Best Golf Training Aids 2024: The tried and tested tools to take your game to the next level
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Add more purpose to your practice with the best golf training aids and see the scorecard satisfaction for yourself.
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Golf is awash with training aids that promise to transform elements of your game, claiming to be one of the best golf accessories money can buy. For this reason, we always recommend consulting a PGA Pro if you are unsure how credible the claims are, and if they’re even valid for achieving the performance benefits you’re after. This guide aims to point you in the right direction and give you an idea of the type of training aids worth considering.
Finding time to play golf is challenging enough, and finding time to practice is even rarer. That’s why ease of use is hugely important when it comes to choosing golf training aids, otherwise, you run the risk of investing money that never sees the light of day. Ten minutes a day on one of the best putting mats or using the best alignment sticks for example can make a noticeable difference to your scorecard over time and is certainly preferable to something cumbersome and complicated that may only get wheeled out every few months.
Best At A Glance
Best putting-focussed training aid: PuttOut Devil Balls | Buy Now
Best swing-focussed training aid: SuperSpeed Golf Training System | Buy Now
Best alignment-focussed training aid: Me and My Golf Ball Striker Alignment Towel | Buy Now
Best digital-focussed training aid: Arccos Caddie Shot-Tracking System (Gen3+) | Buy Now
Continual advances in technology are helping to push forward the capabilities of golf training aids from the best shot-tracking devices to launch monitors to home simulators. Tour-level data and statistics have never been more accessible to club golfers, particularly thanks to the endeavors of companies such as Shot Scope and Arccos, which provide the objectivity to inform your game’s relative strengths and weaknesses.
Once you’ve identified the areas of your game that need attention, you can start searching for the perfect aid to address them. Often the solution is relatively uncomplicated and shouldn’t break the bank, such as this revolutionary golf glove from Me & My Golf that reinforces optimal hand positioning on your grip, or these alignment sticks from Callaway for simple feedback on aim and swing path.
We’ve divided our pick of the best golf training aids into a few broad categories to help you narrow down your focus, starting on the dance floor, where there are huge scorecard gains to be had from fine-tuning your putting performance.
Best Golf Training Aids 2024: Putting
A useful every day putting mat for medium to fast-paced greens
Best putting mat for everyday practice
The 6ft mat is printed with alignment lines at 1ft intervals and pace targets, designed to enhance your visual feedback. The mat has been designed with usability in mind, rolling flat straight out of the packaging, and comes equipped with a black drawstring carry bag. While useful on its own, the mat can be combined with the PuttOut Pressure Putt Trainer, Putting Mirror, or Pro Putting Gates to create a complete putting practice package.
Pros
- Useful alignment and pacing markers
- Easy set-up and rolls out flat
- Choice of colour options
Cons
- Designed for flat puts only
Features | Alignment guide and distance markings |
Size | 240 x 50 cm |
Colours | Green, Grey, Blue |
Stimpmeter | 10 |
Developed using drills the pros use to build confidence
Best putting aid for simplicity
Designed to fold down to fit easily into your golf bag, it recreates the pressure you would feel during a competitive round of golf with a micro-target that will only hold putts that are bang online and perfectly paced. If you miss the micro-target, the amount the ball rolls back towards you is the distance the ball would have traveled past the hole if it hadn’t been online.
A very clever design from PuttOut and combines well with other PuttOut products, such as the putting matt or Devil Balls that are included in this guide.
Pros
- Portable and simple to use
- Ideal for immediate feedback on line and pace
- Durable and hard-wearing
Cons
- Works best combined with the PuttOut mat
Material | Polycarbonate |
Weight | 0.2kg |
Colours | Blue, Orange, Red, Clear |
A fantastically simple concept to help improve your putting face angle.
Devil Balls reduce the tolerance for making putts making it twice as hard for you to hit the middle of the cup. Imperfect strikes will cause the Devil Ball to deviate offline due to its flat-edged impact zone that exaggerates the face angle of your putter at impact.
Devil Balls offer three levels of difficulty, from pro to beginner, which enables you to build up your proficiency and understand if you miss more putts due to the face being too open or closed at impact.
Pros
- Instant feedback on whether your face is too open or closed
- Real golf ball feel off the face
- Three levels of progression
Cons
- Best for short putts of up to 6ft
Set | 2 Balls |
Material | Polymer and Elastomer |
Colour | White + Grey |
A unique training aid combination to improve your performance on the greens.
The mat features clear markings, including distances, start line, apex, and a regulation-size hole, facilitating various putting drills. The mat rolls flat for convenient storage and comes with a protective carry bag. Overall, it offers an excellent solution for practicing and improving your putting technique at home.
As with all ME AND MY GOLF products, golfers can access training videos by scanning the included QR code, which provides exclusive tips, coaching, and specific drills to get the most out of the training aid.
Pros
- Simulates breaking putts
- Simple to setup, use, and store
- Access to training video support
Cons
- Missing an actual hole for the price
Features | Distance markings, colour-coded start lines, 3 weight-biased balls |
Size | 11ft |
Colour | Black |
Stimpmeter | 11 |
A high-quality putting mat designed to perfect your pace.
The mat itself is of exceptional quality, and the lazy golfer will be particularly impressed by the wooden ramp that returns your ball to you after every putt. There are two target holes, one the size of a normal golf hole and one that’s a bit smaller.
Both holes are placed atop a slight incline, which is designed to encourage you to be positive with your pace and should stop you from leaving putts agonizingly short out on the course. There is also plenty of alignment and visual aids to perfect your start line and stroke.
Pros
- Raised holes to encourage a good pace
- Alignment checkpoints
- Auto-ball return
Cons
- May be slightly quick for some used to slower greens
Features | Alignment tracks, auto-ball return, two different-sized holes |
Sizes | 274 x 15 cm |
Colour | Green |
Stimpmeter | 10-14 |
Best Golf Training Aids: Swinging
An overspeed training system promising increased club speeds of 5-8%.
Best training aid for swing speed
Included in the package are three colour-coded swing sticks – green (lightest - 20% lighter than driver), blue (light - 10% lighter than driver), and red (heavy - 5% heavier than driver) – and enough online video instruction to keep you going for months. The makers claim it will increase clubhead speed by 5% in six weeks and only requires 30 minutes of use per week to reach that target.
This system works on the principle of overspeed training, which conditions movement patterns over time to adapt, and in this case, swing faster than normal. Increased swing speeds will transfer more energy into the ball at impact and result in greater hitting distances.
Pros
- Very simple to use
- Endorsed and used by professionals
- Includes free online tuition
Cons
- Requires disciplined use like all strength training programs
Set | 3 (Heavy, Medium, Light) |
Shaft material | Graphite |
Weight | 1.2kg |
A portable and durable multi-target net for practice anytime, anywhere.
Best all-round golf practice net
It has a fibreglass rod structure and tear-resistant cloth with double-layer overlocking built to withstand high impact, making it suitable for the fastest swing speeds.
The hanging targets are a nice addition to this net, allowing you to practice a variety of shots, from driving to chipping. The net comes complete with several useful accessories, including an 18mm rubber mat, rubber driving tee, golf balls, and a portable carry bag.
Read our best golf practice nets guide.
Pros
- Robust and durable construction
- Fun use of targets for more challenge
- Portable and can be used anywhere
Cons
- Takes a bit longer to set up than some
Dimensions | 10 x 7ft |
Material | Nylon, Fiberglass, Oxford cloth |
Weight | 4.12kg |
Fine-tune your chipping accuracy with three targets in one.
Best chipping net
The net features three target zones of different heights so you can practice a variety of chips. Additionally, users gain access to training videos from ME AND MY GOLF, where experts Piers Ward and Andy Proudman offer exclusive tips and coaching to maximize the effectiveness of the training aid.
Pros
- Quick pop-up design
- Portable and convenient to store
- Multiple target zones
Cons
- A relatively small chipping net
Weight | 0.4 kg |
Material | Plastic |
Color | Black |
Swing away and learn the feeling of correct impact.
Best golf smash bag
Made of durable, high-impact material, it can be filled with towels or clothes for safe usage. Overall, the SKLZ Smash Bag is a great tool to learn the correct feel of clubface impact and enhance the quality and consistency of your strikes.
Pros
- No set-up time involved
- Can absorb the most powerful blows
- Improves impact position and club speed
Cons
- Requires filling yourself
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 30 x 24.02 x 24.02 inches |
Weight | 1.5lbs |
Material | Nylon, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) |
Lock in proper swing mechanics with real-time feedback.
Best for arm positioning
The aid is suitable for all skill levels, helping to develop or maintain essential swing fundamentals. Even Rory McIlroy has been singing the praises of this type of aid in recent times. The StructureBall includes a target line indicator for confirming setup and correct alignment in real-time.
Pros
- Used and trusted by pros
- Helps refine swing in real-time
- Exposes major swing flaws
Cons
- Not the most portable of aids
Dimensions | 9.33 x 6.61 x 5.87" |
Weight | 0.45kg |
A swing training aid used by tour champions around the world.
Incorporating the Sure-Strike into your training or pre-round routine will help encourage improvements in the fluidity and consistency of your ball striking and, in addition, help generate more head speed. The aid has an ergonomic padded grip that ensures correct grip positioning and comes with an instruction booklet to help you engrain the most efficient mechanics.
Pros
- Developed by professional coaches
- Lightweight and durable
- Simple to use and portable
Cons
- Requires discipline and patience
Hand-orientation | Right or Left |
Loft | 45° |
Weight | 340g |
Voted the No.1 teaching and training aid by PGA and LPGA professionals.
Its real genius is you instantly know when the tempo isn’t quite right because of the famous wobble you get due to its design. Also a great way of warming up your muscles ahead of playing a round and reducing injury potential.
Pros
- Provides instant feedback on swing tempo
- Maximizes golf-specific strength characteristics
- The perfect way to warm up before you play
Cons
- Difficult to swing for less skilled and shorter golfers
Lengths | 35.5" 38", 43.5", 47" |
Material | Graphite |
Orientation | Ambidextrous |
Keep your arms and body in synch with this simple and effective aid.
Best for swing fundamentals
The versatile one-size-fits-all design accommodates both right and left-handed golfers and is suitable for all skill levels but particularly beneficial for beginners to the game. Its portable nature allows for easy transportation, as it rolls up to the size of a wallet, so you can keep it in your bag at all times.
Pros
- Easy to use, store and transport
- Durable elastic material
- One size fits all
Cons
- A resistance band may do the trick for some
Size | One-size |
Material | Rubber |
Colour | Orange |
Best Golf Training Aids: Alignment
Foldable, portable, and hard to lose.
Best major golf-brand sticks
This set of two 48" shock-corded steel rods can be broken down into half the size for easy storage in your golf bag. The set comes with handy instructional images on how best to use the training aid.
Read our best golf alignment sticks guide.
Pros
- Folds down to half-size for easy storage and transport
- Pointed ends for staking into the ground
- Comes with instructional images
Cons
- Only available in yellow
Number | Set of 2 |
Material | Plastic (steel cord) |
Color | Yellow |
Length | 48" |
Weight | 0.1kg |
A simple and versatile tool to perfect your ball striking and swing direction.
Best aid for path and angle of attack
The simple yet clever double-sided design will improve your confidence when it comes to ball striking, teaching you how to strike the ball first before the turf. The towel can be turned over, where the markings help you understand how to hit shots of differing heights, and folded in half so you can work on the swing path of your backswing or follow-through.
A bonus with this aid is the mini-series of training videos that can be accessed by scanning the ME AND MY GOLF QR code.
Read our full Me and My Golf Ball Striker Alignment Towel review.
Pros
- Very versatile and portable
- A great form of immediate feedback
- Helps improve a variety of shots
Cons
- Requires regular washing to keep dirt-free
Usage | Iron play and chipping |
Material | Plastic |
Colour | Black |
A high-quality magnetic rod to guide your swing angle and alignment.
Best magnetic alignment sticks
The shaft itself is high-quality, lightweight, and doesn't interfere with the true feel of the shot when standing over the ball. The rod also features a swing angle arrow indication to guide you to your target with the correct swing angle.
Pros
- Strong magnet
- Lightweight to maintain a real feel over the shot
- Very portable due to size
Cons
- Only compatible with metallic club faces
Set | One rod |
Material | Aluminium |
Colour | Black, Blue, Red |
Length | 9.5" |
Stay on the straight and narrow with the perfect grip on every swing.
Best glove for grip positioning
The glove stands up well in all weather conditions with exceptional grip and flexibility. Additionally, the glove is lightweight, breathable, and comfortable and is suitable for washing by hand or machine.
As with all ME AND MY GOLF products, golfers can access training videos by scanning the included QR code which provides exclusive tips, coaching, and specific drills to get the most out of the training aid.
Read our full ME AND MY GOLF True Grip Glove review.
Pros
- Easy to visualize correct hand positioning
- Good feel and all-weather performance
- Access to training video resources
Cons
- Not the most durable
Gloves | 1 |
Sizes | S-M, M-L, L-XL |
Material | Spandex, Polyurethane |
A perfect pre-round practice tool to lock in your grip.
Best for grip positioning training
Regular short bursts of repeated practice with a grip trainer force proper hand placement on every swing, creating better mechanics for a smoother and more consistent stroke. Being so small, it can be kept in your bag, so you're never without it when needed.
Pros
- Works effectively with all hand sizes
- Attaches to the majority of clubs
- Highly portable
Cons
- Built for right-hand golfers
Hand-orientation | Right |
Dimensions | 0.71 x 7.87 x 4.49 inches |
Weight | 0.1kg |
Best Golf Training Aids: Technology
Real-time feedback to help you understand your game.
Best mobile launch monitor
This mobile launch monitor, designed for use with an iPhone or iPad, uses Doppler radar technology to provide you with information on nine core golf metrics, including carry distance, ball speed, launch angle, and apex, just to name a few.
More impressively, it provides these metrics to within 2% accuracy of high-end launch monitors, making it a great lower-cost option for those wanting objectivity without the hefty price tag. The software also enables users to play back their swing in slow motion with shot tracer technology so you can analyze your ball flight and pinpoint exactly where your game needs adjusting.
Considering you are likely to always have your phone close to hand, this mobile launch monitor seems like a highly practical solution to those looking to measure and improve their game. To unlock the best features of this launch monitor, however, you need to upgrade to the Premium Membership which is not included in the standard purchase.
Read our best golf launch monitors guide.
Pros
- Portable and convenient
- Nine key metrics and shot tracer technology
- Good level of accuracy for the outlay
Cons
- iOS compatible only
Technology | Doppler Radar |
Dimensions (L x W x H) | 6.85 x 7.72 x 2.28" |
Weight | 0.44kg |
A complete simulator and golf swing launch monitor in one.
Best launch monitor-simulator hybrid
The user experience can be enhanced further in simulator mode with its photorealistic courses (for an optional subscription), that enable you to track the ball flight in vivid detail and provide real-world context to the numbers.
The unit itself is the size of a small tablet and can be easily controlled via the hand remote that's included. We found the SC4 straightforward to set up and use - it even gives you a voice output of distance! All in all, this is a great value portable launch monitor/simulator that will add fun and meaning to your practice sessions.
Read our best home golf simulators guide.
Pros
- Acceptable accuracy compared to premium models
- Option to play photorealistic courses with E6 Connect
- Easy to set up, use, and even speaks to you
Cons
- Jack of all trades, not quite a master of both
Technology | Doppler radar |
Dimensions <meta charset | "utf-8">(W x H x D) |
Weight | 589.5g (Incl. Battery & Remote) |
Battery Life | Approx. 10 hrs |
Understand your game from the official game trackers of the PGA Tour.