Golfers all over the planet know that there is a difference between practice and practicing with a purpose. When there is something specific to work on, whether it’s slowing down that takeaway, working on proper weight shift, or trying to perfect that short game, practice sessions tend to become more enjoyable and fulfilling. There are those areas of the golf swing that are hard to work on by yourself, which means a second pair of eyes is welcome. In my experience, alignment is undoubtedly one of those categories that I have always appreciated having someone take a look to see if my shoulders, hips, and feet are all properly aligned. Alignment sticks are popular, but for me, I’d rather have someone else on the range working with me. That in itself causes some issues because that person is not with me when I am playing, and they aren’t always available for range time. Enter Swing Align as a way to get better visualization and feedback when working on your game.
THP Quick Take
Swing Align looks like a handful of different training aids all mashed together. However, we can appreciate that it offers a simple way to practice alignment, as well as proper rotation, and giving golfers the feeling of being connected throughout the swing.
Getting started with the Swing Align is incredibly easy. Inside the box are six pieces of aluminum tubes that screw together to make up two alignment rods. There are also two cuffs that are connected by an adjustable rubber strap, as well as two thicker arm pads that help ensure a tight fit if you are one with smaller arms. For the most basic setup, golfers will slide the alignment rod through the guides. When putting on the cuffs, there is clear visibility on where your arms/shoulders are aligned at setup. Placing the other alignment rod on the ground along your feet will give an easy visual assessment if your upper body is aimed the same way as your lower half. All in all, this offers a clear and easy pre-swing checkpoint before starting one’s backswing. It also helps to show if some pre-swing movement causes your alignment to get a bit off, which could be leading to some inconsistent results on the course.
Perhaps the beauty of the Swing Align is that this device offers more than just those pre-swing visualizations. While I believe that the meat and potatoes of this aid are to make sure golfers get correctly aligned, it’s a device that can be used throughout the swing to help give additional feedback as well. During the swing, golfers will be able to gauge how much rotation they are generating by seeing where the front part of the rod is pointing when the golf club is at the top of the backswing.
Lastly, with the arm cuffs attached to your biceps, the Swing Align does not allow your arms to separate too much. We’ve seen many other training aids on the market work to keep golfers’ arms “connected” throughout the swing, and this one shines at that. The rubber strap that connects the two cuffs is adjustable, so it is not a one size fits all type of setup, but it also is not very stretchy. During the swing, when my arms started to separate more than they should, the Swing Align did its best to keep them together. Because the padding is not overly thick (they do send thicker pads, but they did not feel right), the cuffs can become a bit uncomfortable rather quickly. As with many things, comfort will be a personal preference. Due to this, I found it best to swing at a slower speed to build up that connected feeling throughout my arms. Let’s say it is still a work in progress.
The number of training aids out on the market is staggering, and it can be challenging to decipher what is worth giving a chance and what should be passed over. There are times with the Swing Align that I feel it is one that is worth a look, especially with the amount of content that is offered on their website. These articles and instructional videos can help make this aid come to life and be beneficial to a lot of golfers, which certainly adds value. Even though I experienced a lack of comfort from the arm cuffs during the swing, I do feel like it helped with my alignment issues. More information, including access to the previously mentioned instructional content is available at www.swingtrainer.com.
The Details:
Price: $119.95
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