PGA Pro Emma Booth Tested 5 Training Aids On Her Pupil... 2 Were Total Game-Changers

Jaquie Ross is a 25 handicapper who balances playing two to three times a week, along with dedicated time on the practice range. Her goal for 2026 is to improve her power and striking which will hopefully result in increasing her hitting the ball further and more consistently.

I have been teaching Jacquie for around 18 months in a group format and in one-to-one sessions. She is the epitome of a golfer who is always striving to improve their game by consistently showing up and trying their best, which is why I have asked her to help me test 5 of the best golf training aids.

TRS Ball

What Is It?

The TRS Ball is a small inflatable, lightweight ball which can attach to a Velcro arm band worn on the forearm of the leading side of the golfer. The ball is then placed between the forearms and is designed to improve arm connection and swing consistency. It is ideal for golfers who struggle with the dreaded chicken wing action back or through the golf swing. It can be used by golfers of all abilities and with any club while hitting real shots or for practice swings.

In Action

Together Jaquie and I watched the introduction video, hosted by TRS founder and former European Tour player Liam Bond. We followed the advice for how to put it on and set it up, which was remarkably simple. Then, as recommended by Liam, Jaquie did lots of rehearsal swings with her 7-iron to get used to the feel of the ball.

Once comfortable, Jaquie started to softly hit balls, and after 10–15 shots she felt confident enough to extend her swing further back and started to hit the ball harder. Then Jaquie moved on to pitching and chipping to targets ranging from 5–40 yards.

Jaquie’s Verdict

I had never seen a training aid like this before so the concept of it was completely new to me. The demonstration video was very clear, and I was happy with how easy it was to put on and set up. It made an instant difference to the feeling I had through the ball and into my follow through.

I am guilty of doing the dreaded chicken wing with my left elbow and not stretching through on my follow through. When it came to hitting actual shots, I was unsure if I’d be able to connect with the ball, but after a few tops I was soon striking it well. I enjoyed using this training aid a lot. The set-up is simple, effective, and importantly for me, it’s discreet so I can use it on the range comfortably without feeling self-conscious.

Coaching Verdict

I’m already familiar with training aids like this, such as the Impact Ball and PGM ball. They are slightly different variations of the same tool with the same concept and goal of improving connection and consistency. This however is the best version of this concept I’ve ever used for one simple reason…Velcro!

The Velcro arm strap elevates the simplicity of this training aid tenfold. With the other versions, there is an element of faff, as the ball either drops away or you have to reposition it every time, whereas the TRS Ball stays in place.

I am a big fan of being able to practice drills correctly and consistently. I also love training aids that can be used to hit real shots as that is often what bridges the gap between feel and real. This little pink ball packed a real punch when it came to visual improvement. Jaquie’s follow through action, understanding and feel really improved using this training aid and as a coach what more could you want!

Perfect For Any golfer that struggles with the correct elbow positions throughout the swing will love how simple and repeatable this makes it to be in the right position. Golfers who like simple, portable and discreet training aids.

Not For You if you are a golfer that struggles with being too tense or having a robotic/rigid movement, as the feeling of having the ball between your forearms may exacerbate this if you don’t work with a coach when using the ball.

Golf Trace Strike Pad

What Is It?

A golf strike pad made from reversible sequins is a simple training aid that gives instant visual feedback on where the club is contacting. The surface is covered in two-tone sequins, and when you strike the pad, the impact flips them to a different colour.

To reset, you simply use your club or hand to brush the sequins back. This clearly reveals the exact strike point, helping golfers understand their contact and make quick adjustments to improve consistency and ball striking.

In Action

The beauty of a training aid like this is its simplicity, you just place it down, put the ball on the centre spot and off you go. You can use it for all shots that don’t require teeing up.

The mat is thicker than I expected, at around 3cm, meaning it does sit the ball slightly higher, but Jaquie soon got used to how the ball sat. She started by hitting some 9-irons to get used to the feel of striking the ball and then soon built up to fuller longer swings with her 7-iron and hybrids.

Jaquie’s Verdict

Again, this was a new type of training aid for me. It was very easy to set up and understand its purpose. I have been working on not coming across the ball and this mat showed instantly how I was often doing just that. The lines really helped me to get my club more square through impact.

I really enjoyed the visible aspect of it; it took the guesswork away. I could definitely see myself using this on the range, although it is quite large and heavy, so I wouldn’t want to carry it too far and I’m not sure how long the sequins would last.

Coaching Verdict

I have seen many different versions of strike/impact mats online and have always thought they look effective for helping golfers understand swing path, and it did. After a few swings of marking the mat with an out-to-in swing path, Jaquie was able to self-correct using the mat. It removed the mystery of what went on at impact.

I really rate this training aid, but if I was to purchase again, I would look to spend a little more and get one made from astro or a carpet type material, as I am slightly sceptical of how long the sequins would stand up to repeated use.

Perfect For golfers looking for a training aid on a budget. Golfers wanting to take their improvement into their own hands.

Not for You if you are very steep on the ball and have tendencies to hit fat shots, as you will likely damage the sequins fairly quickly.

V Plane Short Game Training Aid

What Is It?

The V Plane is a compact short game training aid that attaches to your club to provide clear visual feedback on how the club moves through impact. Designed primarily for pitching, chipping and putting, it can be used on its own or combined with tour sticks to create different practice setups that guide path, face control and body alignment.

Its extended orange wings exaggerate the club’s movement, making faults easy to spot, while helping golfers develop a more consistent, on-plane motion and improved strike around the greens.

In Action

Jaquie and I first used the V Plane to work on chipping. It took Jaquie a little fiddling to get the V Plane in the correct position, but once you can see how it attaches to the lower part of the shaft, it is straight forward and easily adjustable. Jaquie is prone to getting nervous when chipping and tends to try to scoop at the ball resulting in the dreaded topped shots that scoot across the green.

The visual of the orange wings was nothing short of a revelation for Jaquie and helped her to understand that getting them parallel with the ground through impact would correct her strike. We then moved on to attaching a tour stick to the V Plane to work on her pitches. Again, this helped Jaquie enormously by getting her to properly extend and turn through her pitches.

Jaquie’s Verdict

I am a nervous chipper and find it very difficult not to panic and use my wrists to flick at the ball, which means I don’t enjoy practicing that area of my game, even though I know I should! This tiny little contraption was incredibly effective at helping me understand the correct impact. I did lots of practice swings to build my feel of getting the wings back in line and it helped my striking enormously within 10 balls.

When we moved on to the pitching exercise, I had already tried a similar drill before where you hold the tour stick, but the attachment really did make it easier and less clumsy to position the stick correctly and swing through. The V Plane actually made practicing my short game enjoyable.

Coaching Verdict

My husband, who is also a PGA Professional, has been a big fan of the V Plane for a while now, but I had never had a go until testing it with Jaquie. Now I’m cross with myself for not having tried it sooner! For such a small contraption it is extremely versatile and highly effective. This is now a piece of kit I know I will be using with lessons week in, week out.

I was impressed with how quickly Jaquie’s short chips and pitches improved in terms of strike, which for me is the part of the puzzle I always try to get my lessons to master first. Jaquie didn’t use the putting set up for this device, but I have, and am once again similarly impressed with the simplicity and impact of this training aid. I also love the compact and stylish pouch it comes in, which clips onto your golf bag.

Perfect For any golfer looking to sharpen up their short game. This device does it all, your pitching, chipping and putting practice will be levelled up through its use. Visual learners who benefit from in swing, visual feedback.

Not For You if you prefer more data-driven feedback, as the V Plane relies on visual and feel based cues rather than providing measurable stats like club path numbers or face angles.

TRS Slider

Designed by former European Tour Pro Robert Rock, the TRS Golf training aid is a compact, wearable device designed to improve body movement and sequencing throughout the swing. Worn during practice, it provides resistance and feedback on that often troublesome right elbow, on the backswing for golfers.

It encourages better rotation, connection and stability, helping golfers move more efficiently through the ball. Suitable for a range of abilities, it can be used across different parts of the game to build a more repeatable motion, making it a simple yet effective addition to any practice routine.

In Action

This device was new to both of us, so we watched the instruction video to get the slider fitted correctly. It did take a bit of adjusting at first, mainly down to, well, boobs! But once we got it in the right position it sat comfortably underneath and felt secure during the swing.

Jaquie began by hitting some half swing 8-irons to get used to how the slider was holding her right arm in place. It really does very quickly stop any foolery from a flying right elbow by restricting and promoting the correct position.

Once Jaquie settled into swinging with it, she was soon building up comfortably to hitting three-quarter shots. It really helped improve her downswing and impact through the ball by fixing her right elbow in the correct place.

Jaquie’s Verdict

At first, I really didn’t like the feel of the strap as it felt very restrictive, but once we had it fitted correctly it was comfortable to wear and I quickly got used to the feeling of my arms being in the right position throughout the whole swing. It was amazing to feel myself develop more and more confidence with each shot to swing a bit further back and harder through.

Being in the correct place at the top helped me understand how to start and move into a better downswing position, which resulted in me hitting some nicely struck shots that felt more powerful.

Coaching Verdict

This is another training aid that will now be in my rotation of tools. I spend a lot of time correcting the golfer's right elbow. Most seasoned golfers are familiar with the headcover or towel sitting under the right armpit, but this device takes it to the next level, not only because of the strap correcting, but due to the sliding element that allows golfers to fully swing through without over restriction.

It is an inswing aid that I watched in real time make a difference to Jaquie’s ability to get in the correct position at the top of the swing and complete the swing through. It is often a difficult concept to get across to golfers that a more compact swing in the correct position will lead to better and more powerful shots, compared to a long and out of shape swing, but the TRS Slider did just that.

Perfect For any golfer who wants a compact, full swing training aid that delivers an inswing feel. Golfers who struggle with a high flying right elbow, this gets you in the correct position every time. You can’t not improve when using this.

Not For You if you don’t have the patience to get used to putting it on correctly. You feel claustrophobic with your arm movement limited.

Golf Balance Board

What Is It?

The Golf Balance Board is a simple training aid designed to improve stability, balance and weight transfer throughout the golf swing. Standing on the board during practice challenges your control and encourages better sequencing, helping you stay centred and more connected from backswing through to impact. It’s a straightforward way to build a more stable, repeatable swing and improve overall body awareness.

In Action

Jaquie and I have already used the Balance Board in previous coaching sessions, so she knew how to get started on it. As always, when introducing a training aid, we start with some soft half swings with her wedge and then build up to some full pitches.

You can hit fuller shots using the board, but Jaquie is still building her confidence on it. The idea of the board is to help golfers feel their weight shift back and then shift back through in the correct downswing sequence.

Jaquie’s Verdict

Even though I have used the Balance Board before, I still feel a little unconfident using it. It does make me a lot more aware of where my weight is throughout the swing, so I enjoy the feeling of doing practice swings on it, but I am still not that good at hitting balls while using it. I’m not sure I would personally invest in one, but I can see why more confident golfers would.

Coaching Verdict

As images show, the Balance Board is a well-used piece of kit. That said, it doesn’t mean it is suitable for every golfer, as even though its sole purpose is to improve weight shift and swing sequence, not all golfers have the balance and stability to use it properly.

If, like Jaquie, you struggle to feel how your weight needs to shift, it is well worth having a go on one to help you gain more feel, but I would recommend other balance exercises and drills first to build up your confidence before using this regularly for practice.

Perfect For golfers who have good balance and stability. Golfers who really want to improve awareness of where their weight is and their downswing sequence.

Not For You if you struggle with stability or have issues with your ankles and knees. If you want a training aid more focused on improving strike as this is all about body movement.

Final Thoughts From Jaquie

I have had the best time trying these training aids and it has opened my eyes to a world of possibility when it comes to how I approach my practice and pursuit of improvement.

My favourites would have to be the TRS Ball and Slider. I did want to pick an outright favourite, but I just enjoyed and felt I benefited from both so much.

The slider really showed me how powerful a more compact backswing could be, and the ball transformed my follow through. Most importantly I’ve learned not to think these training aids are only for better golfers, they are absolutely for all golfers.

Final Thoughts From Me

The last time I tested training aids with a pupil was two years ago, and in terms of marketing products to women as much as men, not too much has changed just yet. But as I said back then, that shouldn’t deter ladies from having a go if they see something that might benefit them.

The more women embrace training aids and experiment with what works for their swing and their body, the more confident and informed they’ll become in their practice and that can only be a good thing.

I thought all the aids tested were genuinely excellent and each one serves a purpose for different golfers. But if I had to pick a favourite, it would have to be the V Plane short game training aid. I love coaching and practicing the short game and putting, and this clever tool really elevates that practice with simple, clear feedback that leads to great results.

Lastly, some of these training aids might seem a little on the expensive side for what you’re getting, but there’s usually far more to them than meets the eye. Like calling out a plumber, they might fix the problem in two minutes, but you’re not paying for the time, you’re paying for the years of knowledge behind it.

A lot of these aids have been designed by people who genuinely love the game and have spent years refining them to make them as effective and easy to use as possible, and as a coach, I’m very grateful for that.