Golf Training Aids vs. Golf Lessons

Golf training aids offer instant feedback and a way to work on your golf swing without the help of a professional. Is that the best solution? As a golf professional, I can tell you that the best combination is a mix of golf training aids and the right teaching professional. I’ll show you which golfers do better with training aids vs. golf lessons.

What’s Better Golf Training Aids vs. Golf Lessons?

Golf lessons offer one-on-one attention with a professional who can help take strokes off of your golf game. However, the real benefit of golf lessons goes deeper than this. 

If you get a great golf teacher, they also become a coach. 

They care about your game, want you to succeed, and are excited for you when the scores start to drop. 

Golf training aids fill in the gaps. 

When it doesn’t make sense to schedule a lesson every week, or you still haven’t quite figured out how to master that one technique, the golf training aids will step in and give you instant feedback, further advancing your progress. 

If you can afford golf lessons, start there and supplement with the best golf training aids.

Who Should Take Golf Lessons?

Golf lessons are more expensive than golf training aids. While you can get a lesson or two for the price of most training aids, you’ll probably need more to see big changes in your game. 

Golf lessons are best for: 

• Golfers who can afford them, most lessons cost around $50 for a half hour and $100 for an hour 
• Players who know they have bad habits and don’t have the discipline to work on it without the help of a professional 
• New players who need a few lessons to learn how to get started in golf 
• Golfers looking to become professionals and need guidance regarding more detailed swing analysis and numbers 
• Any player struggling with a new and sudden issue (slice, chunking, shank, etc.)

Who Should Use Training Aids? 

Training aids cost money, but you own them and can use them for years. If you are a good learner and like to spend time grinding on the range, training aids are a good choice. 

Also, keep in mind that training aids are great for working on rhythm or extension in the backswing, getting a putt on the right line, and even improving clubhead speed. 

However, they don’t always do a great job of diagnosing the issues you have in your swing. So, if you don’t know the problem, see a golf professional first. 

Golf training aids are best for: 

• Avid players who put a lot of time into practicing 
• Any golfer looking to get better with the short game and putting stroke on their own time
• Range rats! The players who will spend hours on the range dedicated to just dialing in their wedges.  
• Average golfers who have been playing their entire lives and just want to save a shot or two, not rework their golf game

What To Look For In A Great Golf Teaching Professional?

A great golf teaching professional can quickly find a fault in your swing mechanics and give you the exact path to fixing it. However, not all golf teaching professionals are a match for your game. 

Here are a few things to look for when choosing a great golf teaching professional

Genuine Interest In Your Game

It’s much easier to work with a golf professional that wants to see you reach your goal. Just because your professional is a scratch golfer, they should be excited when you break 90, gain some extra distance, or make your first birdie.

Technology Readily Available

A launch monitor and video of your swing are great benefits of taking lessons. With the right technology, you have access to data that can help you improve faster. 

It’s ok to ask about video and launch monitor capability before you sign up for a lesson. Good golf teachers invest in their student’s games with this type of equipment. 

Willing To Work With What You Have

When you head out for your first golf lesson with your new teaching professional, the last thing you want to do is start from the ground up. A great professional can work with your poor swing tempo, bad back, and weak grip. 

They’ll give you tips on how to get to the right position, but there is no reason to start from the beginning.

If golf lessons are not for you right now, set yourself up for success using the best golf training aids.

Versatility

I love a training aid that I can use for both my short and long game. Alignment sticks, launch monitors, and trainers like Lag Shot let you improve multiple areas of your game with just one device.

Fair Pricing

The majority of your golf training aids will sit in your garage. Most golfers use them for a few weeks and move on. Take some time to find the training aids that are fairly priced and let you use them for years to come.

Fits In The Bag

This isn’t a requirement, but you’ll be much more likely to use a golf training aid if it’s sitting in your golf bag. Storage issues and durability are the two biggest complaints golfers have about training aids. 

You will want to find something that is easy to pull out at the driving range and requires minimal preparation to use.

Easy to Learn

A training aid with an instructional book and 12 videos to view before taking it out of the box is too much. 

Look for something you can put in your hands and almost instinctively see and feel what to do. 

After all, you’ll need to take the information you learn from it and head to the course at some point.

Golf Training Aids AND Golf Lessons – The Best Choice 

If you want the real secret on how to get better at golf; it’s a combination of training aids and golf lessons. Go take a few lessons. Then, ask your golf professional what types of golf swing trainers would help you get your game on track. 

Look for things you may be able to use in your own backyard. 

Even when you can’t hit full golf shots, you can still practice your golf game.

Final Thoughts

In the end, there are training aid people and golf lesson people. You can’t go wrong with either if you are committing the time and attention. Try both and see what works best for your game. When you make it to the PGA Tour, it won’t matter how you get there.