blasblasOne thing I know for sure: most golfers don’t practice with much consistent purpose.
And I think a lot of that is that they aren’t entirely sure of what to work on. I know that’s often the case for me.
What I’ve found to be the best training aids are the ones that help me feel what’s going on so that I can thereby better understand how to fix what’s incorrect.
The trouble with golf though is that there are so many various components to it. No one training aid addresses every potential flaw.
That’s why this list isn’t so much about finding the exact best overall training aid as much as it’s about finding the one that addresses the specific issue you need to take on.
Before you spend a dime, be honest with yourself.
Everyone wants more distance. And more speed is great, all things being equal. But a faster swing with the same flaws is just a faster bad swing. If your clubface is a mess, more speed probably just means bigger misses.
So start with your biggest problem, not the coolest gadget.
And I believe that if you find your issue or problem on this list, you’re going to find your solution. I’ve tested all but one of these products myself, along with a bunch of products that didn’t make the cut, and these are the training aids I’d actually buy.
1. HackMotion 4: Best Overall Golf Training Aid
If I could only recommend one training aid for most golfers, this would be it. I know I said there’s no perfect training aid, and that’s definitely true. But this is still the one that I think has the best chance to serve the most number of people.
A couple of years ago, I was lukewarm on HackMotion. Solid product, I thought, just not really for me. The fourth generation changed my mind completely.
Here’s how it helped me. Your wrists are the only part of your body that directly control the clubface. And the clubface controls where the ball goes. Fix the wrist, fix the face, fix the shot.
HackMotion straps a sensor to your lead wrist and the back of your hand, then shows you exactly what that wrist is doing at address, at the top, in the downswing, and at impact.
My diagnosis came fast. I was casting the club in the downswing, off by 1 to 3 degrees on most swings. Not severe, but enough to cost me distance and consistency.
The new strap goes under your glove instead of clipping onto it, which is more secure and a lot more discreet. And it now captures 800 frames per second, up from 100 on the version I first tested.
The catch is that it’s focused exclusively on wrist angle, so it won’t help with alignment or body rotation. And it gets expensive quickly if you want putting analysis or tour player comparisons. For most golfers, the Core package is the right call.
- What it trains: Lead wrist angle and clubface control
- Best for: Golfers with an inconsistent clubface
- Price: $345 before discount (Core)
- Discount: Use HackMotion discount code BREAKINGEIGHTY5 to save 5%
- Our full review: Can It Actually Make You a Better Golfer?
Do you have an inconsistent swing and know wrist angle may be the culprit? There's not a better swing trainer on the market to help you fix it.
Use code BREAKINGEIGHTY5 to save 5%
2. The Stack System: Best for Adding Speed
The Stack works. Nobody I’ve talked to argues with that. If you commit to it for a few weeks, you’ll swing faster.
This is a short, hybrid-length training club with five milled weights that thread onto the end. That gives you 30 combinations, anywhere from 0 to 300 grams.
Pair it with the app and a radar, and it runs a baseline, figures out how you personally produce speed, and builds a custom program around it.
The entry program, called Foundation, runs roughly 18 sessions over about six weeks. Every session tells you which weight to load, how many reps to take, how hard to swing, and how long to rest. You just do what the app says.
The hardware is excellent. The CNC-milled weights thread on cleanly, nothing rattles, and it feels like a product from a major brand rather than a startup. It’s short enough to swing indoors if you’ve got decent ceiling height.
You do need a radar launch monitor that reads clubhead speed. You can buy the hardware alone for $299 and pair it with a radar you already own, or get it bundled with the Stack Radar for $499.
- What it trains: Swing speed
- Best for: Committed golfers with solid fundamentals who want more distance
- Price: $299 (hardware only), $499 (with Stack Radar)
- Discount: Use Stack System discount code BREAKINGEIGHTY to save 10%
- Subscription: First year of Premium included, then $99/year for speed training or $129/year for Premium with Stack Stats
- Our full review: The Stack System is the Smartest Speed Trainer in Golf
The Stack System is the best fully integrated swing and speed training system on the market. Simple as that. Use code BREAKINGEIGHTY to save 10%
3. FlightScope Mevo Gen 2: Best Launch Monitor for Practice
Used correctly, a launch monitor might be the most useful training aid you can own because it gives you the most information. And no launch monitor anywhere near its price point gives you as much information and analysis as the FlightScope Mevo Gen 2.
There are a lot of great launch monitors out there, and this certainly isn’t the only one worth considering. But if you want a launch monitor that doubles as a real learning tool, the Mevo Gen 2 is my pick. Especially considering you get a professional-level experience for only $1,234 (after FlightScope code BREAKINGEIGHTYPLUS) with no subscriptions.
The reason is the software. The Mevo Gen 2 runs the same FS Golf app as FlightScope’s $15,000 X3c. You can customize your data views any way you want, set data margins, watch a real-time shot tracer, and even get your numbers on an Apple Watch after every shot.
It’s also flexible. You can start with ball data, and when you’re ready to dig deeper, you can unlock full club data with the Pro Package and Face Impact Location. Those add-ons are currently bundled for $975 (normally $1,499), which puts the complete package just over $2,000 with our code. That’s less than the old Mevo Plus cost on its own.
There’s no subscription, including to connect to third-party simulator software like GSPro. It also integrates directly with the Stack app we just talked about, which makes it a natural pairing if speed training is on your list.
- What it trains: Everything a launch monitor measures
- Best for: Golfers who want to practice with real numbers
- Price: $1,234 (After Discount). Pro Package and Face Impact Location bundle currently $975, normally $1,499.
- Code: Use the FlightScope code BREAKINGEIGHTYPLUS to save 5%
- Our full review: The FlightScope Mevo Gen 2 Launch Monitor is an Incredible Value
The Mevo Gen 2 is the updated version of our longtime favorite Mevo Plus. Now that it provides the ability to upgrade to Pro Package and Impact Detection? It's an easy choice for our favorite overall.
Use Code BREAKINGEIGHTYPLUS to save 5%.
4. deWiz: Best for Overhauling Your Swing
The deWiz is basically Pavlov for golfers.
Yes, it can quite literally shock you when your swing falls outside the parameters you set. But don’t worry, the shock is optional, and deWiz is far more than a gimmick.
It looks like a smartwatch without a display. Strap it on your wrist, address the ball, pause for a second, and swing. Within a couple of seconds, you get your transition distance, backswing plane and length, tempo, max hand speed, and more. Plus a 3D animation of your exact swing that you can scroll through and view from any angle.
The transition data is what sets it apart. I’ve got a big over-the-top move and a steep downswing, which is exactly what causes my slice. deWiz showed me my transition was running 3 to 4 inches, and that many of the times I thought I was fixing it, I was actually getting worse.
For me, half swings were the key. I got my transition down from 4 inches to 1 inch that way, then slowly lengthened the swing from there. And because it tracks with or without a ball, you can get those reps in anywhere.
There are 7 levels of learning stimuli, and even level 1 gets your attention. Level 3 is a legit sting. You can also set it to make a sound instead.
- What it trains: Transition, backswing plane and length, tempo, and wedge distance control
- Best for: Dedicated golfers making real swing changes
- Price: $799
- Our full review: A Shockingly Good Golf Training Aid
If you're looking to fix your slice or change your swing, this is our favorite training aid we've tested. Use code "BREAKING" to save $100 on your deWiz.
5. Puttr: Best Training Aid for Putting
Let’s face it, practicing putting can get pretty boring.
That said, we all know that this is really probably the fastest way to lower our scores. But that still doesn’t make it very fun.
Puttr fixes that. It’s one of the most fun golf tech products I’ve ever used.
It’s a smart putting green in a box. Open the front, roll out the mat, snap together the magnetic ball return, and you’re putting in minutes. The mat has 27 putting locations from 3 to 11 feet, and cameras built into the unit track every putt, measuring your speed and exactly where the ball entered the hole.
Then there are the games. More than 100 of them. Some are pure practice, like Ladder, or FORE, where you see how many 4-footers you can make in a row.
Others are built for friends and a few beers. Horse, Cricket. And yes, putting beer pong. It’s exactly as much fun as it sounds.
When I first reviewed Puttr, my biggest complaint was the subscription. That’s gotten a lot better. The base unit now covers all the games, including online play, and your stats without any subscription at all. Puttr Club is optional and adds performance-based coaching, guided drills, tournaments, and lessons.
- What it trains: Putting speed, start line, and makes under pressure
- Best for: Golfers who know they should practice putting more but never do
- Price: $699
- Our full review: Is This the Ultimate Golf Training Aid? Well…
This is hands down one of the coolest golf products I've tested. Not only will it make you a better putter, it will make practicing more fun than you ever thought it could be.
6. GolfForever: Best Golf Fitness Program
Sometimes the thing that’s holding you back isn’t your swing so much as your body.
GolfForever is the pick for golfers who know they should be working out but need something golf-specific to actually stick with it.
There are two parts. The Swing Trainer+ is a 44.5-inch resistance training bar with bands, handles, and weighted ball attachments that turn it into a heavy warm-up club. The app is where it comes to life, with more than 500 workouts and a personalized daily routine built from a short assessment of your strength and range of motion.
Each daily workout pairs two videos. In our testing, that usually meant a fundamental session of 15 to 20 minutes, followed by a rotational power session of another 20 to 25 minutes. It gradually ranges up in intensity, and you can tell it when a workout was too easy or too hard.
The results are real. Balance, cardio, strength, all improvements that definitely help anyone’s golf game.
The subscription renews at $199 a year after the first year. That’s a lot less than a personal trainer, but it only makes sense if you use it. That’s true of any program like this, the Stack included.
- What it trains: Strength, mobility, balance, and rotational power
- Best for: Golfers who need a golf-specific reason to work out
- Price: $349.99 before discount
- Code: Golf Forever discount code BE15 saves 15%
- Our full review: Is It the Ultimate Swing Trainer?
Looking for a golf training program that really works? This is without a doubt one of the best out there. Save 15% with the code BE15!
7. SuperSpeed: Best Budget Speed Trainer
If the Stack sounds like more commitment than you’re ready for, SuperSpeed is where I’d start.
It’s the product that put overspeed training on the map. The idea is the same as the Stack: swing something as fast as you possibly can, over and over, until your body accepts that it’s allowed to move that quickly.
But SuperSpeed keeps it really simple. Three weighted sticks, light to heavy. A fixed set of protocols. Workouts take about five minutes, a few times a week. No app or radar required.
This also makes for a great warm-up before a round, and it’s a good way to feel what swinging faster without swinging harder actually feels like.
The tradeoff is that it’s a tool, not a system. There’s no custom program, data, or accountability built in.
If you already know you’re going to commit, the Stack is the better tool. But if you’re speed-curious or on a tight budget, starting here is absolutely reasonable.
- What it trains: Swing speed through overspeed training
- Best for: Speed-curious golfers, tight budgets, and quick pre-round warm-up
- Price: $139.99
- Our full review: Can It Add Distance to Your Golf Game?
Looking to increase your swing speed, quickly? Then this is one of the very best training tools on the market for adding distance to all your shots.
8. Blast Motion: Best Budget Swing Sensor
Blast Motion packs a ton of tech into a tiny package.
The sensor is a small disc, about the size of five stacked quarters, that sits in a rubber holder on the grip end of any club or putter. It comes with two holders, one for regular grips and one for oversize putter grips.
Pair it with the app, and you get instant feedback on every swing and stroke.
Where it shines for me is tempo and putting. On the green, it focuses on your stroke tempo and how much the face rotates, so you can see if you’re too open or closed at impact.
On full swings, I found it most useful for dialing in the ratio between my backswing and downswing.
The video feature surprised me too. You can add video to any swing and go frame by frame with the data right beside it.
My full review is a few years old now, so a couple of things have changed. The price is still $149.95, but it now includes one month of membership. After that, there’s a limited free tier, or premium runs $9.99 a month or $74.90 a year.
- What it trains: Tempo, putting stroke, and face rotation
- Best for: Budget-minded golfers, and anyone who wants to tighten up their putting stroke and tempo
- Price: $149.95 (includes one month of membership)
- Subscription: Limited free tier, premium $9.99/month or $74.90/year
- Our full review: A Ton of Tech in a Tiny Package
Blast Motion is one of the best ways to track the intricacies of your golf swing. It works especially well for getting your putting stroke on plane, and is a fantastic way to practice on the range, on the putting green, or even better, at home.
9. Performance Golf SpeedTrac: Best Speed Trainer for Face Control
We just got this product in and it’s due for testing very soon, so keep an eye out for updates once we’ve got more personal experience to share.
The reason it’s on this list is that it’s trying to solve the exact problem I keep coming back to with speed training. A faster swing with the same flaws is just a faster bad swing.
Most speed trainers, the Stack and SuperSpeed included, are essentially a shaft with weight on the end. SpeedTrac, from Performance Golf, takes a different approach. It puts the weight inside a real clubhead, a mini-driver shaped “Speed Spoon,” on a track that runs from heel to toe.
The idea is that you can train speed and clubface control at the same time. According to Performance Golf, you put the weight in the heel if you slice, the toe if you hook, and the center for neutral speed training.
Combine those three positions with four weight levels, and you get 12 configurations.
It’s 43 inches long, and it’s swing-only. You can’t hit balls with it. It comes with a 10-swing training program from World Long Drive champion Martin Borgmeier inside Performance Golf’s PG1 app, which includes a 7-day free trial.
- What it trains: Swing speed and clubface awareness
- Best for: Golfers who want more speed but worry about making their slice or hook worse
- Price: $299 retail, but typically found on sale for $179
- Subscription: None required (PG1 app includes a 7-day free trial)
- Review: Coming Soon
One of the more interesting ideas in speed training. Adjustable weight in a real club head lets you train for speed and face control at the same time.
10. Garmin Cirqa: Best for Tracking Recovery and Readiness
This one isn’t a training aid in the traditional sense. It won’t fix your swing or add any speed.
What it does is tell you how ready your body is to perform. And if you’re putting real work into your game, that’s useful information.
The Cirqa is a screenless health and fitness band. No watch face, no touchscreen, no stream of notifications. You can wear it on your wrist or move it up to your bicep and hide it under a sleeve entirely. Everything happens in the Garmin Connect app.
For $199.99, it packs in a surprising amount of Garmin’s top-tier health tracking: Body Battery, Training Readiness, Training Status, Recovery Time, HRV Status, VO2 Max, Sleep Score, Sleep Coach, and more. In Garmin’s golf lineup, you don’t get Training Readiness until the $699 Approach S70.
There’s a Golf activity profile, but don’t confuse it with a golf GPS. It won’t show yardages or maps. It simply records your round as a physical activity.
Battery life is rated for up to 10 days, and in my experience, it drops about 10% a day.
And unlike Whoop or Oura, there’s no required subscription for the core features.
- What it trains: Nothing directly; it tracks sleep, recovery, and training readiness
- Best for: Golfers who want Garmin’s health data without wearing a smartwatch all day
- Price: $199.99
- Our full review: 5 Reasons You Should Buy the Garmin Cirqa Smart Band
Want to track Garmin data without having to wear a Garmin smartwatch? The new Cirqa is the absolute best way to do it.
11. XControl Grips: Best Grips for Improving Your Game
Most golf grips are designed to feel comfortable and stay out of the way. XControl grips are designed to give you feedback.
The unique shape makes it much easier to feel where the clubface is throughout your swing. Rather than guessing whether the face is open, closed, or square, you can feel its orientation through your hands.
That makes these more of a training aid than a traditional golf grip.
There’s no app, sensor, battery, or data to analyze. Install one on a club, start hitting balls, and you immediately get tactile feedback about what the clubface is doing.
The biggest caveat is that XControl grips aren’t conforming under the Rules of Golf. You won’t be able to use them during competitive rounds, and the unusual shape will take some time to get used to.
Because of that, I don’t think most golfers need to put them on an entire set. Installing one on a practice club, probably a 7-iron, is a much more practical way to use them. For around $15, it’s a simple and relatively inexpensive way to work on your grip and clubface awareness.
- What it trains: Grip consistency and clubface awareness
- Best for: Golfers who struggle to feel whether the clubface is open, closed, or square
- Price: Starting at $12.99 for an individual grip; $165 for a full set of 13
- Discount: Use XControl discount code BE15 to save 15%.
- Important: XControl swing grips aren’t conforming under the Rules of Golf
- Our full review: Can XControl Grips Actually Help You Play Better Golf?
The XControl is a flat-sided, tennis-inspired grip built to let you feel exactly where your clubface is pointing. They work shockingly well.
The catch is that the flat shape makes them non-conforming. But if that doesn't matter to you? These live up to the hype.
Use code BE15 to save 15%
Which Golf Training Aid Should You Buy?
Let’s recap who I think each of these devices is best for.
- I’d pick the HackMotion 4 if your clubface is inconsistent and you want to know your practice is actually working.
- Choose the Stack if your fundamentals are solid and you’re ready to commit to getting faster.
- Go with the Mevo Gen 2 if you want real numbers behind every range session.
- I’d recommend the deWiz if you’re making a serious swing change, especially fixing an over-the-top move.
- I love Puttr for keeping putting practice fun and engaging.
- I think Golf Forever is a smart move for any golfer who needs some golf-specific motivation to get their fitness on track.
- SuperSpeed is best if you’re speed-curious or on a tight budget.
- Choose Blast Motion if you want to dial in your tempo and putting stroke for less than $150.
- SpeedTrac is made for someone who wants more speed but is worried about making your big miss bigger.
- The Garmin Cirqa is right if you want to track recovery and readiness without wearing a smartwatch.
- XControl is great for a very affordable way to actually start feeling where your clubface is at impact.
Whichever ones you pick, the same rule applies. A training aid only works if you use it.
Be honest about how much time you’ll actually put in, and buy accordingly.
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