Best Golf Training Aids 2024

Golf is one of the most technically challenging sports out there and playing just once a week is certainly not enough to see you make big improvements. It's therefore wise to think about practicing more. And while we all have very busy schedules that restrict us from getting out on the course perhaps as much as we'd like, a comprehensive golf training aid is an excellent way to improve your skills. Manufacturers produce a whole variety of equipment, including some of the best golf accessories on the market, that can help you improve all parts of your game. You can use these tools to work on everything from your putting to your driving to help you become a more accomplished player.

You can also implement many of these tools both at home or on the driving range. And whether the training aids are designed to help you improve your swing or to perfect your putting, a little bit of work goes a long way and could see you knocking shots off your handicap. Below we've set out some of the best golf training aids on the market that we think will help you improve as a player. Be sure to also check out our guides on the best golf launch monitors, best golf simulator and our picks for the best golf net.

Our top pick

Best for swing training

For golfers looking to improve their swing and eliminate bad habits, the Sure-Strike training aid, which was designed and produced by Dan Frost, is a fantastic tool. This movement trainer is designed to help golfers further hone their swing, learning how to create better body positions and movements. With the idea being for this tool to inform the player about how they can locate the correct position to be in when swinging through the golf ball, both for short and long game. 

Whether you’ve found too much face rotation in your swing or seem to be hitting the ball off center, the Sure-Strike training aid can help. Using this feel-based tool can help to improve swing mechanism, further honing game play success. 

• Read our full Sure-Strike Training Aid Review

First in the list is the Devil Balls from PuttOUT; we were so impressed by these devious little balls that we included them in our Editors Choice Awards. It’s no secret that putting is one of the most complicated aspects of the game to hone, which is what makes tools like this one so popular with golfers. Particularly as, for golfers of all abilities, putting is where shots can be won or lost around the course, so improving putting skills is a task worth putting the time into. 

This fantastic putting training aid - which has three difficulty levels that reduce the tolerance of the face angle - offers instant feedback on the face angle of the putter at impact, thanks to its flat-edge impact zone. This unique design exaggerates the face angle of the club at impact, which makes the process of learning to keep the putter face square, through both the impact and strike, easier. 

When we put this putting aid to the test, we found that it was unlike any putting aid we’d ever used for practice before. We quickly gained a stronger understanding of face angle and found that our putts improved as a result. Our testers were also pleased with the alignment marker that comes in the pack and found that it acts as a useful training aid which encourages golfers to hit up on the ball. 

• Read our full PuttOUT Devil Balls Review

Best for slicers

For any golfer wanting to develop their timing and sequencing, the Champkey Golf Swing Trainer is a tool worth trying. Designed to help hone the rhythm and tempo of your golf swing, it works well for helping to improve timing and accuracy. 

Made for use both outside and indoors, this training aid features a high traction rubber grip, a flexible shaft, and a silica gel head. Whether you’re looking to improve golf swing tempo or increase muscle strength, this training aid is a great buy. 

When we put it to the test, we found that it took a little time to adjust to, but within a session or two you should start to gain a better insight into the right time to release the club. For mid-to-high handicappers who tend to lose tempo in high pressure situations and end up slicing the ball as a result, we think this tool will be highly beneficial. 

• Read our full Champkey Swing Trainer Review

Best for iron play

The GForce 7 Iron Swing Trainer is designed to support a wide range of golfing abilities, aiming to help hone swings, targeting swing faults and other transitionary issues. When used regularly, this swing trainer can also help golfers to improve both swing speed and rhythm. 

When we first put it to the test, we noticed that it did feel a little whippy, but also noted that it’s a really great training club that works well to help you warm up ahead of your round. Especially as the feedback offered is instant, meaning if you have a bad swing it allows you to determine what the issue is and how to approach correcting it. And, as it’s USGA approved, you can also use it out on the golf course, should you want to. 

Thanks to how flexible the shaft is, this training aid allows players to better understand the clubhead weight. This means that, when used over time, it’ll teach you how to ensure that you’re not hurling yourself at the ball, flick your wrists, or square the clubface. 

For exaggerating the feel and shot shape, this tool is a game-changer. It will help you to understand the feel through exactly what you’ve played.

• Read our full GForce 7 Iron Swing Trainer Review

Best putting mat

 The Perfect Practice Putting Mat has been endorsed by Dustin Johnson and is a great mat to help you dial in your putting game, it will help with pace control and more consistency at address. The mat comes in three parts, the mat itself that you attach to the raised wooden part that has two different-sized holes, the wooden backstop, and four wooden slats that you put together for the ball to be returned to you. It is easy to assemble and only takes a few minutes in total.

You have different lines on the mat which helps with the path and the starting line for putts. These elements really matter when looking for consistency on the greens. Clear visual aids like what you get on this mat, make it a great way to practice and get something meaningful out of practicing at home. For more aids like this, check out our best putting aids guide.

• Read our full Perfect Practice Perfect Putting Mat Review

Best for swing plane

The PlaneSwing is made to help players on their takeaways to make sure it is on the correct path, this gives you more of a chance to be consistent if you are starting on the right plane, from the get-go. If you are someone with a hook or slice, this can be one of the best ways to eliminate that miss. This is done by showing you the correct place the club should be in at every part of the golf swing, in time creating a more neutral path and straighter shots. This trainer is there for repetition to create that muscle memory for you to then take into a real-life golfing situation. 

With this, you get the Power Slider, which is a weighted training club that works in hand with the PlaneSwing. You will also get a Plane Guide Plane Checker and alignment mat, all with an instructional video of how to use it. This is one of the l; larger training aids so you need to make sure you have enough room for it, it can also take a bit of time to set up, but when packing it away it condenses down easily and can be stored easily. 

• Read our full PlaneSwing Training Aid Review

Best grip assistance

It's hard to over-emphasize the importance of a consistent grip and this glove is fantastic at giving you a neutral grip with some outstanding feedback features.

There are three blue silicone areas that will tell you that you've got a consistent grip on the club. Across the base of the left-hand fingers – this is just for right-handed golfers – is a blue channel which is crucial to sit the club in the right place, at the bottom of the fingers. There is a dual knuckle silicone spot on top of the glove, which will be visible when you look down on the ball, and an arrow tip which should point to your right shoulder.

As such this gives clear visual feedback on how you are setting up grip-wise which could help you eliminate flaws from the outset. The glove actually conforms to the Rules of Golf so there's no reason why you wouldn't play a few rounds to get yourself into some improved habits. The glove can come up slightly small but it does stretch well so I would recommend ordering to your usual sizing.

• Read our full Me And My Golf True Grip Glove review

Best for improving speed

The SuperSpeed Golf Training set claims to help golfers add a massive 30 yards onto overall driver distance, which is quite a claim. The manufacturer says that, in order to be able to achieve this kind of goal, it takes at least six weeks of patience and persistence to help increase club head speed. 

The set comes with three different golf shafts, each in varying colors and weights. The idea is to start by using the lightest shaft and swing as hard as you can on your dominant side, before then switching and doing the same on the other side. 

While we put this training aid to the test, we weren’t able to devote the amount of time needed to try this tool out to the full extent. But, after two weeks of testing, we did find that we were much happier with our swing speed, as well as noticing improved flexibility. 

• Read our full SuperSpeed Golf Training Set Review

Best putting mirror

For any golfer looking for immediate feedback on their swing, these mirrors are a really great tool to have on hand. With two mirrors included in this set, one for full swings and one for alignment, along with a storage pouch and adjustable stand, this is one of the best value training aids we’ve seen. 

For advanced visibility, both mirrors have a convex design, and one of the mirrors also features a number of alignment lines that can be used to ensure your putter remains square through impact, making it one of the best putting aids on the market. 

Another bonus of this training aid is the fact it comes with a selection of handy how-to videos from Me And My Golf, with the videos sharing advice for making the most of the mirrors and adjustable stand, including guidance on exactly which notch to set the stand to for different forms of training. 

• Read our full Mini-Max Training Mirrors Review

Best portable putting aid

If you’ve already got one of the PuttOUT putting mats, then you’re going to want to test out the PuttOUT Pressure Trainer that pairs perfectly with it. That said, this trainer can also be used on its own, helping you to practice hitting your putts at the ideal speed needed to rest the ball in the indentation. So, if you’ve not got a putting mat, don’t panic. You’ll be pleased to know that it works just as well on short carpet as it does on a putting mat. 

When we put this handy tool to the test we aren’t ashamed to admit that we found it challenging at first. But, with time and practice, once you’ve mastered the art of getting the ball at the perfect speed and angle to sit snugly in the indent, you’ll find that your on-green short game has seriously improved. 

This useful putting tool also comes in Premium and Platinum versions, with each of which being made from differing base materials. 

• Read our full PuttOUT Pressure Putt Trainer Review

Best for breaking putts

This putting mat comes with a set of three unique weighted golf balls that each features a different weight to help replicate three different types of break. The green ball has a slight break, the red ball has a medium break, and the blue ball has a heavy break. 

What makes this mat (and the revolutionary balls it comes with) so beneficial for golfers wanting to improve their game, is the fact that it allows users to practice breaking balls, rather than just straight putts. It adds another dimension at putting practice, ensuring that when you’re next out on the course you should feel confident with your putting. 

Interestingly, despite the weights of these balls, they aren’t clicky to play with and don’t feel all that different to regular golf balls. The mat itself is easy to set up, pack up, and transport, and offers medium to fast ball pay. 

• Read our full Breaking Ball Putting Mat review

How we test training aids

when it comes to testing training aids we think the best way to do this is by using it. This may seem like an obvious thing but we mean using it a lot, not just once to see how it works, this gives us an understanding of usability, versatility, durability, value for money, and above all else, does it actually have a positive impact on our game? We test products at home, the range on a putting green, or the course, we can then see if a specific training aid is performing where it is meant to and is actually worth it. We also pride ourselves on the fact that no manufacturer can buy a good review, with us all you will get is honesty whether it is good or bad. 

What to consider when buying a training aid

There are several factors to consider when looking at buying a training aid. Let's go into them here. 

1. What do you want to work on? 

First things first, what is the part of your game that needs work? Putting? Short-game? Grip? Whatever it is there will be a training aid to help so this is obviously the first question you have to consider. Indeed be very specific with this, because the more detailed you can be, the more a specific aid will help. 

2. Usability

Do you want a training aid to be simple to use, or do you want something that can be complicated so you can really delve into the process and fine-tune your game to minute detail? Ultimately there are models above and elsewhere in the golf world which are both. 

3. Versatility 

Do you want to be able to carry around the training aid? Do you want to be able to use it at home as well as the local course? Many aids slot nicely into your bag whilst others are more difficult to pack away and store. So have a think about how versatile and portable you want your training aid to be. 

4. Durability 

A good golf training aid should also be strong as well so be aware of what certain models are made from and whether brands offer warranty's on their products in case they break from use. 

5. Price 

Golf can be an expensive sport right and given the choice of buying new clubs, balls, bags or clothes, a training aid might be the bottom of that list despite it helping maybe the most. However it is important to realise that there are aids at lots of different price points so if you do decide to invest in one, be aware of how much you are willing to spend. 

6. Lessons? 

Our final point here is to have a good think about whether a training aid is the right way to go in solving a problem in your game. Perhaps investing in lessons may be a better way to go because a professional coach will be able to point out the issue and look at solving it, whereas a training aid may not get to the root of the issue. Whereas if you just want to gain more confidence by playing putting games or seeing the ball go in the hole, then a training aid like a model we picked above will be perfect for this and a lesson won't be needed. We cannot recommend thinking about this enough. 

If you're after more golf training aids, why not check out some of the best putting aids on the market, best alignment sticks and best putting mats.