What do you pros think about training aids??

I am curious to know if the low handicap players here recommend any training aids. I know the pros endorse quite a few, but do they believe they work or is it just the money?

Forever wondering.

Great question.

I for one have used many devices to help align and improve/grove the swing.

It is down to individuals taste and to what ends you are trying to accomplish.

After all it is you and you alone that will be required to hit the shot under pressure of competition, but on the hole any aid that helps you gain confidence is a good product to use.

At this moment I find a cool glass of lager before a round goes down well!!

I have developed a few products and will soon be launching one on the market, at this moment it is going through its final test faze, but will meet many facets of the golf swing that seems to be missing either from one product to another.

Hope it makes me millions!! And helps golfers improve of course!!

Hi Cliff,

Interesting to note that you've been working on the development of golf swing training aids.

I hope that the venture is a huge success for you.

If you need a left-handed tester, based in the London area, let me know!!

best regards,

AlanN

Good for you Cliff!

Are there any devices that stand out as better than others, in your opinion?

Hi Cliff,

I presently do product testing. I've tested everything from clubs and balls to trainng devices and someone sent me bald headed sun screen!!! If you want a very thorough test I'll volunteer.

GolfBald

kbradb,

The toys I use the most are a ball spinner, clip on ball marker to darken the line for putting. (See picture in the video gallery)

I also warm up with the Momentus driver, I added a training grip, took 12 peices of tape but I got it on there. After I did testing on this, I tested a Dr Swinger. Looked like a crooked stick but I liked it better. The company made me send it back.

I am sometimes known as the king of PVC pipe. A tee adapter and a few short pieces of pipe make a great alignment tool. put your heels on the long section and place the ball in front perpendicular pipe. Helps with ball position and alignment, don't glue it just put the peices in your bag.

I also carry a 4 foot peice of rope and a 8 foot peice of rope for drills.

For putting, there is a gizmo on ebay where you make a laser that sits on your putter. You hit balls in your living room. I tried that and like it also.

Just some ideas,

GolfBald

__________________
The guy in the white hat!

About 5 years ago I found a training device that gave me the best feeling ever for timing and release through the ball/impact and completion of swing.

It was a 5 iron with a training grip the grip moulded your hands into a perfect position, and the club seamed to swing at about D4 weight, it also had a special joint placed in the kick point of the club.

If you swung the club inside or outside a perfect plane then the joint would break down at that point clearly showing at what point in the swing needed examination. The join could be set for a beginner with extra tension so the club would act almost like a real 5 iron, then you could slowly release the tension to give you a full test.

After a few goes and the understanding of pace not race/speed of swing I could strike the 5 iron 180 yards without it braking down through the swing.

This sort of training aid is a godsend for players young and old that tend to loose their way either in the back swing or follow through, and will give you the true understanding of tempo through impact.

But my new invention is not based on this sort of concept.

I would love to demonstrate what I have designed as and when the final product reaches its full potential.

Regards Cliff

I use a swing trainer built by Donnay. It's kinda of a half club with a weight at the end and a moulded grip to help your own grip. I'm not too keen on the moulded grip though, I might take it off and replace it with a normal one.

The idea is that it helps you to exercise your golf swing and promotes action in the legs rather than swinging from the shoulders. If you can't find one, I suggest you find an old club and fill it with sand until it weighs about 2 kilos ... or 4.4 lbs.

This is exactly the same model but built by a different manufacturer

http://www.onlinegolf.co.uk/ishop/8/shopscr684.html

Thanks for all the input guys!