A piece of string can be a very useful training aid.
GOLF.com
Welcome to Play Smarta regular GOLF.com game improvement column that will help you become a smarter and better golfer.
Fostering good practice habits is essential if you are serious about lowering your handicap. Getting reps is always good, but you need to be efficient in your practice to get the most out of it.
One of the best ways to achieve efficient practice is to use training aids. No matter what problem you’re trying to correct, there’s sure to be a product that can help.
However, don’t think that means you have to spend hundreds of dollars to fix your swing. In fact, some of the best training tools are extremely inexpensive—and some can be made from common household goods.
Use a string as a training aid
If you have a piece of twine lying around – congratulations! You have a very useful training aid. It may sound strange, but if you know how to use it, a few meters of string can be used for all sorts of things.
“It’s huge for me,” says elite midfielder Jonathan Bale. “It’s my footwork, it’s the clubface, it’s the distance from the ball. Just something as simple as that helps me a lot.”
During each training session, Bale places a piece of string on the ground pointing to his target line. Not only does he make sure his aim is accurate, but he can also make sure his clubface is square before each swing.
“I’ve always had trouble keeping my face square,” says Bale. “So for that, obviously (the string) is perpendicular to the clubface and I can see that my clubface is square from there.”
Unlike an extension bar, the string can be quite close to your clubhead as you swing. In fact, you can even put a ball right on top of it and hit it without affecting your clubhead as it passes through the ball.
If you are someone who struggles with purpose and scope, look around the house for a piece of yarn. It may just be the secret to curing your problems.
