Ah golf, such a great game. The impossible pursuit of perfection. A peaceful game that rouses unbridled fury. How hard can it be to hit a golf ball straight? To chip it close? To hole that six foot putt? Very, as it turns out. To quote “The King” Arnold Palmer, 

“"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening - and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented.”

And while the goal of perfection is unattainable, we continue to dream of it and work towards it the only way we know how. 

Practice. 

Whether your goal is to break 100 for the first time or to finally shoot under par at your local club, practice remains key. There are many gizmos and gadgets and drills out there to help the everyday golfer with issues from flying elbows to sliding hips (I’m guilty of that one) to flipped wrists (I’m guilty of that one too…I'm sensing a theme here!) and it can be difficult to figure out which one works best. 

In this article we are going to look at 5 Must Have Training Aids to Help Improve Your Game. So whether you are looking to increase distance, improve your tempo or sink more putts, we’ve got you covered.

Best for Alignment: Masters Eyeline Golf – Practice T-Rod System

One of the most must-have training aids in golf are alignment sticks or alignment rods. Durable, lightweight and portable they are an essential companion to any golfer aspiring to improve their game. 

The T-Rod system offers benefits as a visual aid but will also help in achieving correct alignment, ball positioning and setup. The only way to get better is to ensure that you are replicating your alignment shot after shot and the T-Rod system will help you do just that.

Another great benefit of the T-Rod system is that the rods can be used individually for a multitude of drills in all aspects of your game. Whether you’re working on swing path, ball striking, chipping and pitching or putting, these versatile rods will help you reach your goal

Best for Swing Speed: Masters Swing Speed Trainer

It’s all about speed these days, isn’t it? Whether it’s Bryson DeChambeau beefing up and swinging out of his boots or Phil Mickelson hitting “long, nasty, straight bombs”, it’s clear just how important hitting the ball hard and fast is. 

And while we will never be as long as the guys on tour, we can all add an extra 20-30 yards to our game that will result in longer drives, shorter approach shots and lower scores. Roughly each mile per hour of swing speed equals 3 yards of distance so in order to hit the ball an extra 15 yards all you need to do is increase your swing speed by 5mph. Simple, right?

The Masters Swing Speed Trainer is 45” long and designed to improve your swing speed while providing a core muscle workout. This increases performance and improves sequencing in the golf swing to give extra distance off the tee.

The Swing Speed Trainer currently retails at Halpenny Golf for prices starting at €44.95. If this sounds like the training aid for you then click here.

Best for Tempo: SKILZ Gold Flex Swing Trainer

Maybe you are looking to hit it further and increase your strength. But are you also looking to improve tempo? Fight a slice? Then this could well be the training aid for you. 

The SKILZ Gold Flex Swing Trainer helps to achieve this through the extra flexibility in its shaft ways. It lengthens the swing by keeping the hands and arms extended. It encourages a pause and lag at the top of the backswing helping to achieve the ideal tempo and the momentum created by the weighted head ensures a proper weight transfer and full follow through.

It’s a simple tool, easy to use and just 10-20 swings with the SKILZ Gold Flex Swing Trainer a day will help to reach your golfing goals. It is the perfect pre-round warm up stretch as it is low-impact and really works on those golf muscles. No more stiff shots off the first tee!

Best for at-home training: PuttOut Deluxe Putting Mat

Putting. The most important part of the game and often the most overlooked part of the game. Understandably so, it’s a lot more fun to see your drives soar through a driving range than it is to work on holing that five-footer over and over and over again. But roughly 40% of all shots in a round are hit with the putter so it should deserve the greatest amount of attention.

The PuttOut Deluxe Putting Mat will give you the chance to practice your putting no matter where you are. The Mat has durable, heavy-backed rubber allowing it to lie flat on any surface and comes with a compact carry bag for practice on the go.

It is roughly 8ft x 1.7ft in length and comes complete with printed alignment guides, target points, distance markings and 5 drills to help develop your game. Whether you’re travelling or just looking to practice at home, the Deluxe Putting Mat is a superb option.

Currently it retails at €79.95 and can be found here.

Best for putting: PuttOut Putting Mirror

Sticking with putting, we now look at the PuttOut Putting Mirror. It is a simple-to-use training aid to help improve your putting by correcting your alignment and positioning in real-time. It comes complete with an Alignment Gate and in 2019 was voted “Best in Golf” by Golf Digest’s Editor’s Choice.

It has plenty of cool features too. The mirror with alignment markings allows you to ensure your eyeline and shoulders are square with the target. There are two magnetic putter guides that can be adjusted to suit length of your putter and give instant feedback on if you are striking the ball too much from the inside or outside. The Alignment Gate also helps to attain and consistent and accurate putting stroke and eliminate any pushes or pulls. 

The Putting Mirror and Alignment Gate is a super product for anyone serious about improving their putting. It comes with a convenient drawstring bag and is easily portable. It can be used outdoors on the practice green or indoors with the PuttOut Deluxe Putting Mat (above). 

If you want to shave strokes off your score, then get the PuttOut Putting Mirror today! It retails at €59.95 and can be purchased here.