Golf Training Aids - Can They Really Improve your Game

Looking to improve or maintain a respectable golf handicap, who isn’t? A low golf handicap is difficult to achieve and especially difficult to keep up if you’re not lucky enough to play on a regular basis. One proven solution is the use of golf training aids. What training aids work best? Each golfer should look at what part of their golf game needs improvement, putting, chipping, ball striking, distance, swing, or overall inconsistencies. While I love the game, overall inconsistencies is my problem.

If putting is your area of weakness you can choose from a large selection of indoor/outdoor putting greens to use at home, or depending on your situation, the office. Indoor putting greens may not have the contours of real golf course greens, however they allow you to practice any time. Outdoor putting greens are a little more like the real thing. While outdoor putting greens are a synthetic surface, you can give them some contour and slope. Artificial putting greens will assist you in developing a consistent, smooth putting stroke enabling you to sink putts in fewer strokes.

Chipping can be improved with the use of on target chipping nets and backyard flagstick poles. Land a chip in one of the nets or hit one of the flagsticks and you are on target. Chipping from a golf mat is suggested to simulate golf course conditions as much as possible. Chipping into nets or at flagsticks will improve your accuracy and contact with the ball. Using different wedges from multiple distances will also teach you which club to use for that distance and striking speeds necessary for the ball to land perfectly, without undershooting or overshooting your target.

Ball striking is always difficult to master. The pro's make it look so easy. Just remember the pro's have hit thousands of golf balls to develop and maintain that great swing. If you can’t make it to the driving range you can practice your swing with a golf cage or net. You will improve swing consistency, strengthen your swing, and learn to make superior ball contact every time. Golf cages or nets are convenient for practice and can be used outdoors or indoors enabling you to practice in foul weather. Most cages and golf nets sell for less than $100.00, making them more cost effective training aids then the driving range. Practice golf balls are also useful in developing and maintaining the perfect swing. Practice balls simulate the spin, trajectory, and accuracy of a real golf ball, but only travel a short distance. This is another convenient training aid that will permit you to practice anytime in your own backyard.

Golf training videos, books, CD’s, and DVD’s are also available from golf professionals such as Butch Harmon, David Leadbetter, and Jim McLean. These types of training aids will teach you the fundamentals of correctly playing the game, while demonstrating proper technique. If you are thinking of taking up golf these tools are cheap and will give you an idea of whether or not this is a sport for you, prior to investing money in very costly equipment.

Given the time and dedication golf training aids will continue to improve, develop, and maintain all areas of golf play. Granted nothing will ever be as good as the real thing, but you know what they say about practice making perfect.