How many golfers do you know that would say they get more distance than they need? Unless you are on the long drive tour circuit, you probably don’t know many. Golfers are continually searching for more distance and have no issues paying for it if it is guaranteed. Sometimes a club can give you a little more distance, but most often, it will be your swing that you need to adjust to get more distance. That’s where the training aids come in.
We put together our favorite training aids for distance to help you grab those few extra yards this summer. We broke this article up into multiple different categories, depending on the exact reason that you are not swinging the club as fast as you could.
For Casters & Early Releasers: Momentus Swing Whoosh
If you cast the club (AKA release the club too early), then you are generating valuable club head speed TOO EARLY. You want the HIGHEST club head speed to be right at impact, or even a tad bit after impact. Far too many golfers try to swing the club as hard as possible as SOON as they start the downswing.
If that sounds like you, check out the Momentus Swing Whoosh to add distance to your drives. Basically, it’s just a training aid that help you hear the whoosh (via the soft golf ball falling to the bottom of the club in the downswing).
The “whoosh” is when you are swinging the golf club the fastest. You want to hear that “whoosh” right at the ball or even a little bit after for exaggeration. Most golfers, in their normal swings, would hear the “whoosh” far before the club head would make contact with the ball. That means that the club head speed would be fast before the ball is hit, but slower at impact.
A great way to practice with the Momentus Swing Whoosh is to exaggerate how late and how loud you hear the “whoosh”. You want it to be LOUD and AFTER THE GOLF BALL. After using the training aid for 5-10 swings, go back to your normal club and hit balls using the same feeling. Make sure to continue to go back often to hitting balls, or else the training aid won’t help as much as possible.
For a cheaper option, you can simply use a normal club and really listen for when your swing creates the “whoosh”. It’s just harder to hear… that’s all.
Why we like it:
- Allows you to easily hear when you are swinging the golf club the fastest during the swing
- Typically comes with a built in grip trainer to add an extra benefit of improving your grip without much though
- Very easy to translate to an actual golf shot. We recommend alternating between the Momentus Swing Whoosh and an actual club often when practicing.
For Disconnected Swings: Izzo Golf Smooth Swing Band
If you have ever had a pro tell you that your golf swing is disconnected in certain areas, this could be the tool for you. Golfers forget how difficult it is to get all parts of your body to work in conjunction with your club to hit a tiny white ball with space the square of a dime on your clubhead. This is a hard sport, and it can be challenging even to feel what you need to do.
Most players struggle with the ability to know what is right or wrong in their golf swing. The Izzo Smooth Swing training aid helps to give you that feeling while you practice so that you can transfer it to the golf course.
You will place your arms through the two loops on the Izzo Smooth Swing. As you swing your arms, shoulders, and body are forced to work together as opposed to against each other. If you are someone that has heard things like “over the top” or “flying elbow” this is the swing trainer for you.
Now you may be wondering how this will get you more distance? The most effective golf swing are the efficient ones. When things work together, you will see results. Anytime a part of your body is not working with the others, it will create a lack of power. As long as you have average size arms, there is no reason the Izzo Smooth Swing will not work for you. You will get a small pamphlet with the book that should give you some drills and general guidelines to make sure that you are using the product correctly.
Why we like it:
- Improves the connection throughout your golf swing
- Gets rid of wasted, useless motion (AKA overswining) that may result in off center strikes and a lack of distance
- Super easy to transport (just keep it in your bag) and straightforward to use
- Can be used during practice or an actual round of golf (we’d only recommend when playing alone, though)
For A Stronger Release & Strengthening Slow Twitch Muscles: Swing Ring
Next on our list of the best swing training aids for gaining distance is the Swing Ring. If you played little league as a kid and used a doughnut on the bag before stepping up to the plate, this is the same concept. If you can learn to swing a heavier club fast, it should be no problem to swing a lighter club even quicker.
The great thing about the Swing Ring? It forces the small muscle to get stronger. Your fingers, your hands, and your forearms. When you swing a club with the Swing Ring, your small muscles really have to work to turn the club face over. As they get stronger, they have the ability to generate more speed at impact by releasing the club quicker.
There are some positives and negatives to consider a swing ring. The one biggest negative is that sometimes people can throw their tempo off when using one of these too often. If you swing with a swing ring on for twenty minutes before stepping up to the first tee, you may swing out of your shoes on the first shot. We recommend when practicing with a swing ring to take a few swings with it on (3-5) and then switch back to your club without the ring on it.
You will find that controlling your tempo is very important when working with a weighted golf club. If you can manage the tempo factor and keep things in check, you should be able to get quite a bit more clubhead speed, which will, in turn, convert to ball speed. This is a very cheap training aid that is worth a shot for most golfers, and you can easily keep it in your bag, so it is easily accessible for a practice session.
Why we like it:
- Super cheap, easy to use, and easy to carry in your bag
- Strengthens the small muscles (fingers, hands, forearms), which can result in a faster release of the golf club through impact
- Helps you feel the club face easier
For OverSpeed Training & Improving the Fast Twitch Muscles: SuperSpeed Golf Training System
It’s been proven time and time again: learning to swing something light FAST can help you swing something heavier FAST, too. You might have been told that only swinging heavier things make you swing faster. Not true at all. It can help too, but not as much as overspeed training.
Overspeed training is all about learning to swing FAST. It’s about strengthening those fast twitch muscle fibers, which are vital to explosive movements like the golf swing. The best way to do that? Use the SuperSpeed Golf Training System. They offer varying weights (ranging from lighter than a golf club to heavier than a golf club), a well laid out system to follow, and proven results when you stick to the plan.
A cheaper option than the SuperSpeed System is to make your own lighter and heavier clubs. Lighter clubs can be made by using empty shafts and adding a little bit of weight via lead tape or coins & duct tape at the bottom of the shaft. Just make sure you use LOTS of duct tape). Heavier clubs can be made in the same fashion by simply adding weight to a normal club or using heavier objects like wooden baseball bats or small brooms.
Why we like it:
- Systematic, proven approach
- Increases your ability to swing the club FAST by strengthening your fast twitch muscles
- Includes both heavier and lighter clubs
