In today’s golf market there are a number of training tools that address different issues but it is difficult to find a tool that addresses varying shots and conditions in one package. The Ontrac training aid allows you to work on your long and short games and addresses the putting stroke by using the actual board and enhanced with the use of the Ontrac putting mirror. In theory, the tool should perform well but I found a lack of results and instant feedback when the tool was in use. Although there were some issues with the aid, the use of the Ontrac with short game elements is successful. Overall, I found the Ontrac to have a few major issues and feel that it is a training aid geared towards beginner and junior golfers.
The Ontrac will benefit you when working on your short game. The tool is versatile and allows you to work on swing plane and more consistent contact with one tool. I enjoyed this tool while working on my short game at my local range as it allowed me to switch between a putting and chipping aid in just a few seconds. The Ontrac provided a consistent and proper stroke when using the tool as a putting training aid. The Ontrac provides a great deal of versatility as it provides an ease of use with varying hosel designs while addressing two distinct putting stroke, an arching stroke versus a straight through stroke. I was able to test a traditional blade with plumber’s neck hosel and a mid mallet with a single bend shaft without sacrificing performance or feel from the tool. The design of the Ontrac successfully allows you to work on short and long putts while providing instant feedback as the rails guide the putter.
The highlight of the Ontrac is its versatility. When incorporating the tool into my short game routine the tool allowed me to address shaft angle and contact. To work on shaft angle I practiced hitting shots with the ball placed at the end of Ontrac. The position of the Ontrac encourages you to keep your club on plane throughout the swing. Meanwhile, I was able to fold out the Ontrac flap and work on making a consistent downward strike while chipping. There were a few times where I felt my wedge clip the plastic portion of the Ontrac and provided instant feedback in terms of my attack angle.
Unfortunately, the Ontrac failed to perform on the range when practicing full shots with both my irons and woods. The Ontrac attempts to provide a golfer with the feel of the clubface traveling through the correct swing path and is relatively successful in achieving this feel. Unfortunately, the tool only provides this feedback in a pre shot routine setting, as the Ontrac’s rails cannot be used while hitting full shots. In many ways the Ontrac simulates the “waggle†most golfers use to place themselves in the correct swing path mindset. The Ontrac rails can be used on the outside of the swing to correct an outside-inside swing path and for this reason the tool will benefit beginner or junior golfers and players who consistently find themselves on the right hand side of the course.
Overall, the Ontrac is a useful tool when used in the correct way. In theory, it works but as a more accomplished player, I found lack of feedback when using the aid with full swings. The inability to use the Ontrac rails while swinging failed to address my swing flag of coming from to far from the inside. The aid performed extremely well as a short game aid but with an MSRP of eighty dollars I found the tool to not perform well under its price point.
Dan D.
