I really enjoy my job for a number of reasons. The people are great, the culture is wonderful but most importantly, I'm immersed in my favorite thing in the world other than my dog - the sport of golf.
Yes, I'm a bit of an addict. I began playing at the age of four and spent most of my summers as a kid and teenager on the golf course from dusk till dawn. When I reached my late teens and early twenties I went to college, spent time in the United States and France before moving to London for two years - ultimately, very little golf was played during this time. I moved back to Ireland last year for two main reasons, I missed my family.... and I missed playing golf.
Since coming home I've been working hard on my game. I've practiced over the winter, implementing swing changes for the upcoming season and spending many hours on the driving range as a result. I couldn't have made these changes without a number of very useful golf training aids and golf gadgets, so as part of the Amazon Big Spring Sale I've decided to have a search for some of the best I've used over the years that have a sale sticker slapped on them. I can't guarantee you'll make it to the PGA or LPGA Tours after using these, but I'll vouch for the fact you'll become a better player!
I'll admit, this isn't the sexiest training aid out there but you can't argue with how efficient it is. My practice and warmup sessions begin with the same routine every single time - hit a few chip and pitch shots with a wedge loosen up before swinging this training aid for a few minutes to really activate my lower half and back. It really helps me get my timing and tempo in order before moving on to hitting full shots.
It's also a stress-free training aid. Given the round ball at the end of the club, this is not a device used for hitting golf balls. Instead, you can focus on feeling the rhythm of your swing whilst warming up the muscles that need time to get ready ahead of your round. I keep mine in the trunk of my car and try and use it at home from time to time when the weather doesn't allow for a trip to the range.
If you look in the bag of any good golfer, you'll see a pair of alignment sticks. Go to the practice facilities of any professional event and you'll likely see most players using them. I tend to use mine to keep my alignment squeaky clean - my feet can often veer too far to the right, making it me to get the club caught on the inside and miss to the left.
I also use my alignment sticks to keep my ball position consistent. I've worked hard on a few swing and setup changes over the winter and when my coach isn't there to guide my through the process, I rely on my alignment sticks to keep me right. These are a cheap, easy and valuable tool to help get the most from your practice sessions and although the results of using them won't necessarily be obvious, I have no doubt you will become a better player by using them.
After my swing changes over the winter, I'm become a bit of a numbers nerd. My coach has pointed out what numbers I should be looking for with different clubs, most notably ball speed, clubhead speed and smash factor. The PRGR allows me to do this with ease on the range and for an affordable price, making it one of the best launch monitors money can buy.
The device is so easy to carry around considering how little it weighs and the fact it is powered by batteries. It actually stays in my bag even when I'm out on the course given how little space it uses. Simply set it a few inches behind your ball and swing away - it will relay your data straight back to you. It's been invaluable for me during my winter work so I can't recommend it more, especially now it's got over $35 off.
I used a smash bag religiously around my late teens and early twenties because I tended to hit up on the ball too much - I would tend to sweep the ball off the ground instead of penetrating and compressing it. It meant a lot of iron shots were hit thin and I couldn't control my ball flight as much as I would have liked.
The purpose of the smash bag is to improve you position at impact. It taught me the sensation of staying down through impact and keeping the hands stable and less active. Not only this, but it's a fun device to use and helped me increase my club head speed due to the fact I loved hitting into it! I'd endorse this if you tend to hit shots fat or thin on a regular basis - I think you'd be surprised how valuable it could prove, especially at less than $25!
