6 Great Golf Training Aids For Beginners Just Getting Started

As a new golfer, everything feels overwhelming. You’ll hear advice from everyone—friends, instructors, YouTube—a lot of which is contradictory. One day it’s your grip, the next it’s your posture, and suddenly your slice is somehow also your fault. The truth is that when you’re just starting out, it’s hard to make consistent progress because nothing feels natural yet.

After testing dozens of training aids, I’ve found that only a few truly help beginners. The best ones are simple, affordable and provide feedback that you can actually use. Here are six great golf training aids every beginner should try.

Divot Board

I tried the Divot Board when it was just released years ago. I was impressed and I still think it’s a feedback tool that gives golfers so much useful information. The Divot Board shows you exactly where your club contacts the ground.

For beginners, developing consistent contact is a huge part of the battle. You can work with the Divot Board indoors and out and with or without a ball. It’s worth the investment.

Golf alignment sticks

One of the most affordable and versatile training aids available is golf alignment sticks. It doesn’t matter what brand, color or style you end up with. The key is learning how to use these alignment sticks in practice.

Having a few on the ground to help with alignment and setup is important. You can also learn how to do drills where you can work on the swing plane. Alignment sticks are also versatile enough to use on the putting green.

Putting Arc T3

The Putting Arc T3 might look simple but that’s the point. This tool helps you feel a consistently square path and it’s perfect for beginners who have no idea where to start. It’s small enough to bring to the course with you or use it on the living room carpet. Just take 10 to 20 strokes every day using this tool. You’ll be glad you did!

SKLZ Golf Grip Trainer

Holding the club correctly matters more than most beginners think. While some beginners grasp the basics of a good grip relatively quickly, the key is to maintain a consistent grip. The SKLZ Golf Grip Trainer snaps onto any club handle and guides your hands into the proper position. It’s especially helpful for players trying to break bad habits or get used to the feel of a neutral grip.

Pure Strike Golf Training Discs

At first, I wasn’t convinced these were worth it. They looked like just another novelty. But after trying them, I was surprised at how effectively they help you practice more complex parts of the golf swing, especially strike quality.

Each soft rubber disc is shaped like the footprint of a golf ball and designed to be tough to hit cleanly. That’s the point. If you can consistently get the disc off the ground, you’re striking it properly, and that skill transfers across every club in the bag.

A golf towel

Yes, a towel. It’s one of the most underrated training tools. Place it behind the ball to learn ball-first contact, for example. Use it to clean clubs, build better routines or even improve your connection in the backswing. I just wrote an article featuring some drills you can do with a golf towel. (The Best $20 Training Aid is Already in Your Bag)

Final thoughts

As a beginner, I’d hold off on purchasing too many training aids at once. Buy one, see how it works out, how much you use it, and go from there. Any experienced golfer will tell you that it doesn’t take much to fill your garage with training aids you’ll never use.