Our winter guide to training aids is back with segment #2 as we slide down the price range to $99-$22. This one is focused on three products that can help with your iron game. Best used if you have access to an indoor range or simulator while the weather is rough.
Lagshot 7 Iron
The first product is the Lagshot 7 Iron. If you buy golf gear or frequent golf related websites you've probably been hit with an ad for this product. You can see more or purchase here: Link
For the price, you should have high hopes for this one. Depending on the price you actually get it at. They advertise it at $169 JUST KIDDING ITS ON SALE FOR $119 BUT TODAY SINCE YOU'RE SPECIAL ITS JUST $99!!!!! In all seriousness, you could go out and buy yourself an actual club that you can play for this price range so you'd hope that you'll at least get some real improvement from it.
Getting your hands on it for the first time you'll be impressed with the quality. The club (I guess) comes with a standard grip, and really nice matte black club head. Most of our team commented that this seemed to have some great build quality. Then, theres the whole point to this thing, the signature blue plastic shaft. Swinging this thing feels really odd for a while and if you get used to it you probably need to put it down and do something else for a bit.
So does it work? If you're expecting it to fix all the flaws in your swing overnight, hell no. If you're looking for instant tempo feedback, hell yes. If you're rushing your swing or really lagging (pun intended) then you'll get a garbage result with your shot. It's pretty cut and dry here, it does what it's set out to do. Is it worth the money? That probably depends on how bad your tempo issues are. We don't see this as the sort of thing you carry with you to use in your warm ups before every round, but for the random range session or indoor practice this winter, its a pretty nice addition to the pile of training aids you have already.
Final Judgement: 8/10
SKLZ Golf Tempo Trainer
In the same vein as the Lagshot, the SKLZ trainer is advertized to help with your tempo. This one comes at a substantially lower price point of $22.96 here: Link
Upon first blush during our unboxing, this thing is substantial. What you get is a molded grip (which will help with training proper grip placement) attached to what amounts to a half shaft that is slightly bent up with a weight system at the bottom. The weighting is removable which allows the trainer to mimic an iron or a driver.
In using this, you get drastically less feedback than the Lagshot in terms of tempo correction. The bend of the shaft and weight do make it easier to feel the club settle into a more shallow swing path which could help if you struggle with that. The biggest use for this product that we can see is honestly loosening up and getting ready for a round. If you cant get out to the range before you hit the first tee, you can swing this for a couple minutes in the parking lot and get your muscles freed up and ready to go. Could you also do that with a club on the tee box? Yeah.
Final Judgement: 5/10
Shaun Webb Golf Alignment Sticks
Available in a 3 pack for the price of $22.99 Here these sticks are exactly what you get from the five thousand other people who sell them including Home Depot. The value add that they do offer is a pretty nice plastic tube that keeps them protected and together. That's it. Thats the review.
You won't hear us talk badly about the use of alignment sticks as they can be one of the most valuable aids you can use for training and improvement at all levels, but these are what they are and until someone invents a really amazing stick that blows our minds it's hard to justify special "golf" sticks that really aren't different at all. We suggest going to your local hardware store, buying them in their true form, driveway markers, and spending the cash you save on a nice cover from your favorite brand so that you can keep t hem in your bag at all times and get more use out of them.
Final Judgement: 3/10
Keep an eye out for segment #3 and #4 we have plenty more to discuss