it fat, think about one that helps with impact. If you’re concerned about ball flight, a launch monitor might be the ticket to success. Frequently Asked Questions What part of my game should I target first? This of course, is a personal choice, but pros tend to agree that your short game is the key to scoring well. So consider starting with aids designed to help your chipping and putting. How much should I be spending on golf aids? Super serious equipment like high-end launch monitors can measure every little thing you can think of—launch angle, spin rate, degrees of loft, etc.—but those are not necessary for most golfers. A lot of really helpful tools are out there for under $100. Why Trust TripSavvy Sam Hayes has been writing about local news and lifestyle topics since 2009. He studied journalism at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he wrote for the college's newspaper, The Daily Collegian. He covers anything and everything golf-related for TripSavvy. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Tell us why! Submit Continue to 5 of 10 below. Continue to 9 of 10 below.