Training Aids

Training Aids... a part of the golf industry that as a whole generates decent enough revenue that makes entrepreneurs come up with new, fresh and in some cases crazy ideas. When I think of training aids for golf, I can't help but think about the scene in "Tin Cup"where the character (played by actress Renee Russo) is wearing all of the paraphernalia and Roy McAvoy  (played by Kevin Costner) discovers her and he becomes flabbergasted by what he witnesses. Of course, after he develops the dreaded shanks he is seen wearing the same stuff. Anyways, as wonky and goofy as some of the stuff is, my point is that a lot of it simply accomplishes what it claims to do.

I've had the pleasure of testing numerous products in the last few years since starting my website. The most recent being the SwingClick Plus which helps golfers achieve a better transition and consequentially tempo. Tempo is a very hard thing to develop and for the most part it cannot be taught or learned as it has more to do with "our wiring". But the SwingClick definitely goes a long way into providing muscle memory of a different sort. The muscle between your ears. Another effective training aid that can help with tempo is a product that has been in my bag for nearly five years. The Orange Whip Trainer is great and definitely has a multi-purpose. While it also can aid with a golfers tempo and transition it can also get a golfer stretched out nicely prior to a round. I love to use mine before any dome or range session... or in a case like this afternoon before a round where there is no range available.

Other training aids help with a sway (lateral shift) which is a an absolute killer fault in the golf swing. The sway can cause so many issues that in an article like this is hard to cover. Essentially, if I were to abbreviate the faults a sway will cause the fats and thins... and push or slice or just really bad ball striking. Basically a sway can cause a problem... period. I am just starting testing on multiple products that I discovered down at the PGA Show in January. The company is called HoleOut Golf. HoleOut Golf came out with two products that combat a sway. The AntiSway and AntiSway Pro both detect excessive movement in the backswing. The premise is simple for this product... AntiSway keeps you centered over the ball and it works. I don't want to write too much about it now as a review will be coming out soon. Another product that I will be discussing real soon on my website is a neat little product that I was handed two years ago at the I-Trolley stop in front of my hotel. The Pin High Pro is a neat little product that ensures a proper weight transfer. "Staying in the shot" is something that my coach has preached to me and conversely... me to others. If you watch all of the guys and gals on Tour they stay back towards their trail leg and in a fraction of a second they all transfer to the lead leg and post up like you're supposed to after the ball is gone. If you hang back you most likely will lose your shot to a slice unless you've gone over the top and hit pull or worse pull hook. Pin High Pro works to eliminate this fault.

I could go on and on about training aids and their benefits. In this day and age of hitting nets and video there is no doubt that we can all turn ourselves into our own coaches... sort of. Training Aids can definitely help us but at the end of the day you have to know what you're doing and looking for. This is where a trained eye of an instructor can help.

To see product reviews on some of the products mentioned please visit alexandertothgolf.com and click on the News and Reviews header.

Until the next tee.