This $15 Short-Game Gadget Is Surprisingly Helpful

Sometimes a golf ball looks like it needs help getting in the air, doesn’t it? On a tight lie around the green, it’s hard to trust the process and take your divot after the ball.

That’s where things go wrong.

Golfers flip, scoop and try to “help” the ball into the air. No matter how many setup tweaks, wrist thoughts or swing tips they try, the result usually looks the same: thin shots, chunked chips or the occasional rocket across the green.

The GoSports Pure Strike Golf Training Discs are designed to fix that.

I picked them up for less than $15 and have seen the price bounce between about $13 and $17. Either way, it sits firmly in the “worth a shot” category of training aids.

Here’s what I found.

What it is

The concept is simple.

These discs are roughly the size of a golf ball’s footprint. Instead of hitting a ball, you’re striking a thin disc off the ground. There’s no margin for error.

If you try to help it up, flip your wrists or bottom out early, you won’t get the disc airborne. You’ll either miss it completely or barely move it.

But when you strike it correctly (ball first, then turf), it flies forward. It gives instant feedback: you either do it right or you don’t.

Why I like it for the short game (More than full swing)

You can use these for full swings as well as short-game shots. They’re helpful for working on low-point control and cleaner contact with irons.

But where they really stand out to me is around the green.

Short game is where bad habits show up the most. It’s also where golfers tend to overthink everything. With these discs, you’re forced to focus only on clean contact.

What to expect (And what not to)

One thing that surprised me early on was the flight of the disc after you make contact. Even when you hit these perfectly, you’re not going to see a realistic ball flight. You’re not getting spin, height or rollout feedback like a real shot.

At first, I found myself trying to “make it look right.” That’s not the point of this training aid. It’s just about making sure that impact position is perfect and advancing the disc.

Easy to use (Even indoors)

Another underrated benefit is that you can use these almost anywhere.

If you’re watching golf on TV and want to get a few reps in, you can chip these indoors without worrying about damage.

In a lot of ways, I prefer them to foam balls. Foam balls can still let you get away with poor contact. These don’t.

Who it’s for

Here’s who I would recommend these for:

• Beginners: This might be one of the quickest ways to understand how to strike a chip shot. If I were building a short list of training aids for new golfers, this would be in the mix.
• Golfers who struggle with contact around the green: If you’re prone to skulling chips or hitting them heavy, this will expose it immediately.
• Players who overthink the short game: This forces you to simplify.

Final thoughts

If you want to take things a step further, I would pair these with a divot board. The discs teach you how to strike it and the divot board shows you where you are striking the ground as well as your path. It’s a pretty strong setup if you want to get better at ball striking.

I’ve used tees and coins to try and replicate the same concept but this training aid is simple, cheap and it does the job if you’re struggling with thin contact.