Tag: Aid

  • Tour Striker – Review

    Tour StrikerHere at intothegrain.com, we get plenty of training aids and swing gadgets to try out. Some of them work great, and others… not so much. When I first saw the ads for the Tour Striker I thought it would be just like many golf training aids that claim to fix your swing, so I paid it no real attention. Then, at the PGA Merchandise Show and Demo Day at Orange County National in Orlando I got to actually try it, and my impressions changed. A friend of mine happened to be a rep for Tour Striker and I was able to bring home a few units to test out for this review.

    There are several models of the Tour Striker available. The regular Tour Striker is targeted for mid-to-high handicap golfers and slower swing speeds (under 90 mph with driver), while the Tour Striker Pro is generally geared for players with higher swing speeds and a handicap of 10 or less. There is a Tour Striker for women and younger players also, with a graphite shaft that is slightly shorter (35 inches vs. 36 inches) which is more appropriate for women and juniors. The last model, and the one I was most interested in is the Tour Striker Pro X. This model is basically the same as the Tour Striker Pro, but the sweet spot is only the size of a quarter. This one is designed for low handicap golfers who want a real challenge. More specifically, there are 6 models available: The Tour Striker 8 iron, the Pro 7 iron, Pro X 7 iron, Pro 5 iron, 56 degree wedge and Tour Striker Ladies/Junior. The Tour Striker sells for $119.99 for graphite and $99.99 for a steel shaft.

    Tour StrikerSo what’s the big deal with the Tour Striker? If you’ve seen their commercials on the Golf Channel, you know that the concept behind this training club is to promote forward shaft lean at impact, which produces a descending hit, a boring trajectory and the solid strike that is desired by touring pros and top amateurs. If you watch good players and pros, they all swing with the hands leading the club. To help train the golfer in producing this impact position, the Tour Striker was designed with the leading edge of the club raised up a half inch or more from the bottom of the club. From this design came a club in which the only way to get the ball airborne is to use a descending hit with the hands ahead of the club, so that the leading edge is lowered to get under the ball. If the required swing is not made properly, you’ll hit the ball with the bottom of the leading edge, producing a rolling dribbler that resembles a topped shot.

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    Now that you know what the concept is behind the tour Striker, does the thing work? Yes! I went to the range to give it a try in the hopes of not making a fool out of myself in front of the other golfers. I brought the Pro 5 iron and the Pro X 7 iron to try out. After a warm up with my own clubs I started with the Pro 5 iron. Setting the Tour Striker down behind the ball is strange, because it’s not like any other club I’ve hit before. It’s also intimidating with the raised leading edge. Initially hitting shots with the Pro 5 iron wasn’t too hard, but I had to make sure I made a good swing to make solid contact. I’m a plus handicap player, so leading with the hands is a natural move that I make already. This made hitting the Pro 5 iron relatively easy. However, you still have to be on your toes when hitting the Tour Striker. Making a swing that would produce a thin shot with a normal club instead results in a low worm burning roller that is sure to turn heads. You must hit down on the ball to get a good result.

    Tour Striker Pro X 7 ironAfter having success with the Pro 5 iron, I moved on to the Pro X 7 iron (shown at left) with a good deal of confidence. Setting the 7X down behind the ball, I noticed that the quarter-sized sweet spot seems much smaller when you set it down behind the ball. Clearly this model was designed for players who make consistent contact. Confident but apprehensive, I made a few swings. Of the first four balls I hit, 1 of them got airborne. The Tour Striker Pro X 7 iron is no joke. You have to make a good swing with a descending blow and manage to hit a tiny sweet spot to get the ball in the air. I found shots hit just a bit on the heel curved way left. Solid shots flew high and straight, like a normal 7 iron would. I found the best way to use this club was by hitting a few balls with the Tour Striker, then switching to my normal 7 iron for a few, then back and forth. Once you get in a groove with the Tour Striker, it’s a pretty good feeling.

    The Tour Striker is cast from 431 steel and should last a long time. They are available in steel and graphite shafts. The stock steel shaft was more than adequate for my use, but if you are serious about using the club extensively in your practice, I would suggest having the club re-shafted with the same shaft and stiffness as your irons and bent to your specs for lie angle also. In summary, of all the swing aids and training devices I’ve ever tested, this may be the best. The Tour Striker is simple to use, easy to carry with you, doesn’t need batteries or a computer to work and provides instant feedback on good and bad swings alike. Perhaps the best selling point for this training aid is the fact that everywhere I play people are always reaching into my bag to try it out. I play golf with players ranging from high-handicap amateurs to touring pros, and they all enjoy testing themselves with the Tour Striker.

    I recommend the Tour Striker to all levels of golfers, but those who will benefit the most from it are mid to high handicap players. This level of golfer have not yet learned to hit the ball with a descending blow and lead with the hands, and the Tour Striker is ideal at showing you how to produce this impact position in real time. There is a model available for all abilities too. Beginning golfers can start with the Tour Striker 8 iron, and work up to the Pro X 7 iron for the maximum challenge. Through their affiliate program, readers interested in purchasing a Tour Striker can use the following link to the Tour Striker Store, or simply click on the banner below.

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  • ‘O’ Beam – Putting Aid Review

    'O' BeamTraining aids are a dime a dozen these days. Everything out there promises to correct your swing or fix a problem, but very few actually deliver. In my experience, the best training aids are those that are based on traditional, time tested instruction. We’ve all watched the scene in the movie Tin Cup where Roy McAvoy is clad from head to toe in all kinds of useless swing aids. I think the key to a good golf training aid is to keep it simple. I recently was sent such a training aid. It’s called the ‘O’ Beam, and it is designed to help you with one of the all time most used pieces of putting advice – Keep your head still!

    'O' BeamThe ‘O’ Beam is simply a laser that attaches to your hat brim and projects a “O” shaped beam of laser light from the end. The idea is simple – position the O on the ball and keep it there while you putt. At first you may be thinking what I first thought. “I don’t need a laser to tell me to keep my head still, I keep it still anyway!” Let me tell you, the first time I put the ‘O’ Beam on and hit a putt with it I was shocked at how much my head actually moves during the stroke!

    The feedback from this device is of course immediate. If you move your head even slightly, the laser light moves dramatically. It’s very difficult for me to keep my head perfectly still, so I started very slow making practice swings and worked my way up to full strokes. Every time I made a full stroke and hit the ball it rolled on line. While it’s not easy to make a perfect stroke keeping your head completely still, I don’t think any instructor would expect that. The nature of a putting stroke means that your head will tend to follow your swinging shoulders a bit no matter what. However, any excess head motion should be addressed, and this simple device certainly helps!

    My only problem with the 'O' Beam is that in the very bright Florida sunshine, the red laser becomes a little hard to see. The laser simply isn't powerful enough to shine bright enough in the full sun. While it's certainly not impossible to see, it is more visible in overcast conditions. It's also very easy to use indoors, which is where I predict  most people will use it anyway. 'O' BeamChampions Tour player Chip Beck has endorsed the product, along with Renee Powell who is a former LPGA Tour player and now the PGA/LPGA Head Golf Professional at Clearview Golf Club in East Canton, Ohio. Inventor Katie O'Keefe talks about the 'O' Beam: "I have been a golf instructor for 10 years and have enjoyed helping players of all ages and abilities. I learned in a short time that two major problems most players have are improper setup and excess head movement. The setup and head movement are, in my opinion, the most important parts of the golf swing. I believe that a proper setup is the prominent foundation to a good golf swing. If you have a solid setup you can make a simple repetitive swing. Minimal head movement is necessary in a solid golf swing; however, it is imperative in a solid putting stroke. Too many times I have heard the expression "keep your head down." That is something that you will never hear me say. You will, however, hear me say, "Keep your head still." Obviously it is impossible to keep your head absolutely still, but minimizing your head movement will dramatically improve your putting stroke and lower your scores. Why does minimal head movement improve your putting stroke, you ask? Good question! When the golf ball is addressed, you have established your ball position and setup. When the club is put into motion for the putting stroke, the most efficient way for the club head to return to the ball square and on the intended path is for the player to have minimal head movement. That is why the 'O' BEAM is a great aid - it provides you with instant feedback on how much your head moves, thus helping you train yourself to keep your head still." 'O' BeamThe 'O'Beam has been featured on the Golf Channel's Champions Tour Learning Center. You can watch the video by clicking on the link below: http://www.obeamputt.com/news-feature-golfchannel.htm The 'O' Beam works because it's easy to use and carry with you in your golf bag, and it provides instant feedback. If you want to reduce excess head movement and improve your putting, give it a try! The 'O' Beam costs $49 and is available online at their website.

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