From just sitting around the house or office to hour-long bike rides in the wind, to running, and swinging golf clubs, these things have exceeded expectations. 

Sound quality is great and unless you a just blasting full volume, you can still hear ambient sounds. They rest comfortably on the ear and stay in place regardless of the activities I have done so far. Set up is a breeze and battery life is superb!

What worked?

Ummmm EVERYTHING !!!

Bluetooth connection was simple. Turns on automatically and connects when the case opens. Easy and comfortable fit around the ears that doesn’t move, even during running and biking. AMAZING Battery life. Simple touch button for controls. Really good range so you can leave your device alone if moving around. Easy to do calls with the microphone. Still able to hear ambient sounds even while listening to music. Finally, great sound quality

What didn’t work?

Once back in the case, they don’t always “shut off” right away and I’ll notice they stay connected to my phone, even after I put them in the case.

Who the product is best for?

Anybody looking for quality sound from headphones that will always stay on your ear without having buds inside the ear.

So pretty much for anybody! These have been fantastic around the house, at the office, at the gym, running, long bike rides, and of course the golf course!

A Buy or Bench verdict

Absolutely buy it and use them EVERYWHERE!!!

It’s been fantastic using it in all sorts of environments and conditions. 

I'll admit that while earbud style headphones are not my favorite, I’m still impressed with the amazing battery life and superb sound quality from these. Once the fit is snug, I can focus on every layer of a song. Bass, vocals, rhythms, instruments … everything is crisp and once fit, they feel like they prevent most ambient sounds too from disrupting the music (or podcast or phone call) as well.

For me, I had issues with the buds staying in my ear, especially at the gym. Once I switched to the smaller cushion provided, the "fallout" occurrences reduced, but it still happens. It could just be that my ears aren't meant for buds.

Overall though, I'd prefer the fit of the open ear design, but I think the sound quality might just be a bit better with the buds.

What worked?

Like the open ear design, Bluetooth connection was simple. Turns on automatically and connects when the case opens. Turns off when back in the case. AMAZING Battery life. Really good range so you can leave your device alone if moving around. Easy to do calls with the microphone. Reduces ambient noise to really focus on the sound. Really superb sound quality.

What didn’t work?

Touch button control location isn’t as intuitive as the open ear design and occasionally they fall out of my ear.

Who is the product best for?

Anybody who prefers in-ear buds looking for really fantastic quality sound with amazing battery life

A Buy or Bench verdict

Buy It !!!

I still prefer the open ear model to the buds, but the sound quality and battery life are stunning and would recommend to anybody

For context, my spin tends to run low, and unfortunately, I tend to favor the heel side of the club. It's interesting that the three main clubs I'll discuss below are also the top three heel forgiveness scores on the Askgolfnut website.

Club Descriptions

The Mizuno Pro M15 is Mizuno’s successor to the Pro 245, and Mizuno describes it as a set that’s built with a “fully integrated progression” from long irons into the scoring clubs, with each part of the set designed with a specific purpose so the transitions in shape and feel are smooth. The head is compact with a thin graduated topline, but it’s still designed to produce a faster, more consistent flight than what you’d expect from a purely traditional “players” forging. In the long and mid irons, Mizuno leans into suspended tungsten weighting to support launch and stability (they call out 51g in the long irons and 50.3g in the mid irons). Construction-wise, the 4–8 irons are a multi-material hollow build with a Grain Flow Forged 4135+ chromoly face and neck paired with a stainless steel back piece to support higher ball speeds, while the 9 iron through gap wedge transitions to a partial-hollow Grain Flow Forged 1025E HD body with a stainless back to prioritize precision and trajectory control in the scoring clubs. Mizuno also calls out a contoured, multi-thickness “Contoured Ellipse Face with CORTECH” in the 4–8 irons for ball speed and consistency while maintaining a soft, responsive feel, plus refined sole geometry with added bounce for cleaner turf interaction, and their Harmonic Impact Technology with a copper underlay to tune sound/feel.

The Wilson Staff Model XB is also a modern hollow-body design, but it’s engineered with a more explicit focus on maximum distance and forgiveness while keeping a sleek player-friendly shape. The profile is slim with a thin topline and minimal offset, which is exactly what I noticed right away. Wilson’s design details are interesting because they lean heavily into mass management: the Fluid Feel hosel is meant to eliminate unused weight and shift mass toward the toe, and there’s also specific “precise mass placement” near the toe to move the center of gravity closer to the middle of the face for more consistent strikes and energy transfer. The head is forged from 8620 carbon steel, and it has a precision milled face pattern intended to keep spin more consistent and improve stopping power. The finish is a brushed satin, and at address it’s a compact, modern cavity look with reduced offset and sharper edges that read more “tour-inspired” than the word “forgiving” would suggest.

Quick comparison:

Both excellent clubs, with the biggest different to me likely being the loft progressions. Mizuno M15 has a 29 degree 7 iron - while strong, they do seem to gap fairly evenly. Wilson Staff XB has a 32 degree 7 iron - although it appears to have a very odd gap between 9 and PW going from 40.5 degree 9 iron to a 46 degree PW. Unless they changed the construction of the PW, a 5.5 degree loft change makes no sense.

Fitting Experiences

The first fitting was with a Mizuno rep. I told him my Mizuno Shaft Optimizer recommendation came back as KBS Tour X 130. My swing speed when fully loosened up is around 85-88 typically. He chuckled and said that usually points to a quick transition (which is accurate), and that heavier shafts can work, but they’re not automatically right for everyone. He did let me try a wide range of shafts, which was helpful because it gave me a reality check versus what the optimizer “thinks” I should be in.

The two setups I did best with were the Recoil 780 ES SW stiff (87g), which is what I played in my JPX 923 Forged, and the Recoil Dart 90 stiff. Both let me swing normally, or aggressively, and still hit the ball flush with the face angle where I intended. I tried the Mitsubishi MMT in both 85 and 105 and I honestly couldn’t locate the center consistently. I'm not sure why I always seem to have trouble with the MMT shafts as they should be a good fit for me. I also tried Dynamic Gold 105 and AMT and hit both pretty well. I gave KBS Tour 120 a run given the Mizuno Optimizer suggestions, but I struggled with it. I was feeling fatigue at that point, but that's likely how I'd feel near the end of an 18 hole round.

As for the Mizuno Pro M15 head itself, I hit the 7 iron well. When I moved to the 8 iron, I saw about a 15-yard gap off the 7 iron. That’s not ideal on paper, but it’s manageable depending on how the rest of the set gaps and whether the long and short end behave. I also hit the 4 iron and it launched fine despite the strong lofts, which surprised me in a good way. Lie-wise, I think I did slightly better one degree flat, but standard lie was also playable. Spin was on the low side, but that’s normal for me, and the rep suggested going to a higher spin ball, which I think is probably the right next step regardless of what iron I end up in. Feel-wise, it was very good, and I left that fitting thinking the M15 is a legitimate example of how far hollow-body “players distance” irons have come.

The second fitting was at Golf Galaxy. We started with the M15 again, he noted the low spin and quickly moved to try the Wilson Staff Model XB. Because I had enough time to hit the M15 the prior day, I was fine to give other irons more time. The fitter had me hit the XB with a KBS Max Ultralite steel shaft and I hit it pretty well. The ball flight was noticeably higher and the spin was up compared to the M15 - about what I'd expect an extra 3 degrees to do. The only Wilson graphite option he had available was the Dart 70 stiff. It felt good, but when I tried to hit it more aggressively, the face would not square up. That happens when I use shafts that are too soft.

I hit the P770 a few times as well. It was fine, but it didn’t stand out. If anything, it just reinforced that the two heads that made the most sense for me this weekend were the Wilson and the Mizuno.

I also asked about KBS TGI shafts which Wilson is offering as a no upcharge option. I've always liked KBS graphite when I've tested clubs with them and wanted to see if I could try them, even if it meant trying them in another brand head. The fitter found the made-for Cobra TGI 85 setup in Cobra King Tour heads, which are heads I currently play. That combo felt great, honestly smoother than my current Accra 85g shafts. He mentioned Wilson will likely be having a fitting day in the next few weeks and suggested I try the Staff Model XB with TGI at that point, which feels like the most logical next step if I’m seriously considering changing anything.

One small Wilson note: the XB fitting head had very little offset, and I commented that the way the shaft enters the head looked a bit odd at address. The fitter showed me that the fitting adapter sits at an angle and said he confirmed it’s meant to be that way. I’m curious how the retail head presents from the top without the adapter situation, and I’ll reserve judgment until I can look at a real head rather than a fitting setup.

Conclusions

So where did I land? If I had to build something today, I’d be comfortable gaming the Mizuno Pro M15 with the Dart 90, or the Wilson Staff Model XB with a TGI 90, or even staying right where I am with my Cobra King Tours. Because of how much I like the feel of the TGI shaft, I'd be more inclined to go with the Wilson irons, but I do worry about that weird gap between 9 iron and PW. And I will continue to be on the lookout for a set of Cobra King Tours with TGI shafts, as I'd have a hard time not picking up the set if I saw a decent condition used one available.

Groovz has released golf-themed headphones in both earbud and over-ear models.

In-Ear (Earbud) Model:

Fit – 9/10
Great fit. They stay firmly in the ear while playing 18 holes, and I only had one earbud fall out during a round, which was actually better than the Apple AirPods Pro I normally use.

Looks – 10/10
The case and earbuds look great and come with standard accessories.

Function – 7/10
Sound quality was very good. The range from the paired device, while still solid, was a bit shorter than both the AirPods and the over-ear Groovz model.

Ease of Use – 10/10
Seamless pairing, a case battery display, and an audio message when the connection is established all made these very easy to use.

Battery Life – 10/10
Excellent battery life. The headphones easily last an entire round without issues, and the case provides plenty of additional charges. You could comfortably get through a full golf weekend without needing to recharge.

Extra: At least for my ears, these fit better than the Apple version and have become my go-to earbuds for both golf and work.

Over-Ear Model:

Fit – 10/10
I love the security and comfort of the over-ear model for golf. These feel completely secure, with absolutely no worry about losing them during play.

Looks – 9/10
The case and earbuds look great, although the case is a bit large.

Function – 8/10
Sound quality was very good, although there was some breakup when you got farther away from the paired device during activity. The speaker portion can slip off the ear a little, but the over-ear hook always stays secure.

Ease of Use – 9/10
Easy pairing overall, though the tap controls can be a little touchy.

Battery Life – 10/10
Excellent battery life again. They last through an entire round without issues, and the case provides enough extra charges to easily get you through a full golf weekend.

Extra: The over-the-ear models are an absolute lifesaver for listening to music or podcasts while doing something active. The speaker might slip a bit here and there, but the earbuds never fall out or are dropped fully due to the over-the-ear design, plus you are still able to hear what's going on around you as well, so you don't have to worry about missing that yell of "fore" from the group behinds errant shot.

Final Thoughts:

Overall Pros
Good sound quality, strong battery life, great looks, and a very comfortable, secure fit.

Cons
If you want noise cancellation, these are not the earbuds for you. Personally, I actually like that for golf and office use, since it lets me stay aware of my surroundings while still listening to music or podcasts.

Overall, these earphones have been great, and I will definitely keep using them. The in-ear model has become my go-to option for work, and the over-ear model has already been through several range and sim sessions. I’m looking forward to seeing how they hold up on the course during longer walking rounds this summer.

I want to start with the over ear model because this is the one that immediately caught my attention and will surely catch the attention of anyone who is looking for comfort while wearing earbuds.

Are they comfortable? Yes they are! I wore them for 4 hours at work and didn't notice them at all. They remained secured on my ear while I was going through the motions of building dashboards and twisting, turning, and ducking.

How's the sound? I think the sound is clear and I can hear every aspect of the music in listening to from the guitars to the drums. They are my go to pair for calls and watching my streaming services. I wouldn't exactly recommend them for working in a loud environment of you're looking for total immersion since they do let ambient noises in.

Groovz buds

These have officially become my work pair due to their ability to drown out all the noise in the plant.

Are they comfortable? Yes! I have a pair of Anker buds that tend to get a bit uncomfortable after a while and I have to adjust often to keep them solidly in place. The Groovz sit well in my ears and I don't have to constantly fiddle with them.

How's the sound? Great! They provide clear sound with good bass for the type of music I listen to at work. They are not noise cancelling but they muffle the fans, tuggers, and forklifts that run throughout my work place.

Thank you to the LATT leadership team and Groovz for the opportunity to review both sets.

Now to provide some context on my experience with earbuds. I’ve never actually tried open ear headphones and exclusively use in ear earbuds prior to receiving the Groovz headphones. Boy have I been missing out! The ability to not only hear whatever is playing through the headphones while also fully being aware of your surroundings was mind blowing to me and a very big positive in my opinion, that is if you’re not in an overly loud environment. Which leads me to-

What didn’t work great:

What I did notice with the open ear headphones was when I was driving a gas powered golf cart I would have to increase the volume to get that clear sound I’ve become accustomed to with these headphones, then once I was done driving I would need to decrease the volume back to my normal listening level. A very minor issue especially considering the controls on the open ear headphones and the earbuds both work surprisingly well.

One other point that I didn’t exactly love but I’m not sure there is a way around it, the size case for the open ear headphones is on the larger side.

What just worked:

The sound quality of both the earbuds and open ear headphones was very, very good. Something I’m not quite used to if I’m being honest but welcome this, like the once great band Creed sang, with arms wide open!

Both versions of headphones were immediately very comfortable and surprisingly secure, not once have I felt like they might fall out of my ears and with a couple of rounds of golf, and a 4 year old that keeps me running, that’s saying something.

Connectivity is almost immediate, before I can even get them on my ear they are connected via Bluetooth to my phone and ready to go. Something I normally annoyingly have to wait a few seconds for with my prior earbuds.

Who is this product for?

Do you listen to music on the course? How about the driving range? Do you wear headphones or earbuds at all? If the answer is yes then these are seriously well done and a product I would highly recommend.

Buy or Bench:

I’ve never been one to spend much on earbuds as I didn’t see much value in spending a lot for higher quality. That has changed. At $129 for the Open ear headphones and $99 for the earbuds these provide such exceptional performance that this feels like a steal.

Verdict? BUY

Will I use “game” these?

The answer to that question is simple. I absolutely plan to use these as often as I can. I play solo rounds fairly often and go to the driving range a few times a month and these will definitely help bring some more fun into those outings!

First, let's start with what this is. A Golf Galaxy ball fitting leverages Ping's Ballmanic program to help you get down to your three best balls which you then hit on the launch monitor to capture data and make a determination based on the non-data things like feel.

I wanna thank Nathan, my guy yesterday for walking me through the process, although as someone who is pretty familiar with Ballnamic most of it was pretty straightforward.

So we entered in our data and here's where I wished we did something a little different. In a perfect world we would have captured some data with a baseline ball, say Pro V1 before going through Ballnamic instead of just taking the rough estimates of launch angle, ball speed, spin rate, etc. I will be running the data from my Trackman sessions with my top ball next week once Ballnamic updates to see if I get the same results.

But, we put data in and spit out the three top options for me, the Bridgestone BX, the Maxfli Tour, and the Srixon Z Star XV. Honestly, this felt like a pretty solid grouping here. I've played two of these balls in the past and the Maxfli Tour is supposed to be really solid for my speeds. So with those selected we got on to hitting 7 irons. Just so you know, I did bring Driver, 7 iron, PW, 60* and Putter with me to feel everything.

So, here's the data with 7 iron

Swing speed/Ball speed, carry/total, spin, height/descent angle

BX: 80.1/106.4, 146.4/157.1, 5753, 73/43.7

XV: 79.8/107.1, 147.2/156.9, 5830, 77/44.5

Tour: 79.7/104.5, 143.3/153.6, 5663, 75/44.2

When asked about feels, I told Nathan that I didn't feel like I had to work as hard with XV as I felt I did with BX, if that makes sense. It just felt like the speed was there without an extra effort. The Tour was the outlier, it just felt like it wasn't exploding as much off the face, which is a bit crazy because they're all within 5 compression points with Tour at 94, XV at 96, and BX at 99. But we moved on to driver next

Here's the data, Swing/Ball, Carry/Total, Spin

BX: 92.1/133.7, 205.1/235.3, 3087

XV: 92.4/134.5, 209.5/238.3, 2947

Tour: 89.7/129, 199.9/228.9, 2915

So yeah, Maxfli at this point was out. It felt like the ball was sticking to the club face on impact and not in that explosive way you want. Honestly at this point I was pretty neck and neck in the numbers with BX and XV, but the feel of XV was just so much nicer to me. It's a ball I played for a few years before going away to try something else, and it looks like I never should have.

We concluded the fitting with some 30 yard pitches and grip down PWs from 100 yards and the choice was clear. Based on this fitting for me, the ball going forward in 2026 and perhaps beyond is... The Srixon Z-Star XV.

I will be interested to run this data back through ballnamic to see if it comes up with the same, but for 19.99 to get a basic ballnamic fitting and then getting to hit those balls on the launch monitor, I think it's a solid investment of your time and money if you are thinking about a new ball, just know the limitations of the ballnamic database and the balls your Golf Galaxy carries and you'll be good to go.

Last week I received my Runner Mallet Pro, and I’ll be honest, I was excited. For context, I’ve owned and gamed the Runner Original before, and that putter worked really, really well for me. It rolled it beautifully.

The only reason it fell out of the bag was confidence. I started losing trust on some of those shorter putts. Not performance-based, just that little voice in your head that starts creeping in.

So when the Mallet Pro arrived, I was curious.

And honestly? I was floored.

The look

This thing is fully blacked out.

Matte black body. Clean lines. The only real pop is the green alignment line, a bit of green paint fill on the face and sole, and then paired with the KBS GPS green shaft… it just looks incredible.

It’s one of those putters that when you pull the headcover off, you kind of pause for a second.

Now obviously looks aren’t everything. A putter has to perform.

But first impression visually? 10 out of 10.

My specs

For reference, mine is:

• Center shafted

• 74° lie

• 3° loft

• Standard Garsen Quad Tour grip

The center shaft was intentional. I wanted something that felt neutral and balanced through the stroke. And the 74° lie fits my setup really well.

The Garsen grip is also really good. Stable without feeling bulky.

The feel

This is where it gets interesting.

It’s not firm.
It’s not soft.
It’s right in the middle.

But what I really love is the feedback.

You can absolutely tell where you’ve hit it on the face. Toe, heel, center… there’s real feedback there. It’s not numb. It’s not muted. There’s a very honest response.

And that’s exactly what I look for in a putter.

I don’t want something that feels identical no matter where I hit it. I want to know. I want that little bit of audible or tactile feedback that tells me what happened.

And this delivers that.

The surprising part

Here’s the wild thing.

It almost doesn’t matter where you hit it.

I was intentionally trying to miss it. Out on the toe. Out on the heel. Slightly high. Slightly low.

And the ball just kept starting on line.

Distance control barely changed. Start line barely changed. It was honestly a little shocking.

You could feel the miss, but the performance barely dropped off.

That’s impressive.

The balance

The balance of the club is excellent. It just sits beautifully at address. It feels stable but not heavy. Controlled without feeling forced.

Runner has a pretty intriguing system built into these putters, which I’ll probably dive into more in a future post once I’ve spent more time with it.

But early signs are extremely positive.

Early verdict

I love the look.
I love the feel.
I love the feedback.
And the performance so far has been outstanding.

And I haven’t even started playing around with adjustments yet.

Still early days. Still more testing to come. But first impressions?

This thing is very, very good.

I’ll report back once I’ve had more time on the course with it.

Overall Thoughts:

Practice Coach offers a strong, modern approach to online golf training, and there’s a lot to like about the platform. One of its biggest strengths is the quality of its drills; they are well structured, purposeful, and effective for players trying to improve specific areas of their game. Additionally, the platform includes brief explanations of both the how-to and the why for drills that offer some of the clearest and most direct explanations of a drill I have seen.  The interface is another major plus: clean, intuitive, and thoughtfully designed, making it easy to navigate without feeling overwhelmed. I also appreciate how well the system supports independent practice. You can build your own sessions, choose which skills to focus on, and create targeted routines that match what clubs you want to work on most.

That said, Practice Coach isn’t without its drawbacks. The monthly price is on the higher side, especially based on some of the features it is currently missing, and the platform would benefit from more flexibility in how users schedule their training. Currently, you can’t pre-schedule sessions or lay out weekly or monthly practice plans within the app, which limits long-term structure or your ability to preplan or prepare for practices. Another limitation is that you don’t know what equipment or setup is required for a drill until after you start building a practice session—making planning a bit clunky and requiring you to carry equipment like half a tennis ball or impact stickers or talcum powder spray that you might not always have with your practice supplies if you are trying to get in a quick practice. Finally, I wish it offered a clearer way for the player or a coach to recommend or filter drills based on their goals or skill needs, which would take the experience to the next level and allow the practice app to better integrate and support a player's identified faults

Overall, Practice Coach is a well-built and genuinely helpful training platform with excellent drills and a user-friendly design—but improvements in scheduling, drill recommendations, and pre-planning could make it even better.

Product Use:

Examples of Practices:

With the number of drills in the system and the ability to vary practice clubs and times, there are almost limitless practice routines that the system can create in the Practice Coach App.

As of this first snapshot, I’ve been using the Practice Coach app for about three full weeks. In that time, I’ve been able to schedule multiple practices based on the time I had available and the areas I wanted to focus on. I’ve also found several drills that I’ve really come to enjoy—some so much that I continue doing them even after a scheduled session because they genuinely help. I’ve especially liked the drills that improve solid contact and overall swing feel.

There is one drill in particular, though, that has stood out to me more than any other. In every practice session I’ve scheduled, I’ve included the “Mastering My Stock Shot” drill. It has become a go-to for me, and I think it represents one of the fundamental instructional strengths of the app. The drill gives you different shot options to hit based on your chosen focus area, but it also forces you to practice with intention: follow your routine, feel your swing, and swing with purpose. More than any other drill, this one has helped me understand my swing and make noticeable improvements in the short time I’ve been using the app.

The first time I tried it, I was inconsistent and struggled to produce the shot shapes the drill required in a controlled and repeatable way. But over time, with repetition and focus, I’ve reached a point where I can reliably hit the requested shots. I now have a much better understanding of how I need to swing in order to produce the results I’m aiming for—far more than I did before beginning this structured practice process.

My First Stock shots went from unpredictable push and pulls to actually showing shape and an ability to predict based on how I was manipulating my swing, how the shot was going to react.

Ideal:

10% Over:

10% Under:

Does it work:

I’ll post more comprehensive data separately for those who like the numbers, but to answer the question: yes, I’m happy with the gains I’ve seen in my swing after a month of using this app. I’ve seen improvements in both carry distance and overall shot dispersion, along with noticeable benefits in club speed, ball speed, and launch characteristics.

The gains from this first month give me a clear, quantifiable sense that the structured practice and built-in accountability the app provides have had—and continue to have—a very positive impact on my game. I’m excited to see how continued use helps me keep improving and what I can look forward to once I’m back on the course for real golf when spring rolls around.

Where I Stand:

The best endorsement I can give for this app is that I fully plan to continue using it as long as I have access (I will continue to update data and progress here as well as I do). I’m going to rely on the Practice Coach app to help shape and structure my winter practice routines, and I’ll continue to update my thoughts as I spend more time with it and as new features or changes are introduced. I genuinely believe the app is helpful for golfers who need support creating and scheduling practice sessions to stay on track and improve.

That said, I do think the current price feels a bit high for the feature set as it exists today. With a few adjustments—such as more flexible scheduling tools, the ability to pre-plan sessions, and options for you or a coach to select drills in a more controlled and prescribed way—the app could easily justify its cost. Better integration with existing live coaching would also be a major value-add, allowing the app to supplement the time between in-person lessons.

I can say candidly that I would happily pay the $50 per month if my instructor could directly prescribe drills, build practice routines from the app’s library, and set up my practice parameters. If those features were implemented, the app would essentially pay for itself by reducing the number of lessons I’d need each month.

So, when this particular group of training aids was mentioned, it felt like a personal attack. Three items that, in theory, should clearly show areas where my swing can go off the rails. These being the inside takeaway (StraightAway), general alignment (AimStick), and the downswing transition (SwingSetter). So that being said, if these items work as they are advertised, my swing should be able to improve. To be fair, my swing is not without its quirks coming from other sports in the past, and a full swing rebuild is not in the future plans either, so can these training aids work with the swing I have, or do they only work with the “ideal” swing?

Aimstick
This one is fairly quick because let’s be honest. It’s a fancied up alignment stick. Three smaller sections that thread together to make a typical length alignment stick. It works well enough as that, but the ends are capped off, so it would not make the best stick for pushing into the ground if you needed an aid for that particular purpose. Unfortunately, $20 for what essentially becomes a single-use tool feels a bit like buying an avocado slicer. It’s good at what it does, but there are cheaper, more versatile options out there. It’s nice being made of aluminum, but I did experience a small quality control concern with the “benefit” that Leadbetter claims. These sticks have a small hole at each end so that you can push a tee through and essentially anchor your Aimstick. It’s a nice feature, but I wish the holes aligned while everything was screwed together tightly. If I tighten it down, I can put hole tee directly into the ground, and the other is entering the ground at a pretty significant angle just because the alignment isn’t quite there. It’s not a deal breaker, but little attention to detail things matter when you are asking $20 for a stick. At least to me.

StraightAway
Honestly, this one is the star of the bundle. It’s simple, it fits onto almost any club, and you can take actual swings with it. The Straightaway simply clips to the shaft about two inches below the grip, tighten the two thumb screws to lock it in place and you are ready to go. It’s great for a quick rehearsal check to make sure that secondary arrow stays pointing along your alignment stick at the beginning of the takeaway. It’s also not so obtrusive that you can take full swings with it. I did mention almost any club, because it did not fit my wedge shafts. I probably could have forced it up higher towards the grip, but it was getting very tight with quite a bit more room it needed to move up. These were KBS 610 Wedge shafts, which are a 0.610 OD shaft, so a bit thicker than usual. In terms of the overall user experience, in practice this is a good tool that I will likely use frequently, especially if I notice my swing getting out of sorts because that initial takeaway move can help me to self-correct a number of later issues. I feel that a little more attention to detail could have been taken with the overall materials presented. My bundle came along with a little instruction card that included a QR code to a video. I’m assuming the video is intended to be a video demonstration of how to use the StraightAway, but all I got when following the code was an error. Apparently I did not have permission to view the video to explain the training aid. Obviously, I managed to figure out how to use it and I actually really enjoy it, but again, if you are going to provide a video link, make sure it works?

SwingSetter
Oh man. I wanted to like this one. I really tried. Again, this is a great aid, in theory. By my understanding of the aid, as you take the club away and “set” it in the backswing, the magnetic ball nearest the hands is supposed to separate and you hear a click in the backswing. The goal is to then transition to the downswing, and hear the second ball click at the release point, ideally slightly after where the ball might be. That’s my understanding of how it should work anyway. This is where I question training aids and the quirks of my particular swing. I am 100% aware that I have a very, let’s nicely word it, deliberate, takeaway, and minimal wrist “set” in the backswing. As a result of this, no matter what settings I used for the “set” ball, the only way I could get that one to separate in the backswing is to deliberately speed up my takeaway and set my wrists early. Even then, it was 50/50 on whether it would actually work as intended. Because of that, I’ve essentially given up using the SwingSetter to train or aid the backswing in anyway. At this point, it is purely an aid to take some shadow swings throughout the day and to ensure that I consciously mind the transition area of my swing. One of the symptoms of when my swing goes off the rails, is that I pull down at the top, and when that happens, I get very early clicks from the SwingSetter.

While I’m happy to report that my case appears to be a one-off happening, I do have to report that the build quality did not meet my expectations. Within the first days of using it, the “release” ball actually slid all the way down the shaft to the end. A small rubber o-ring that was near the top of this ball also regularly becomes misaligned and the movable piece of the “set” ball sticks to it.

As a result, if I force the set piece to move, I can legitimately hold it there forever and it will not drop back down. That negates a little of the intended tempo aspect of the trainer. The rotational adjustment for both pieces no longer align, so when I have them set on the tightest setting, the arrow actually points between the 2 and 3 on both. Obviously it still functions, but it is mildly disappointing. Oddly enough, the informational booklet that is packaged with the SwingSetter appears to be a bit dated as well, claiming that the aid uses green for the target side of the balls, when the actual color used is red in the current version. It’s a simple thing, but updating some packaging materials doesn’t feel like it should be overly complicated.

TLDR: Do these training aids work? Yes, somewhat. The Straightaway is clearly the star, maybe a bit expensive for what it is, but it works. The Aimstick. It works, but there are better options out there in my opinion. The SwingSetter. It works for some. I am not in that category. I feel like I only get maybe 20% of the intended benefit of this one. With that in mind, I’m still overall skeptical about training aids. They might be effective in identifying symptoms, but the market is flooded and trying to distinguish good from bad gets more difficult as time goes on. For myself, my swing requires a certain amount of natural quirk that simply does not get along with certain training aids.

Hello Life at the Turn! I'm excited to share a snapshot report of my time with the Leadbetter Straight Away, Aim Stick, and Swing Setter so far. I've got quite a lot of experience with training aids, so I'm confident I can help you discern if these are good products and right for you.

Let me get right to the point: these are well-constructed quality products that work. I've concentrated more on the Straight Away than the Swing Setter, but I'm certain it's got me hitting the ball noticeably better since Ive started incorporating the drills into my practice.

The Straight Away

I'll get right to the point on this: Since using the Straight Away, I am hitting the ball farther and straighter than ever. I'm a 7 handicap, which means I can sometimes hit the ball well and sometimes hit it poorly, and a lot of that has to do with face control. In my case, I have a very inside takeaway...I rip the club inside and open the face in the process, then try to save it with my hands in the downswing. Sometimes I can, sometimes I can't. This is where the magic of the Straight Away has been golden for me.

Clip the Straight Away on just below the grip, set up the Aim Stick along your toe line, then follow the drills Leadbetter provides via the QR code on the Straight Away packaging. In short, he prescribes a takeaway initiated by the core rather than the hands, with the club outside of your hands at shaft parallel. To teach that position, you simply align the arrow on the Straight Away with the arrow on the Aim Stick. Rehearse that feel 3 times, then complete the backswing. On the downswing, focus on returning the Straight Away's arrow to that same aligned position, and fire!

Sound a little too easy and too good to be true? I thought so too, until I got on my Foresight GC3 launch montior. My Angle of Attack and club path numbers have all improved, and I am consistently carrying the ball 5-7 yards farther across the set. The Straight Away works folks! If you struggle with your takeaway, I'd consider it a MUST buy.

The Swing Setter

Proper rhythm in the golf swing is important for good ball-striking, which means setting the club at the right time in the back swing, and releasing it properly in the downswing. The Swing Setter will teach you both.

The training club includes adjustable resistance, and requires you to properly time the set and release to generate an audible click that lets you know you've done it right. I'll tell it like it is: I struggled with this, at first. If you're not in sync or out of position, the Swing Setter will stay silent and let you know you're not where you need to be. But, keep working at it...after dedicated use, I'm now generating the audible clicks that let me know I'm swinging in the right positions and in the proper tempo. Along with the Straight Away, the Swing Setter has me striking the ball as well as I ever have. I highly recommend these products!

Straight Away

The Straight Away is designed to help golfers with the most important part of the swing which is the first couple of feet. A lot of golfers rip the club inside to start the swing and the Straight Away paired with a straight line parallel to your toes gives you a visual of getting into a proper position.

I like this aid simply because it’s so convenient to use, I can just clip it on to a club and rehearse the movement in my house. Right now I have it clipped onto my Swing Setter and have been using the grout lines on the floor of my kitchen as a guide. If I were to recommend one product from this line, this would be it.

Swing Setter

The Swing Setter is a training aid to help with tempo. It features two magnetized balls that release at certain parts of your swing. The first ball is supposed to release and click once you have the club set and the second is designed to release at impact.

I’m still having issues getting them to click at the right time but I did see some positive results yesterday. It’s a massive difference in tempo than what I usually deliver and I’m finding out my takeaway is too slow to get the magic to happen.

I like the grip trainer on the club but the position is a bit foreign to me. I have a pretty strong grip with three knuckles showing at address and I’m only seeing two with it. I also feel like my right hand is extremely weak compared to normal. I’m a bit worried it’ll lead to slices but in all fairness I haven’t hit balls with it to verify the results.

Straight Stick

The Straight Stick is a three piece alignment aid with holes at each end of the stick you can place tees in to hold it into place. I love the fact you can break it down and fit it into your bag so it doesn’t take to a lot of space. My biggest complaint is the fact I haven’t been able to fully tighten the pieces together and have the holes line up so I can place both tees in at the same time.

It’s still early on in the process and I’ve only gotten to the range once but did see positive results. I’m planning on making these training aids a part of my practice routine during the winter and hoping to see great results.

Intro

I'm always a little sceptical of any golf improvement product that sounds too good to be true - and at its core, the Straightaway is a really simple idea. If you take the club away correctly, getting to the right position at the top of the backswing should be way easier, and a well executed backswing should result in an easier path to getting the club in the right place at impact.

I'm a big believer on the impact of setup and repeatability of process on impact position, so this training aid should be right up my alley!

I've spent the past 1.5yrs working on improving my swing (reducing reverse pivot and hanging back, taking the club away too inside), and so at this point I have a fairly solid understanding of how my body moves. Feel vs real has also been helped by using my MLM2Pro and SportsboxAI.

What is a training aid for?

This may seem like a dumb question, but bear with me. Fundamentally there are three aspects to how I think about evaluating any training aid:

1. Is what it addresses fundamental to better golf?

2. Does the training aid work?

3. Will I want to use it?

I'm going to use this initial snapshot review to share my first impressions for the StraightAway and the SwingSetter. I hate to say it, but the Aimstick is basically just a nice collapsible alignment stick with tee holes in it, so I don't think it needs the same level of explanation.

1) Is what it addresses fundamental to better golf?

The StraightAway

At its core, the golf swing is pretty simple - you swing the club back, and you swing the club through the ball. But as we all know a lot can happen in that 1-2 second motion. Because we're adding acceleration to the golf club, and swinging the club rotationally, the clubhead will want to continue on whatever path we send it on.

The easiest way to visualize this is to think about throwing a ball as far as you can. Imagine throwing a ball where you cock your arm back as you normally would, and then throw it. Now imagine throwing a ball where you start by lifting the ball up so it's right above your head at arm's length, and then trying to throw the ball as far as you can from there.

Where we start the clubhead matters, as it influences everything else. So on paper, the StraightAway checks this box.

The SwingSetter

Lots of evidence exists (made famous by John Novosel of Tour Tempo) that swing tempo and proper release timing are essential to a repeatable golf swing that imparts the most energy to the golf ball. The included grip trainer also ensures you are taking the proper grip on the club, and not holding the club too much in your hands.

So for both the StraightAway and SwingSetter we've established these are both areas worth addressing.

2) Does the training aid work?

The StraightAway

While it is still early in my testing, I can confidently say that for me, the Straightaway produces a more neutral takeaway in terms of path.

Baseline (no training aids)

StraightAway

As you can see, the StraightAway really neutralized my path, but also led to a drop in clubhead speed and carry. I also had a couple of wild shanks, and I couldn't tell if that was down to the added weight/imbalance on the club, or the slight pause it caused in my swing as I tried to find the correct position.

As a draw player, it was mildly scary to see right misses coming more into play, but time will tell if that is an issue. Interestingly when testing the StraightAway on SportsboxAI I saw slightly faster clubhead speed and efficiency, but worse consistency. We will see over time if having a more neutral path is helpful for me, or if it will introduce a two way miss.

The SwingSetter

This one is a little harder to evaluate, as you're not hitting a golf ball. I would definitely say that the SwingSetter feels like it is helping you dial in the takeaway rhythm, and also check when you make your downswing that you are not releasing the club too early. However, I have found it quite hard to determine whether the release click is happening prior to impact, at impact, or just after impact - mainly because it feels quite foreign to swing compared to a golf club.

One way to test this would be to take some slow motion videos, which I will try doing for the full review to see if I can tell at what point in my swing the release ball is clicking.

3) Will I want to use it?

This is honestly the hardest part of this review. I've been exploring some of the writing on Mental Golf Type and would categorize myself as an extroverted golfer - in that I do best with external focus of targets, and visual confirmation that what I'm doing is correct. One of the most addictive training aids I have used is the PuttOut Pressure Putt Trainer, because it gives such immediate feedback and you want to try it again and again.

The StraightAway

If I am completely honest, this is the type of golf training I find the hardest to be disciplined on (I similarly find putt start line training mind numbing too). The StraightAway training protocol requires you to practice the first 12 inches of the swing over and over and over again, ideally without hitting a ball, before progressing to a full backswing, and then finally a full swing.

With somewhat limited training time, I tend to thrive on practice that either produces clear numbers (speed, path, carry, angle of attack) or clear sensory confirmation of success (seeing the putt going in the hole, feeling your wrist hit the back of the ProSendr). The StraightAway does provide that visual evidence, but it's subtle. It is good that it doesn't force you into a position, but by the same token also doesn't ask you to explore what the wrong position feels like and why it doesn't work as well.

I'm going to have to really grit my teeth and work on implementing it, as on first impressions it doesn't feel like an amazing fit for the type of practice I get most excited by.

The SwingSetter

The SwingSetter feels even harder for me to fall in love with, as it feels very far away from the sport of golf. Luckily my grip is pretty much already bang on, and so the grip trainer isn't that useful for me most of the time (it will be if I feel like my grip has slipped or crept out of position). However, I imagine for a beginner golfer this would be invaluable.

The SwingSetter itself does feel a little more infomercial-y to me. I've spend the last three years working on swing tempo using the Tour Tempo app, so it's very possible I'm not the target audience for this one either. That said, I will continue to try it out and see if I can get additional benefits from it.

(Final) First Impressions

I'm not quite sure what type of golfer is the target market for the training bundle. In some ways the grip trainer and SwingSetter feel more geared towards the beginner golfer, while the StraightAway feels more like an intermediate golfer product.

I'll be very interested to continue to test them, and figure out whether they will earn a permanent place in my bag.

Can this app really improve your performance through guided, structured practice?

Date: 11/19/25

What is the app?

“Practice Coach maximizes your practice time by combining motor learning science with tour-proven methods. Its unique algorithm adapts to your performance, creating customized plans based on your skill level, time available, and practice environment—indoors, outdoors, range, or course. Train smarter, avoid plateaus, and perform your best when it matters most.”

Why did it pique my interest?

The quote from the app’s website that grabbed my attention the most is “Results don’t come from doing more. They come from doing it right.”

If I can practice with more purpose and with better structure, maybe it can lead to better on-course results.

What does my practice currently look like?

I enjoy practice. Really enjoy practice. When working from home or over weekends, I’ll often be found grabbing a 9-iron in the garage to do swing drills, sometimes with Hack Motion to give feedback, or recording videos for my coach.

When I have time, I’ll go to the range and short game area for 2-3hrs at least once a week (weather allowing) and to the sim place I’m a member at (once a week through season and 2-3x per week over winter).

On the range, I will warm up with a few clubs through the bag- typically 54*, 9-iron, 5-iron, 3H/5W, driver. Then I’ll ‘play’ 9 holes from a local course (usually my home course)- I’ll hit recovery shots if I’ve hit a bad preceding shot. After the range session, I will hit the chipping green and play 30-40 shots from short grass, varying rough and bunker. If time, I’ll spend time on the putting green working on setup, stroke (gate drills) and distance control/ consistency. Through range and short game area sessions, all will be deliberate shots with a target and I will go through my pre-shot routine each time.

- At the sim, I have a choice of indoor range (big hitting area with wall and impact screen 12-14yds away) equipped with Flightscope launch monitors and software (on iPads)- both FS range and FS skills apps. They then have three full sim bays, where I can play virtual rounds using E6 software. My standard indoor practice is to use the range software while I warm up and then do a FS Skills combine or set practice to test my distance control and accuracy from chipping up to driver. When I have more time and the sim bay, I’ll play a quick 9 or 18 holes to finish a session. I’ll treat the round like it’s on-course and go through my pre-shot routine each time.

Testing of the Practice Coach Golf app is ongoing and this is an initial snapshot review after a few weeks, but here are the pros and cons from my limited experience.

What I Like:

Straightforward user interface

It’s not a difficult app to use. At all. The setup is well structured and guided and the instructional videos for each exercise are good. Practices are clearly explained and kept to a single screen per timed interval set.

Prescribed Practice

It’s nice to fire up the app and not know what you’re going to be working on, but knowing it’s based on what I have told the app my strengths and weaknesses are (which can be revised as and when needed).

Repeating Core Practice Drills/ Sessions

Regularly working on important fundamentals is great. I’m very happy to see this being a foundation of the app’s algorithm.

Shot-Shaping Drills

I don’t do this very often on the range or sim, but I should. Aside from it being cool to be able to work the ball both ways, there are obvious practical applications on-course and it helps to reinforce swing feel vs real, grip importance and face control. It’s fun too.

Keeping it Varied

Some of the practice exercises involve hitting target distances (example below). I like that it’s not just an increasing distance ladder and instead the target distances vary. Big positive for making you think before each one.

Opportunities for Improvement:

Practice Preview

It is a repeating frustration for me, but every new practice you have to hit start, then immediately find ‘pause’ so you can read through the practice exercises and go find any equipment it asks for (alignment sticks, half tennis ball, foot-spray for example) before unpausing and going ahead with the drills. This could easily be remedied by having a preview page pop up telling you what clubs and pieces of equipment you’re going to need, how to set up the drill, how many balls you’re going to need and so on. Then you could hit ‘go’, the preview would clear and you’d start the practice.

Performance tracking?

One of the claims in the above lists is “Performance tracking that shows your improvement”. For an AI-based app I think this could be greatly improved upon. From what I can tell, the only performance tracking is how you rate your performance after each exercise (out of five stars), so very much subjective ratings. There are practices in the app that lend themselves to actual performance tracking, examples being:

• Hitting a target “green”, hitting left of it and hitting right of it (by a % or given distance). You keep tabs in your head, but there is no active performance tracking of # of shots that were successful vs not (and why not- wrong shot shape, too short/ long/ left/ right etc).

• Playing 9 virtual holes on range/sim where you score yourself on hitting fairways and greens, with points awarded for how you did. You are meant to add up your scores, but at the end of the exercise it asks for the standard ‘stars out of five’ rating. The developers have the opportunity with this kind of exercise to let you record score for each ‘hole’ and track your overall scores over time as you repeat the exercise. This feels like a missed opportunity.

Tracking ‘scores’ for certain practices would gamify the app and could be helpful for some golfers.

Also under the banner of improvement tracking, one cannot review personal ratings of past sessions to track improvements (or otherwise). That could be beneficial.

Cost

$50 per month is not insignificant and will, I would imagine, immediately turn-off many golfers. But like a lot of subscription services, you need to go through your personal cost-benefit analysis. For me, the jury is out. I need more time with the app over winter.

Summary

It is clear that a great deal of work and high level coaching expertise has gone into this app. The drills are varied and maintain interest and focus and they are well-structured. I can see sufficient benefits of using the app and - to my mind- there are clear opportunities for quick improvements to the user experience to make it more enjoyable for the user.

Having a prescribed practice session helps get away from mindless block practice and not improving. This makes you think more about what you’re doing and focus more on your technique and a target/ end result.

You can either let the app/AI tell you what to do for the whole session, or you can choose what you want/need to work on. The flexibility to do so is very helpful.

I am yet to explore “on course” practice in the app, but I will do so soon on the sim.

With some improvements to the app, I could see me being won over and continuing a subscription beyond this test and I look forward to continuing with a long-term review.

Stay tuned for more…

After inputting some basic information in your player profile and completing a self scored assessment (pictured below), you are ready to begin utilizing the app for training.

You are given the option of letting the app create a training session for you, where you select your location and practice type, as well as duration. Using your self-assessment, the app generates a personalized plan. I have found this feature useful when I don’t want to think about or choose the specific skill I am working on.

Once you begin your session, you are given a brief rundown of the segment before you begin. There is an explanatory video for each segment as well. A timer also begins for the segment as soon as you start. I have found these relatively easy to follow to this point. You also have an option to build your own practice session, choosing specific skill focuses to work on.

To this point, I feel that the Practice Coach App has potential to help golfers improve their game. However, a drawback could come into play if you do not understand your swing flaws or have not yet discovered them. Practice, especially guided, is a great way to improve. But if you have breakdowns in your swing preventing you from getting better, you may be best served working by with a coach either in-person or online. At $49/month, this app is expensive in what it provides, in my opinion. I would personally stand to gain more by working with a coach who understands the flaws in my swing and can help me address those first.

This is a well thought out and easy to use app. It functions well and the drills are solid. More is yet to come!

PRACTICE COACH GOLF APP

Has This AI-Guided Practice App

Unlocked the Secret to Lower Scores?

Published November 19, 2025

The Practice Coach Golf app uses artificial intelligence to create individualized practice plans emphasising skills needed to achieve better results.

What is your golf practice like?

(That is, if you practice at all.)

If you are like me, and you find yourself with some rare practice time, you set out for the range with vague notions of goals but no real plan. I may start by hitting irons at flags or trying to keep driver on the planet. If I maintain a modicum of focus, I may even believe I learned something along the way.

But too often a bad shot or two will lead me down a rabbit-hole of frustration and futility. I start swinging harder – and faster – reload! – chasing whatever distance or target or feel my reptilian brain suddenly craves. Eventually, a glance at my watch snaps me out of my fugue-state, and I trudge away with my head hanging low feeling like I am – and, in fact, I am – worse off than before I “practiced.”

This is an entirely personal failing. Before practicing, I could rationally evaluate my strengths and weaknesses. I could spotlight the skills that most need improvement (still looking at you, Mr. Octopus (aka Driver)). I could consult manuals and YouTube videos to identify helpful drills. I could assemble a plan for my practice session, track my progress, and adjust future schemes accordingly.

But I don’t.

(The octopus in question.)

If you do, you not only have my respect and admiration, you can probably stop reading now and be mostly fine. If not . . .

The Practice Coach Golf App intends to help us help ourselves and avoid all that mess.

(Welcome!)

WHAT IS IT? A SKILLS-BASED PRACTICE PLANNER AND COACH

The new Practice Coach Golf application focuses golfers’ practice routines on the skills needed to improve on-course performance, such as: shot-shaping, accuracy, distance control, chipping and pitching, and putting accuracy and tempo. Using artificial intelligence, Practice Coach prepares personalized and evolving practice plans which fit users’ available practice time, based on golfers’ initial and ongoing assessments of their abilities, deficiencies, and progress.

HOW DOES IT WORK? MOTOR LEARNING SCIENCE

Two motor learning specialists created the Practice Coach Golf app, namely Dr. Will F. Wu, Long Beach State University professor and Director of the Center for Sport Training and Research (STAR), and PGA Master Professional John Dunigan, a renowned Golf Digest Top 30 instructor. According to their website, Practice Coach Golf gathers data on rounds played and in-app practice results, to build “smarter practice plans—focused on the specific skills that will lower your scores.” In other words, the app helps golfers develop and perfect golf-related muscular abilities through repetition and experience.

“We guide you through smarter, more focused sessions that develop real skill—so your practice shows up under pressure. Results don’t come from doing more. They come from doing it right.” – practicecoachgolf.com

After signup, users provide a quick assessment of their game. Then golfers can set practice length and location (range, short game area, green, course, or indoors) and choose from the app’s “Practice Coach Design” or “Practice On Your Own” features.

("Practice Coach Design" Start Screen)

Practice Coach Design uses machine learning to evaluate areas of need based on golfers’ initial and ongoing self-evaluations. With this feature, the app draws from an inventory of traditional and gamified drills to set a practice agenda and time segments for each exercise.

("Practice On Your Own" Start Screen)

The “Practice On Your Own” feature allows golfers to choose areas of focus. Have an upcoming round at a tight course? Select driver practice. Fast greens and lots of sand traps? Choose putting and bunker drills.

Users can always select from games, drills, or scrimmage exercises. Helpful videos accompany each component to explain the process and goals. And a timer runs for each practice segment to keep golfers from wandering off track.

(Reasonable facsimile of author.)

WHAT IS IT NOT? A SWING DOCTOR

Practice Coach Golf is not - and does not claim to be - a swing diagnostic tool. It does include drills that emphasize swing aspects, such as head control or power moves. And the app offers a “Work on Your Swing” template for work on swing faults identified outside the app. That said, a coach or other applications, such as HackMotion, 18Birdies, and others, may better serve golfers seeking improved swing mechanics.

(Driving range at Harrison Lake CC, Columbus, IN)

DOES PRACTICE COACH GOLF WORK FOR INDYBONZO? YES!

Practice Coach does work. Like most things, users will get out of it what they put into it. And it’s not perfect. But it’s pretty great. Here’s why (briefly):

The Good Stuff/Pros:

• Skills-based drills actually translate to on-course performance

• The app identifies weaknesses and focuses practice on them

• Exercises vary to hold interest

• Videos helpfully explain the drills and games

• The games/scrimmages help retain focus

• App has a simple and intuitive look and feel

• Instructions often request full pre-shot routines and club changes, preventing rapid-fire

( @Indy_Oz plotting the demise of @Indy Bonzo . Rude.)

Initial practice sessions on a range and in a simulator included a healthy focus on shot-shaping and accuracy. Many times I was asked to hit my “stock shot” then deviate from it on demand, i.e., hit 10% more fade or draw. Eventually, the app stacked relevant games highlighting the same skills. For example, a pair of driving range games emphasized shaping shots for danger avoidance. One set a target score, granted points for hitting the fairway, and assessed penalties for missing to the designated danger-side.

(Nope.)

Just like teeing off for real - danger must be avoided. On my own, I doubt I would have focused my practice on this particular skill, despite its obvious benefits. After one such dedicated practice in the simulator, I played 9 GSPro holes at Whispering Pines (first 9 on this course in the sim or IRL) and startled myself by shooting +4 with no balls OB and no mulligans. That’s an excellent outcome for this golfer at an unfamiliar and difficult course, especially in the sim.

This example illuminates the essential magic and promise of the Practice Coach Golf app – the yield from disciplined, repeated practice concentrated on essential golf skills.

The Not So Good Stuff/Cons:

• App fails to warn of equipment needed for certain drills

• User cannot access drill history

• Look and feel may be too streamlined for some

• No notifications/reminders

• $49.99/month cost

The Practice Coach Golf app is fairly new, and I am being a bit nit-picky. So I offer these points as suggestions for future releases. That said, the biggest application flaw I found arose when I started an exercise, with the timer running, to discover that I needed an extraneous accessory to complete the exercise – like a tennis ball sliced in half (for underfoot in a push-off drill) or foot spray (to show point of contact). A pre-session "accessory needed" warning and option to substitute another exercise would be nice. (Pro tip: If you get the app, keep that ½ tennis ball, foot spray, alignment sticks, and lots of tees handy. List subject to change.)

A feature allowing users to set the desired amount of weekly practice with reminders would also be helpful. (Go practice, Loser!) As would some additional graphics in the app.

Finally, the Practice Coach Golf app is not exactly inexpensive. At $49.99 per month and no discount for an annual membership, it only makes fiscal sense for those with available time and a commitment to regular use.

CONCLUSION

The Practice Coach Golf app offers promise for accelerated improvement to golfers willing to commit time and effort. It is not a quick fix. Rather, it works through repetitive, muscle learning-based practice of necessary skills, and AI-generated practice planning based on users’ actual experience and results. The app also affords golfers the flexibility to tailor practice to pressing needs if, say, their next round demands excellent bunker play or precision off the tee. The app is somewhat expensive, but it works.

Follow along for a longer term analysis if you like! Your author has some interesting developments coming this winter. The Practice Coach Golf app features heavily in my offseason fitness and game improvement plan. Stay tuned. I wish you fairways and greens, always.

Practice Coach Golf is available for Apple and Android devices.

The Practice Coach Golf App is basically just like it's name says. It's an app that acts like a virtual coach that gives you drills to complete based on details you provide in your profile and ongoing after your rounds. It utilizes motor learning science to help you improve quicker and retain what you've learned. It also uses Ai / machine learning to adjust your drills and training plan based on your ongoing inputs to prevent the training from becoming stale.

The app can be used in both Android and iOS devices, both phones and tablets. Although you don't need one, it's easier if you have some type of stand to hold the phone or tablet as you practice and/or want to take videos. Especially when you get into a drill you haven't done before and want to watch the instructional video.

Is it easy to set up?

The Practice Coach Golf app is very simple to set up. You download and install it from your store of choice. When you open it the first time, you just go into the "Sign Up" portion which asks for the usual things (name, email, password). It will send you a validation email that you just click a link, and you're account is ready. Next, you'll go into the profile section to fill in all the important details about you and your golf game. From handicap to rounds per week to your age and what's in the bag, it's all important to fill out.

The next part takes a bit of honesty with yourself and your current state of your game. It's the self assessment portion, and it's very important to be honest and accurate as the Ai uses this information to help create the practice plan and to recommend drills when you want to practice. You with a short video from Dr. Wu describing how to properly fill out the assessment. It's really important to watch the video and understand how to properly complete this task. Once you've finished the assessment, you're all set to start using the app!

How do you use it?

Once all the set up stuff is done, you come into the app to a very simple home screen. You have two practice options, and a few options in the "Skillboard Data" section.

The Scorecard section is where you'd go to put in your ratings for the same items from the assessment, but specific to that round you just played. Insights utilizes the assessment scores and the individual Scorecard entries to help show you where your strenghts and weaknesses are. So it's important to go and do a scorecard after each round you play, and again be very honest with each part of your game during that round. The Videos section takes you to a list of all the drills. You can click on each one and get both a written description as well as a video demonstration of the drill. You can also favorite a drill if you really find it helpful, so you can easily find it later. This is a really helpful area to visit early on to get a feel for the upcoming drills.

The two practice sections are pretty much as they state - Practice Coach Design and Practice On Your Own.

If you go into the Practice Coach Design section, you tell the app your practice location, practice type, and how long you have to practice. The app will then spit out a practice plan for you based on your selections and a combination of the self-assessment and all of the round assessments (scorecards) you've entered to date. Then select Start and you're ready to practice.

The Practice On Your Own section requires a little more information to get started. You tell it your location, specific skills to work on, practice type, and how long you have to practice. That second part is the big change - skill focus. You can choose one or more skills from a list of 9 different options. Again, hit go and you're ready to practice.

There is an option in the Practice On Your Own that is in and of itself a third practice option - Work On My Swing. Once you select that option in the Skill list, all of the other options go away except for the amount of time to practice. This will then take you to another page where you get a short video from Dr. Wu on how this particular practice section works. Once you enter the details and go to the next page, you will get a list of swings to take, what speed to swing at, type of exaggeration to employ in that swing, and what club to use. This can be thought of as a way to work on your mechanics, if you want to. But there are no drills given or anything along those lines. It's just this list of how to swing and the ability to video yourself if you want.

Who is it for?

This is a bit of a tricky question, as I can see how any golfer of any skill level can benefit from this app. But I believe this is mainly for someone that wants the guidance on how to practice on certain skills based on what your assessment says about your game and how the Ai interprets that information. It's also likely for someone who doesn't have a coach and likely isn't looking for one, but wants to work more so on their own. But I could be wrong, which wouldn't be the first time and won't be the last.

Who is it not for?

It's my opinion that this app is not for someone primarily looking to work on their swing mechanics or to employ a swing change. Although there is a little bit of an option to do that in the app, you really need to already know what drills to work on to improve those mechanics. This app is centered around improving how you play on the course and how to utilize different options in a round (hit it high, hit it low, add/remove shot shaping, etc)

Where can it be improved?

I noticed a few things that could use fixing.

1. When I open the app on my Android phone, it locks the screen. I have to unlock it to get into the app. Strange, as it doesn't happen on my iPad nor does it happen on my Android tablet. Just my Android phone.

2. The Work On My Swing section needs to be brought out to the home screen as a third practice option and not hidden in the Practice On Your Own section. In reality, it is a third type of practice.

3. It only works in Portrait mode, even on a tablet. It would be nice to have it adjust for Landscape mode for those of us who prefer the larger screen of a tablet.

4. The sliders of the setup process are tough to use and see if you have even slightly larger than average fingers. It also doesn't show what you actually chose on the slider. The ball stays where you slid it, but you have to see your choice as you slide it because once you let go of the slider ball, nothing is shown. See the above image on this one. Might want to look at replacing the sliders with an actual text box for easier entry.

5. $49/mo with no option for an annual subscription with a discount is a bit steep. If you don't have a coach or take lessons at all, it might not be too bad. But as an add-on tool with other things, it's a bit much.

Hold On, More to Come

Time will tell how this app will truly work for me and if it does indeed help improve my game with it's motor learning science and Ai generated practice sessions. So hang in there as I work through it here in the off-season.

What worked- Does what it is meant to do which is promote a more neutral takeaway to start the backswing. Add in the Aimstick as a visual guide at your feet and this worked beautifully.

What didn’t work- I wasn’t a fan of hitting balls with the Straight away attached to the club. I found that I was more concerned with keeping the Straightaway in the correct position throughout the swing than I was actually just ingraining the correct feel. With more practice this will likely be resolved but it was a hurdle for me in the early going.

Who the product is for- Anyone that struggles with an inside takeaway. This will help neutralize your hands no doubt.

Buy or bench verdict- Simple, buy. While I have been lucky to not be plagued by an inside takeaway this does a wonderful job on ensuring I am in the correct position to start the swing.

Will I game this- Yes, this is easy to use and a great yet simple tool to warm up before a round.

The SwingSetter Field Report:

What worked- Welcome to Tempo Town! The SwingSetter when used correctly is not only very satisfying but promotes a good powerful feel to the swing.

What didn’t work- For me to get the “set” ball to release correctly I had to set it to the easiest setting (1 of 3 difficulty settings) if i turned up the setting on the “set” ball then I was unable to get only the set ball to release.

Who the product is for- If you have an aggressive transition, struggle to set your wrists in the backswing, or release the club too early in the downswing (cast) then this could do you wonders.

Buy or bench verdict- Once again, buy!

Will I game this- Yes, not only am I in the target audience for this product the weight of this training aid makes it great for getting loose before a round or driving range session.

These are well constructed, quality products that do exactly what they’re designed to do. I can already see how they’ll be incredibly beneficial as simple, effective reminders for grip, takeaway, tempo. I especially liked combining all three into a single drill and even layering in some of the Force Pedal protocols from the SuperSpeed app. That combo makes for a really efficient and productive offseason session.

The Swing Setter

The Swing Setter has been a fun challenge and one that’s surprisingly rewarding. The adjustable resistance and audible click force you to sequence properly, and if you’re out of sync, the tool won’t let you fake it. Early on, I wasn’t getting the click consistently, but as I worked through it, I started feeling much more compact and organized almost like a Tommy Fleetwood rehearsal feel. That centered, efficient, compact sensation has been a good reminder to not overswing. For me, the Swing Setter fits perfectly into my “quick refresher” routine: grip, takeaway (with the straight away), tempo. A fast reset for the swing. And combining it with the Straight Away plus some force pedal activation makes for an ideal offseason micro session that keeps everything sharp without needing to beat balls for hours.

The Straight Away / Aim Stick

The Straight Away continues to be great. It gives immediate, no nonsense feedback on the takeaway. This is exactly what I need since I tend to pull the club inside. With the Straight Away clipped just below the grip and the Aim Stick placed along the toe line, the drill becomes extremely intuitive: match the arrow on the Straight Away to the arrow on the Aim Stick at shaft, rehearse it three times, complete the backswing, then return to that same aligned position through impact. It sounds simple, and honestly…that’s the beauty of it. Simple reminder. Clear visual. Repeatable feel. For anyone who struggles with takeaway patterns, I’d still consider it a must buy. The Aim Stick screws together and has a nice case just like the Straight Away.

Final Thoughts

These training aids have already helped me hone my swing with simple and quick practice sessions, I can see myself leaning on them all offseason for those fast, reliable reminders on grip, takeaway, tempo. Add in the ability to combine drills and incorporate Force Pedal protocols, and this becomes a genuinely powerful little training system. If you want simple, effective, high qual training aids that deliver on what they promise, these are worth considering.

To summarize - I think these tools are great in concert, and aim to work on specific parts of your swing in a very intentional way. However, one particular tool (Swingsetter) needs a bit more work to TRULY break through (more on that below). Regardless, I believe these tools definitely pass the first test in helping improve swing feel, mechanics, and results.

The Straight Away

First off, the Straight Away is definitely a keeper - it comes packaged in a small, conspicuous bag that allows you to carry the tool in your bag for easy use on the course / range. When you are ready to use, all you have to do is slide over the shaft of a club of your choosing, lay down an alignment aide (like the included aim stick), and start working your takeaway. One small knock here - the SA didn't fit on my iron shafts (they are beefy Nippon 950GHs, but go on my wedge shafts just fine).

Once installed, the Straight Away gives you a very visible aide that insures that you are keeping your hands inside while the club head moves away from your body at takeaway. The beauty of this tool is two fold - its VERY easy to work on this drill in less than 30 seconds, and its something you can do on EVERY shot. Second, since this attaches to your club, you can swing this full speed, ensuring that you are seeing the positive results from a great takeaway.

This last part is so incredibly important - seeing the results immediately, which allows you to drill & re-drill numerous times at full speed. Results so far are incredibly positive - I'm seeing much better contact with my irons / wedges (nothing beats a pured iron shot for me), and the ball seems to be taking off and carrying in a much better window.

The SwingSetter

Full transparency, this one is still of a work in progress for me - specially on how to setup and use in practice. First off, the design & concept is top notch - for the grip, you have a molded grip (think Scottie's club that he uses for warm-ups) and on the other end - two magnetized balls that split in two based on your swing. Each ball is meant to break-apart at specific parts of your swing (transition & follow-thru), and can be adjusted higher / lower depending on your speed / transition.

As I've started to incorporate this morning into my weekly practices, I'm not getting the SwingSetter to properly seat / unseat 100% of the time, unless I'm intentionally trying to move them. However, Ive noticed that by adjusting the strength just a bit (1 on takeaway, 3 on follow-thru), I'm seeing a bit more success in hearing the auditory "click click" each time.

Regardless, I think this is an excellent tool in concept, and I'm still to get a bit more used to it & finding success. As always, the tool / swing aide is only as good as the practice you are doing, so more intentional work is needed here.

I'd be remiss to not give a quick thank you to the LATT team - I've really enjoyed this LAB so far and looking forward to continuing to contribute going forward!

I decided to dip my toe into this and see what is the real difference and report back to all of you.

For starters I am against this, and I didn't want to get the actual LAB branded ones. I think that is just wrong on all sorts of levels so I Calong was the one that we ended up with.

Let's start off with the impressive stuff. The packaging and finish is darn good. It comes in a sealed pastic bag, just like the real LAB putters, the box is very well protected with more protection then most OEMs I have seen.

Out of the box, the finish looks good, it is balanced, the grip feels good and overall swing is solid.

Now as this is a snapshot review, I will get right to it - The bad/clear shortcuts.

• Standard steel shaft, not a bad thing, but as someone who strongly believes in putter shaft upgrades this is a big miss.

• Weights come out, but I am not sure if the insert is actually an insert. I started to take it apart, but it seems either super glued on or it may just be the way it is milled. The port weights do come out though.

• Naming - not sure I need to say much more on that.

• Length - I have a 35 in my real OZ and it is a good half inch shorter than this one.

After several rolls and tests head to head here are my takeaways.

While this may look the part, there are some clear shortcomings or differences.

The feel is definitely softer and more muted than my proper OZ, this leads me to believe the insert isn't an actual insert.

The shaping, style, alignment and more are really good. Impressive really.

The price is crazy considering the cost of a real version, that said I would stay away. There is a reason why L.A.B. makes incredible putters and it is because they do not take these short cuts. From a 1000 foot view, yeah its value is unquestionable, but on closer inspection this is a scary reminder that fakes can do a great job, but they still fall far short of the real deal.

Feel and consistency as well as roll is truly better (imo) and preferred with the proper OZ, and while there are feel aspects that the Calong has which may appeal to others there isn't anything that is going to truly compare to the real deal.