Golf Training Aids - a pointless spend or a fruitful purchase?

The reason for this post is that today I spent quite sometime (the entire day infact) with an exceptional teaching pro at his academy. I was not there for a lesson but to have my new fitted clubs checked and to play a courtesy round with him to test them.

Whilst I was there I could see all the contraptions under the sun that the pro's use as training aids but also down the range there were many members using their own new fangled bits of gucci kit (army term for new and shiny but generally crap and over priced).

There was alsorts on the go! One guy had a club that has 2 clubheads, this was a normal club with an additional clubhead directly at the base of a mould grip that was meant to put the hands in the correct position, it also had 3 weights that's should "crack" at impact to enable the wielder to know correct power generated! For now let's call this item the "2headed club thingy" (scientific I know)

Another guy had this strange harness type thing on design to keep his body hands and arms all working as one but all I could see was it had him working against himself and gave the look of something you'd see in an underground bar in germany for a freak sex show! Let's call this the "bondage brace"

Finally there was one guy using one of those "Swing Guide" contraptions that attaches to the shaft and rest against the wrist designed to get you into the correct set at the top of the back swing, this didn't seem to bad and at least looked like it had some form of bnefit.

This got me talking to the pro about why people pay out for all this game improvement gear instead of simply seeing a pro! He simply said people will pay out for anything they think will be a quick fix or is endorsed by some leading name rather than see a pro and accept it will take some time to practice and groove the change.

He also pointed out the 2 bits of kit down the range the "2club thingy" and the "bondage brace" were both endoresed by David Leadbetter so people wanted them! But in reality they are no good unless you already have good fundamentals! But he also said every golfer will own some form of gizmo or gadget that is effectly a game improvement aid!

So when I got home I got to thinking about this and what do I have and is it any good! Despite being a golf nut I own just 2 practice aids!

- A pair of Morodz (alignment rods) the I use for working on alignment or can be stuck in the ground to aid with swing plane.
- The other is a weighted club (it has no clubhead just a weight on the bottom)with a moulded grip on this I use just to loosen up before a round and train my hands to be in the right place.

To me these see like sensible things to own as all they doing is help with the basic fundamentals of the game e.g. Aligment, ball position and grip. But having spoken to my Oldman it seems he has alsorts including the "2headed club thingy" and the "swing guide" attachment. Even looking on t'internet just to see what's out there still cannot fathom why people with spend 70-80 quid on a training aid instead of spending that on 3 lessons with a knowledgeable pro!

I may be waffling here and maybe that's thanks to my old mate Jack Daniel, but what do you own or find useful or similarly what do you find a complete pile of dogs turd and just something a big name is using to make a fast buck!

Only swing aid I have ever used and ever will use is another golf ball 2 ft behind the ball I want to hit and in the plane that I want my clubhead to take. Trying to move the aid ball on your backswing gives a low sweeping take away that is a solid start.

Ooh tell a lie, I've also tried the Jack Nicklaus hankie under the armpit to stop a flying elbow. Didn't work too well for him did it! Whatever happened to him, I mean with that right elbow almost above his head at times, surely he never did any good!

Ahhh the old hankie trick, would not work today as only men over 60 years old carry them.

I put great faith in taping up my 4th finger and pinkie of each hand with...wait for it....Prestoband.

Is that still a legal act?

some tees and a couple of chopsticks with some string to work on my putting.

That's about it for me.

Don't forget your big polo mint as well LJ. Actually, I got one of those as a tree pressie at xmas. Can't wait to try it out, I suspect that after 2 years of usage, I will never have hit that little hole in the middle, so I'll be able to sell it as unused.

Nope. That's gone Shanker. Gave it to someone else as I stopped using it. Now to help me with narrowing the hole I just create a gate in front of the hole with a couple of tees on the line I expect it to take. Then I just roll it through that.

I think my best one has to be the Joby Tripod (with the flexible legs). It fixes well onto the railings at the driving range. The iphone with it's swingreader app clips on a treat.

I can record my good and bad shots, send them to my pro and get feedback on what the hell I'm doing...priceless!!

JAS wrote:I think my best one has to be the Joby Tripod (with the flexible legs). It fixes well onto the railings at the driving range. The iphone with it's swingreader app clips on a treat.

Well... It would except for an incident with a pond.

I have the stretching pole Clark was using at the Open. I understand a lot of the pros use them. The pro model allows the grip to hinge. I find it a good tool for stretching and allows you to get the hand in the right position at the top of the backswing.

Having said that when I take it to the range I'm always releived if the range is quite, so it gets as much use in the house.

ScottieD18 wrote:I have the stretching pole Clark was using at the Open. I understand a lot of the pros use them. I find it a good tool for stretching. Having said that when I take it to the range I'm always releived if the range is quite, so it gets as much use in the house.

I am assuming you bought this from some "specialist shop" in Soho? Just make sure you use plenty of lube. By all means use it at home but maybe it's a step too far in public.

Ray,

Very good.

The girth is too much for the dual purpose you propose.

LondonJonnyO wrote:

JAS wrote:I think my best one has to be the Joby Tripod (with the flexible legs). It fixes well onto the railings at the driving range. The iphone with it's swingreader app clips on a treat.

Well... It would except for an incident with a pond.

Ha ha quality!! Pleased to say the insurance replacement performs equally as well

I had a bit of a clearout of my golf stuff yesterday and came across 'Greg Norman's Secret'. It's a solid plastic moulded strap that velcros onto your rightwrist and index finger. The idea is that it stops you from flicking at the ball.

And Doon, I'm nowhere near 60 and feel naked if I leave the house without a handkerchief!

smithersjones wrote:

And Doon, I'm nowhere near 60 and feel naked if I leave the house without a handkerchief!

Doon, I'm just over half way there and always carry one too.

I did once buy a putting aid that was supposed to promote square contact. It was a regulation size golf ball with two discs either side that would affect the direction of the ball if you didn't strike it squarely. You could adjust the tension of the outside discs to increase or decrease the margin of error. After a few putts where this thing was spinning all over the place I then increased the margin of error which after a couple more putts had changed 3/5 of fuck all. On reflection or frustration I decided that it was a heap of junk that was likely to ruin any confidence I ever had in my putter. I think it is somewhere in my golfing bits and bobs in the garage destined never to return.