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Most athletes are familiar with legendary football coach Vince Lombardi’s famous quote about practicing–“Practice doesn’t make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.”
Over the years sports psychologists have debated the actual accuracy of Lombardi’s quote, but his message was clear: to properly perform any complex athletic motion effectively and consistently requires that it be developed through frequent practice using sound mechanics. Continually using faulty technique during practice sessions will only serve to ingrain a flawed and inconsistent motion. Hence the corollary to Lombardi’s quote: “Practice doesn’t make perfect. Practice makes it permanent.”
Here at Greystone, we provide our Members with as many tools to refine their game as possible. Whether you’re an avid golfer or just picking up clubs for the first time, our Pros aim to meet you where you’re at and help you achieve your goals.
So how can golfers improve their practice sessions so that they are building the correct muscle memory to produce better and more consistent swings? We spoke with Brian Speakman, Lead Golf Instructor at Greystone, to gain more insight into golf training aids.
Do Golf Training Aids Actually Work?
From talking with Brian, it is evident that yes, training aids can be very effective, but their success often depends on how they’re used and on the specific needs of the golfer.
Keep in mind that training aids are purpose-specific, which means that they are designed to address one particular aspect of the game. Consequently, the first task of golfers is to correctly identify which specific area(s) of their game need improvement (ideally done with the help of a PGA Instructor like Greystone’s finest Jon Gibbons or Mark Blackburn).
The potential areas of concern, and their associated training aids, can be extremely varied and extensive, resulting in a marketplace of literally hundreds of products. The devices range from those meant to address important basic fundamentals like grip, stance, posture, and alignment, to more complex aspects like club or putter face angle, correct wrist angles, proper swing path, better weight shift, increasing your swing speed, etc.
Golf Training Aids Recommendations
The first notion that needs to be dispelled is that, to be effective, a golf training aid will perform better if it involves a significant investment. To be sure, there are many expensive, high-tech swing aids that might be game-changing for you (the upper end of the launch monitor market, for example, features products that can cost in the vicinity of $20,000).
But at the other end of the spectrum, there are dozens of very popular swing training aids that are far more wallet-friendly and, depending on the issue you’re trying to address, just as effective (some of which sold at the Greystone Pro Shop, too). Bottom line: it is definitely not true that the benefit you can derive is proportional to the price you pay.
With that in mind, here are some of Brians’s highly recommended golf training aids. If your particular area of concern is addressed by any of these, you can buy them with high confidence. If these particular suggestions don’t happen to coincide with your area of need, go through the steps we outlined above to find highly-rated devices that can help you improve your game.
Here are 5 highly-rated training aids that can help you improve various aspects of your game:
- Basic Alignment Sticks (for stance, alignment, ball position)
Alignment Sticks are probably the single most ubiquitous training aid of them all. If you attend a PGA Tour event and watch their pre-round range sessions, you’ll see that almost every single pro uses alignment sticks as an integral tool during their practice. What does it tell you when the best players in the world still use the most basic of training aids?
It says that alignment is one of the most important aspects of your setup, and even the PGA pros take it very seriously.
- The Orange Whip (for swing tempo and timing)
Designed to help develop a smooth, balanced golf swing, the Orange Whip has an ultra-flexible golf shaft with a weighted orange ball, about the size of a baseball, attached to where a golf head would be. A counter-weighted golf ball is on the grip end.
The main purpose of the Orange Whip is to help golfers develop better tempos in their swings. When you work with it, you’ll immediately notice that its shaft is so flexible and “whippy” that you’re forced to swing it with a very smooth and measured rhythm. Working with it regularly over time, you’ll begin to develop a sense of tempo and timing, along with the muscle memory that will translate to your actual swing.
It also provides a great physical workout as you use it to warm up and stretch before a round or a range session. Just 10-20 swings with the Orange Whip and you’ll be ready to go.
- The Devil Ball (putter training aid for better face control)
It’s been shown that most amateur golfers could lower their scores by as many as 5 strokes with improved putting. It’s also been proven that approximately 90% of getting a putt started on line is having a square putter face at impact. But that’s not as easy as it sounds.
To illustrate this point, Brain shared: If your putter face is open or closed a mere 1 degree at impact, you will entirely miss the hole from 8 feet! In other words, the importance of producing a square face when you putt can’t be overstated.
That’s the exact purpose of the very popular Devil Ball putter training aid. The flat-edged impact zone gives you instant, exaggerated feedback on your putter face. Only a square face will make Devil Ball roll straight. If you deliver a closed putter face, Devil Ball will spin off erratically to the left of the hole. Deliver an open face and it will spin off to the right. Regular practice with the Devil Ball will help train you to deliver your putter face back to the ball square.
- SuperSpeed Golf Training System (for increasing swing speed)
There’s no denying that adding distance is the Holy Grail for golfers at every level. From professionals and highly skilled amateurs to higher-handicappers, everyone knows that adding 15-20 yards (or more) to their shots can make a huge difference in their scoring.
The SuperSpeed Training System is a very effective tool that can help golfers to increase their swing speed and, therefore, their distance.
How does the SuperSpeed System accomplish this? It’s based on a scientifically proven biomechanics training methodology called Overspeed Training.
The oversimplified explanation goes like this: Your brain remembers how fast your body usually moves when you make a golf swing. Overspeed Training works by making your body move faster than normal during the training, gradually causing the brain to remember this faster speed.
You may have noticed that Padraig Harrington is now hitting the ball much farther on the Champions Tour than he ever did on the PGA Tour. How did he do that? He is an avid user (and endorser) of the SuperSpeed Training System.
If you feel that added distance is something that can take your game to the next level, you should look into this highly-rated training aid.
- Greystone Golf Performance Center (delivers player development)
Blackburn Golf & The Greystone Instruction Team is the ultimate golf training aid. While this may not be a universally recognized training aid, it certainly has undeniable benefits.
- Year-Round World-Class Instruction
Benefit from expert teaching by certified instructors at Blackburn Golf Academy, available all year long. - State-of-the-Art Indoor Facilities
Train in one of our three indoor teaching bays, perfect for both individual and group lessons. - Advanced Swing Analysis
Use multi-camera V1 motion analysis to watch and review your swing in high-speed slow-motion playback through the Blackburn Golf V1 Online Academy. - Comprehensive Training Programs
Enhance your performance with a wide range of specialized services, including physical screening, power testing, functional movement correction, golf-specific conditioning, neuro-mechanics training, video analysis, Trackman combine, ground reaction force analysis via force plates, 3D motion capture, Focus Band training, BodiTrak pressure mapping, Sam Puttlab analysis, and Aimpoint green reading. - Custom Club Services
Enjoy personalized club fitting and repair to ensure your equipment suits your game perfectly. - Inclusive Weekly Coaching
Join our weekly coaching programs, designed for all ages, genders, and skill levels to help you improve continuously.
At Greystone, we strive to be more than just a premier golf facility; we aim to be a guiding light in your golfing journey. Our commitment to delivering top-tier training and support reflects our dedication to not just practice, but perfect practice. We believe in Vince Lombardi’s philosophy that practicing with precision is key to mastering any sport. That’s why we provide our Members with a comprehensive suite of tools and expert guidance, tailored to enhance every aspect of their game.
