Golf Forever Review: Is it the Ultimate Swing Trainer?

If you’re anything like me, you’ve got some serious room for improvement when it comes to fitness. In fact, if you’re like me, golf is about your only consistent exercise. Which is why I (and maybe you) find the GolfForever program so intriguing.

It’s one thing to work out regularly. And for as much as I want to do that, I typically make every excuse in the book as to why I can’t stick to a routine.

Time is my favorite go-to reason. And golf is a huge part of where all that time goes.

But a golf workout program?

Something that can help me get in better shape and help me play better golf, all at the same time?

Now that has my attention!

If I can improve my golf swing speed, strengthen my core to better maintain my balance and posture, increase my flexibility for a fuller shoulder turn and better backswing and avoid injury so that I can play pain free and for longer… All of the sudden, I’m motivated as a mo-fo.

In a nutshell, that’s what the GolfForever program promises. It’s marketed as a golf fitness program that helps you improve strength, conditioning, flexibility and balance in ways that benefit your game and your overall health and fitness.

But does it work?

And is it worth the price?

And if it does work and is a good value, how much work do you have to put in to see results?

I’m now 18 workouts into my GolfForever training program. While that may not be enough of a foothold to guarantee I won’t fall off the wagon tomorrow, I do think it’s enough of a taste for me to give some well-informed answers to those important questions.

So, if GolfForever and all of their slick commercials featuring guys like Scottie Scheffler and Justin Leonard have caught your attention, this GolfForever swing trainer review is for you.

What Is the GolfForever Program?

The GolfForever fitness program is quite simple, really. There are two main components.

You’ve got a package of equipment. And you’ve got a video library of workouts.

Just as you’d expect, the equipment is the physical things you’ll need to do the various exercises prescribed in the video workouts.

And the video library of workouts are made available through a membership to the GolfForever app, available for both iOS and Android.

You can buy the equipment and the membership separately, or you can purchase them as a bundle.

To buy just the equipment, called the GolfForever Swing Trainer, will cost you $199.99. With that, you’ll get:

• A 44.5-inch premium resistance training bar
• A light and medium resistance band with nylon safety sleeves
• Two detachable resistance band handles
• A D3 swing weight ball attachment
• An overloaded (i.e. heavier) ball attachment
• Two polymer carabiners
• A door anchor
• A carry bag
• A 30-day free trial to the GolfForver app

Or you can buy what’s called the Birdie Training System, which retails for $398.99 but is typically on sale for $348.99 (or about $320 after the BE10 discount) and comes with all of the same equipment but also a one-year membership and daily workout routines that are customized just for you based on information that you share with GolfForever upon purchase.

Then there’s the Eagle Training System, which retails for $468.98 but is always slashed to $403.98. That gives you all of the same equipment, the same one-year membership, and the same customized training program. But you also get a wall anchor set that includes:

• 3-pack set that includes high, mid and low anchor positions
• Stainless steel construction for rust-resistant performance
• Integrated storage port for the Swing Trainer
• 6 lag screws

And finally, for a full retail of $538.96 or the usual price of $453.96, you’ve got the Albatross Training System. That includes everything we’ve mentioned so far plus:

Mini Bands+

• Pinchfree fabric construction for comfort and durability
• Light/Medium/Heavy resistance levels
• Non-slip, non-roll design for consistent fit and function

Stability Ball+

• 1,000-pound burst-resistance rating and PVC membrane for commercial-grade durability and performance
• 65cm diameter
• Includes dual-action hand pump for fast inflation

After the initial trial period, the GolfForever app costs $24.99 per month or $199 per year.

As you’ve likely guessed, the way this all works is you use the equipment for the workouts that are made available to you in the app. Each workout is presented as a video with a trainer giving you instructions on each exercise and then doing the physical workout with you on the video.

Can you use the GolfForever swing trainer without the app? Yes, you’d essentially have nice resistance bands, the training bar and the other accessories, all of which could be used for rigorous workouts.

But the real magic of the GolfForever system is in the workout library. That’s where all of this comes to life. That’s how you learn all of the exercises that are going to help you get in better shape and play better golf.

How Does the GolfForever App Work?

As I mentioned, the GolfForever app is the hub of this whole system. It’s where all of the workouts are stored. And there are a lot of them — more than 500!

The app also keeps track of your progress, showing you how many and which workouts you’ve completed and giving you an overall Golf-Fit score and a weekly score to help you stay on track.

You’ll get eight points for each workout you do with an extra five points for every extra workout you complete in a given day. Your goal is to get to at least 70 points each week. Scores reset every Sunday evening.

The coolest thing about the app is that every day you’ll get “Today’s Workout.” And it’s tailored to you specifically.

When you create your account and purchase your membership, the app will take you through a series of questions. It will ask you things like your age, gender and weight. And then it will have you perform a series of exercises and ask you to provide your honest answers on whether or not you were able to properly perform the exercise.

All of this information gives GolfForever an idea of what kind of range of motion you have, what kind of cardio intensity you might be able to handle, and your overall strength levels.

The app will also ask you what kind of basic exercise equipment you have on hand. Things like a medicine ball or dumbbells. If you don’t have it, you just tell them that you don’t have it. And that way, they won’t ever feed you a workout that requires equipment that you don’t own.

So far, in my 18 workouts, all but one have been exclusively with the GolfForever Swing Trainer. I had one workout that was with dumbbells. I’d imagine as we progress, they’ll start to incorporate some other equipment, but I think the Swing Trainer bar and the resistance band will always be the core of the system.

Golf-Specific Exercises Customized for You

Once it has all of your information, GolfForever builds a program tailored to your level that will gradually ramp up in intensity each day.

It’s actually two workouts in two separate videos.

The workout library includes multiple workouts under the headings of:

• Pre-Round Warmups
• Fundamentals
• Rotational Power
• No-Equipment Workouts (meaning you don’t need the Swing Trainer; a great option if you’re traveling)
• Injury Prevention
• Cardio
• Stretching
• Education & Pain Relief
• Golf Performance
• Lessons with Justin Leonard

Each Daily Workout feeds you a video from two separate categories.

In my experience so far, my workouts have all started with a Fundamental video, which lasts for about 15 to 20 minutes and includes a lot of stretching, flexibility work, some light cardio, and a lot of general warming up.

Then, most of the time, it’s taken me into a Rotational Power video that lasts for another 20 to 25 minutes. Again, it’s set to your strength and fitness level. This is where the more intense workout begins.

There’s a lot of work with the resistance bands and swinging the bar with the weighted balls. There’s quite a lot of core-strengthening exercises and a lot of work that promotes better shoulder strength and flexibility for a fuller backswing and follow through.

As I’ve progressed with the system, I’ve noticed recently that they are mixing in more Injury Prevention and Stretching into my personalized curriculum. My expectation is that as I continue to move forward, I’ll eventually be getting workouts that cover all of the categories.

In case you’re wondering, the Lessons with Justin Leonard section of the library are videos that are not fitness related but rather focus on game improvement with topics like “Fundamental Course Management” and “Breaking 80 with Justin Leonard”. I think it’s cool that they mix in a bit of non-workout material, and of course, ya gotta love a Breaking Eighty reference!

If you want to choose your own curriculum, you can go to the workout library and choose whatever suits you best.

I’ve poked around in the library to get an idea of its scope and what some of the workouts in the other categories are like, but so far, I’ve really enjoyed having a Daily Workout that the GolfForever algorithm has decided is right for me.

And the workouts have all felt very appropriate for my level.

How Intense Are the GolfForever Workouts?

The short answer to this question is that they are as intense as you want them to be.

At the conclusion of each day’s workout, you’re asked a series of questions that essentially are inquiring about whether or not the workout was too easy or too hard. So, if it’s not intense enough, you can tell the system that. Presumably, they will use that feedback to challenge you more aggressively going forward.

Remember, the system is set up so that the personalized Today’s Workouts will gradually increase in intensity over time.

For me, the workouts have been about right. I’ve had many workouts that have left me drenched in sweat and with a sore set of abdominal muscles the next morning. Most of these workouts have definitely challenged me.

However, I’ve had a few that, for whatever reason, just seemed really easy and almost kind of lacking.

There are multiple different instructors in this library of videos. They all have different styles and some of them are more amped up than others.

I do think that if someone who was in excellent shape and was working out regularly was on my GolfForever program, they would want something a bit more. Then again, if the system is working correctly, that person in better shape than me would be getting a more intense workout as part of their daily curriculum.

As far as what these workouts are like, it’s a lot of pushing and pulling on the straight bar that is attached to a resistance band. You can make the exercises easier or harder by changing your hand positions on the bar and by stepping closer to or further away from the anchor point. So there is a lot of opportunity to dial in the intensity to your own taste.

The majority of the exercises, though definitely not all of them, are very relatable to something having to do with golf. There’s a lot of work that mimics a golf swing. And there’s a lot of core-strengthening work that promotes better balance and better golf posture.

There’s also a lot of exercises that don’t include a resistance band but instead use just the Swing Trainer bar. With a weighted ball that attaches to the end of the bar, you do a lot of work swinging the bar just as you would a golf club. But because it’s heavier, it’s of course harder and promotes more of a workout.

The point here is that as you’re doing these workouts, you definitely get a clear understanding of how this might translate into better golf performance. That’s what I really love about it, and that’s what’s kept me motivated to keep doing the program day after day.

I want to get in shape. But let’s face it: Above all else, I want to play better golf!

How Much Space Do You Need for the GolfForever System?

I mentioned earlier that the GolfForever equipment includes a door anchor. It’s a simple but durable piece of nylon with a hole on each end. You slide one end of the anchor piece into an open door, just above one of the hinges. Then you close the door, attach a carabiner to the hole in the anchor, and then the other end of the carabiner attaches to the resistance band.

Most of the exercises I’ve done call for a mid-anchor point, meaning the middle hinge. But I’ve also had a few that ask me to anchor it above the bottom hinge.

Because the majority of the workouts do include using the bar and the resistance bands, I think that you’ll want at least 10 feet of space beyond the anchor point. And probably at least 6 feet of width.

With that amount of space, you should be able to comfortably move, even with the resistance band completely stretched, for any of the workouts that the library might throw at you.

You can also wrap the anchor and carabiner setup around something solid like a tree or the post on a golf cart. And, GolfForever sells a wall-anchor system if you want a more permanent fixture.

So, you’ve certainly got options. And the included carrying case makes it very convenient to take your GolfForever system wherever you go.

I do wish that the Swing Trainer bar were somehow collapsable. I was recently packing for a flight and wanted to bring my GolfForever system with me on my trip. But the bar was too long to fit into my suitcase.

As I mentioned, the workout library does have a No Equipment section, so you can still keep grinding even if you don’t have all of your gear with you.

My Personal Experience With GolfForever

So after a few weeks and 18 workouts with the GolfForever program, I’m definitely noticing some differences.

First of all, I’ve lost a little bit of weight. I don’t consider myself grossly overweight. But, like a lot of us, I could stand to lose a few. And thanks to my regular workouts with GolfForever, I’ve done exactly that. Nothing major, but it’s starting to become pleasantly noticeable.

The next thing I’ve noticed is that I am far more balanced over the golf ball. This one isn’t even open for debate. I am so much more secure and stable in my posture all the way through impact. Again, it’s only been a few weeks. I am very excited about this development.

I really think balance, flexibility and injury prevention will end up being the most long-lasting benefits. That’s my hunch after the workouts I’ve completed so far. The increased balance and stability is very noticeable to me.

Now, I am not a long hitter. If I hit a drive that’s over 250, I’ve really popped one. Make fun of me in the comments if you must.

It may very well be a coincidence, but I’ve had three drives of more than 250 yards (as measured using my Garmin Approach S70) in my past three rounds. I can go many, many rounds without hitting a drive of that length. To pull off three of them within my last three rounds is huge for me!

And I’m not talking about a wild pull that, of course, always goes longer. I’m talking about fairways hit or just into the rough.

Is that all because of the Golf Forever program? I really can’t say for sure. Yes, I do feel stronger. But it’s not like I’ve never hit drives of that length before. It’s entirely possible that I’m just on a bit of a good run with my driver. But, like I said, my typical M.O. would have me going multiple rounds without anything like that. So, you tell me…

GolfForever Pros and Cons

I think by now you’ve got a pretty good idea of what I consider to be the pros of the GolfForever system.

Mostly, I think it’s a great option for golfers who want to get in shape but need something golf-specific to get them motivated. That’s me to a T. And if that’s you too, I think this might be an excellent solution.

I haven’t used competing products or systems like Fit for Golf, TPI training or the Stack System, so I can’t speak to how those fitness programs might compare to GolfForever. But again, I think the big key for maintaining a routine for many of us golfers is that the workouts give us a sense of working on our golf games as we get in shape.

As for cons, I mentioned that for as portable as the system is, I wish it could pack down to a smaller size for things like air travel.

One thing that is both a pro and a con is that there is an extensive roster of training instructors and so many different workouts. That’s a great thing on the surface, and I especially love that you can mark workouts that you like as favorites so that you can easily find them when you want to repeat them.

The con of that, in my experience, is that not all of the instructors and workouts are as good as others. Some instructors don’t do as good of a job of explaining the specific moves in the exercises. It can occasionally be frustrating when you’re not quite sure if you’re doing it correctly.

But the biggest con for most people is likely the cost. I think some people are going to see this as a resistance band, a bar and a couple of weighted balls for $199.99. And they may not see the value in that.

But more likely, I think, will be complaints about the ongoing subscription cost. I think it’s fair to call $24.99 per month or $199 per year a bit steep.

Then again, think of what it would cost you to hire a personal trainer and have them customize a plan specific to your golf goals. When you look at it that way, I think you’ll start to see the value.

Bottom line is, you’ve got to use the system to get your money’s worth. The more you use it, the more reasonable that monthly or annual subscription becomes.

Is the GolfForever Program Worth It?

For me, that’s a resounding yes.

Even if the system tricks me into thinking it’s helping my golf game while all it’s really doing is helping my health, it’s of course worth it to me. I really needed something to motivate me to exercise regularly. What better way to do that than with something golf specific?

But I actually do think GolfForever is going to help my golf game. As I said, the increases in balance and stability that I’ve felt after just a short time using the product are undeniable.

Maybe the increased driver distance is psychosomatic, or maybe it’s real. Over time, I think doing these workouts will unquestionably help me increase my swing speed. So, I do think that benefit will ultimately be a real one.

As for the somewhat steep ongoing subscription, I choose to look at it as an investment in myself. If I’m paying good money, I’m much more apt to try to get some benefit out of this. And by using it, I do think I’ll get that benefit.

If you’re like me, a golf nut who traditionally shuns fitness in favor of more golf, GolfForever just might be that rare product that has the power to change your life (and game!) for the better.

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A comprehensive fitness system that really will improve your fitness and help you golf better, longer.

8.8 Great

The Golf Forever system is one of the best golf specific fitness training programs on the market. It's not cheap, and not all the instructors are as good as others, but if you're serious about staying golf ready for many years to come, we'd highly recommend this program.

The Good

1. Physical product is well made
2. Workouts are varied, and tailored to your needs

The Bad

1. Expensive
2. Not convenient to travel with

• Presentation 9
• Performance 9
• Features and Quality 9
• Price 7
• Personal Affinity 10