Equipment
Review: Gabe Golf Swing Trainer
Pros: No setup required. The Gabe Golf Swing Trainer is simple, and you can hit golf balls with it. It can make drastic improvements to your swing tempo and transition.
Cons: At $150 for one club, it’s an expensive training aid. Only available in a 7-iron and sand wedge.
Who it’s for: Golfers with transition issues in their downswing, and any golfer looking to load more on their right side in the backswing.
The Review
The Gabe Golf Swing Trainer has truth serum built in at two points:
- The marble in the shaft.
- The flight of the golf ball.
For most of golfers, maintenance in bite size portions is always a good thing, and the Gabe Golf Swing Trainer provides the perfect tool for a golfer to properly ingrain important swing fundamentals.
If you keep up with the weekly Tour photos on GolfWRX, then you know how popular the the training aid has become with the best players in the world. The first time I saw the club while trolling on Instagram, I thought it was quite weird looking… and naturally I wanted to give it a try. I’m just that kind of guy, since I don’t play all that much, I’m looking for something I can swing in my living room while I watch Seinfeld re-runs. And with a club that’s in the bag of so many Tour players, I figured there had to be some serious benefits to the product.
As I’ve since found out, the club itself has a metal marble in the shaft that when properly loaded falls from the head to the grip, loading like a bullet in a gun. When the player initiates a proper downswing, the marble takes the ride to a nice click when the club is released.
The beautiful thing about Gabe Golf Swing Trainer is the instant feedback. The legendary Medicus Swing Trainer had this in certain ways, and while I wasn’t a huge fan of it, the feedback was jarring and undeniably positive. If you perform a swing correctly with the Gabe Golf Swing Trainer, the results are cut and dry, too.
Here’s how it works.
It should be of no surprise that a popular swing trainer on the PGA Tour is developed by a two-time PGA Tour champion, Gabriel “Gabe” Hjertstedt, especially when you know a bit about the man himself. Hjertstedt first came onto my radar when he won the BC Open in 1997, and followed that up a couple years later with a win in Tucson. As it turned out, we were working with the same swing instructor, and met face-to-face for the first time after his win in Tucson.
Hjertstedt stresses simplicity in golf instruction, so it’s no wonder he came up with the idea for such a simple product. In his words, here’s how it happened.
“It just started as a shower idea,” Hjertstedt said. “I was getting frustrated teaching some of my clients who couldn’t make a proper backswing. They were always over-swinging. I needed to find a way to slow them down a little, give them enough time to load up and make a proper swing. Now afterward, having used it on myself and students for almost two years, I am now starting to understand the benefits even more. It’s changing the way people are playing golf. People that used to cut the ball are now drawing the ball. The feedback is amazing.”
And obviously, the Tour feedback has been amazing as well.
“Charley Hoffman was the first guy that really that got it, he went on to win a couple of weeks after. Danny Lee the same shortly after.”
After using the product for a few weeks, I believe in its simplicity and that you can’t cheat with it. The feedback is as cut and dry as hitting an old blade; you either wait for the marble or you don’t. You either hit it properly and the ball goes where you are looking, or you don’t.
My swing fault is a handsy, inside takeaway followed by an across-the-line position at the top. If my timing is good I hit it where I’m aiming, but if not, the club gets stuck and the ball could go anywhere. After making 20 swings with the Gabe Golf Swing Trainer, I was able to get the club on-plane, and from a correct position at the top of the swing, I could identify what needed to be done on the way down to hit good shots. Video and Trackman can’t provide this kind of feedback because FEEL is what better players are ultimately searching for.
As far as the product itself, the training aid was crafted with attention to detail. It comes with a KBS Tour shaft, a hand-forged head from a company in Texas and can be built to your specs. Most training aids are not customized to spec, and I believe this is a vital part in the product’s effectiveness. The black forged head certainly has that “cool factor,” and with a playable sole, the turf interaction is actually quite similar to any top iron head on the market. If I were to compare it with an OEM club, it would probably be the Ping S55 as far as address and turf interaction.
So if you’re struggling with transition, tempo, plane or loading in the backswing, and like to hit real golf balls with your swing aids, there’s just no reason to not give this club a shot… unless the $150 is too steep or unjustifiable, which I can understand.
I would 100 percent recommend the Gabe Golf Swing Trainer to better golfers (10-handicap or less) and would encourage the higher-handicappers to use it as a compliment to proper instruction from a local professional.
To learn more about the Gabe Golf Swing Trainer visit www.GabeGolf.com
Odyssey Golf announced Tuesday that the already popular Damascus Milled putter lineup is getting more options.
Initially launched back in April, only in a Damascus Milled #7 head (in plumbers or double bend configurations), the family grows to four with a One Wide, Two and Rossie S shape, all available in the second limited-edition drop at retail on June 6th.
“Damascus Steel is a beautiful material, and the patterns tell the story, because every one is different” said Odyssey General Manager, Jacob Davidson. “But what stands out is that as beautiful as these putters are, the feedback from Tour has been the exceptional feel of these putters. We wanted to deliver the most premium performance-driven putter we’ve ever done at Odyssey. When you look at this product, we have so much confidence because there is not one thing we’d do different. On this one we really took our time over the last couple years to try to perfect the design.”
Created from a layered construction of multiple steel alloys, this Damascus Steel insert is forged, folded and pressed to create a unique, striking pattern in every piece. Think of it like a fingerprint. Each Damascus construction comes with its own 1-of-1 style pattern. No offerings will ever look the same.
The layered structure, combined with a specialized heat treatment, delivers a finely tuned, highly responsive feel different from other insert materials. The Damascus steel is audibly different compared to other inserts, potentially with slightly more feedback. Odyssey also uses AI-designed back contours to maintain consistent ball speed across the face, blending traditional craftsmanship with modern tech.
Each head in the line is precision-milled from stainless steel and features a blasted silver finish to complement the Damascus insert and sole plates.
With Tour feedback, Odyssey has also developed, in collaboration with Golf Pride, a grip featuring meticulously crafted edges, pistol shaping and a classic modern tour feel.
L.A.B. Golf has been the pioneer when it comes to Lie Angle Balanced putters for years now. When you talk to another golfer and zero torque putters comes up, as it will since it is the hottest thing in golf, the first brand out of their mouthes is L.A.B. Golf. Currently their putter line up has something for every golfer, wether your like blades or mallets. But the company has a new creation for golfers that we saw out on tour just a few weeks ago and is now available to us, the VZN.1i putter.
One of the big stories with the new VZN.1i putter is alignment in the form of the shape. L.A.B. has always given us plenty of alignment options in their putters with different line formations and shapes that can be laser etched onto the top of the putter. With this new design they used the shape of the head and the open cavity in the middle to help enhance the alignment for players. These shapes help players lock into their intended line to improve accuracy and concistency.
“VZN.1i was approached formulaically by combining everything we’ve learned from the success of previous L.A.B. Golf models into a familiar mallet shape that’s easy on the eyes and even easier to putt with,” said Cameron Day, Senior Vice President of Product at L.A.B. Golf. “Every L.A.B. putter is engineered to roll the ball on its intended line through Lie Angle Balance technology. With VZN.1i, we took things a step further by simplifying another critical aspect of putting: alignment.”
Like most of the other L.A.B. mallet putters the VZN.1i is machined from a solid block of aluminum and features a 303 stainless steel face insert. Steel face inserts on all L.A.B. putters not only enhance the sound and feel but they improve ball speed for better distance control. The new shaping also offers two ways of picking up your ball, using the sole or the rear flange can scoop up the ball. The company is offering the VZN.1i with a 1.5 degree forward shaft lean or a vertical shaft option in order to fit more golfers. Each VZN.1i is hand balanced and 10 other stages before it is complete and ready to ship. L.A.B. has its custom program where the golfer can select their length and lie but also head color, shaft upgrades, and grips to make their VZN.1i fit them perfectly.
The VZN.1i is available now starting at $499 for stock models and $599 for custom.
In our forums, one user has asked a question sure to interest all sorts of golfers. What’s the most comfortable walking shoe of 2026?
@RobDMB posed the following question:
“Looking for suggestions/recommendations on the currently available most comfortable walking shoes – preferably waterproof. Essentially looking for something comfortable like a running shoe, but with some stability and waterproof for golf. Decent room in toe box as well. Any recommendations are appreciated. Thanks!”
Our members in the forum have been sharing their own recommendations on the best walking shoes that can also survive a number of golf rounds. Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- SheriffBooth: “To check all your boxes I’d vote for whichever of the current Nike lineup fits your feet the best. Obviously the Victory Pro 4 and Victory Tour 4 are good enough for the two best players in the world, but the new Pegasus, Next% Tour 3, and Tempo all look really good too.”
- i*windows: “when I had issues with my feet I played in Asics running shoes they were a little bit like the hoka’s above, very comfortable, now I’m back to Ecco shoes which are great.”
- mshills: “Everyone’s feet are different so this will be a long list of lots of different shoes. For me, anything from Ecco’s Biom lineup. Nothing else comes close.”
Entire Thread: “2026 Edition: Most Comfortable Walking Shoe?”
If you aren’t a member, join us in the GolfWRX forums today!
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Philip
Jan 11, 2018 at 6:25 pm
I have a sand filled 7i I picked up on sale a while ago … I’ll have to try it out again and see if I can use it to help myself
Smitty
Oct 13, 2016 at 10:41 am
Just placed an order for the 7 iron. Over-swinging is a huge issue I have in my back swing and I think this is exactly what I’ve been looking for, similar to the student Gabe mentioned.
Desmond
Oct 8, 2016 at 5:17 pm
Mine arrived yesterday — best swing aid ever for smoothing out the transition. Even though the shaft was much heavier than I use in my gamers, my best swings with this club were as long as my gamers – the gamers were a heckuva lot more consistent. Impressed.
Desmond
Oct 28, 2016 at 9:07 am
Have used the Gabe Golf Trainer for 3 weeks. For me, it helped start the downswing with my lower body while I waited at the top. It als helps you take the club back more vertical so you shallow it out in the transition, and smooths out tempo. Enjoy.
Desmond
Nov 7, 2016 at 3:31 pm
Whomever made that black finish did a great job – a month and no sign of wear.
BigBoy
Oct 5, 2016 at 9:46 am
The coitus interuptus club.
Jeffrey Purtell
Oct 4, 2016 at 2:55 am
Gimmick number 394876543897546548376543987654387543654398756486598765897654654987765987654789654765498659865489657479865659865798657659865798657. keep em coming.
Norm StCyr
Dec 2, 2016 at 8:59 am
Great feedback Jeff! Your insight will probably help many golfers trying to improve their swing.
Eric M.
Oct 3, 2016 at 12:50 pm
How hard is it to put a ball bearing (or marble) in the shaft and re-grip an old club? That’s what I did after seeing the Impact-Snap aid. I also added a coat hanger with a foam practice ball on the end of the grip and positioned it to hit my forearm for forward shaft lean at impact. Total cost $10.
B
Oct 3, 2016 at 12:35 pm
The head is just a Maltby DBM rebranded
Desmond
Oct 4, 2016 at 2:22 am
Makes sense since they ship from GolfWorks
Sceptical smizzle
Oct 3, 2016 at 10:43 am
So it’s a marble inside a golf shaft?
Not convinced I want a pause like Maryama, he seems to get out of sequence quite often.
Desmond
Oct 4, 2016 at 2:21 am
I think the long pause is one technique; they also have the short pause where you swing, when you hear the bearing beginning to move down the shaft.
Desmond
Oct 3, 2016 at 9:10 am
On the website, it does not say anything about the shaft or specs – KBS Tour What? – Tour 90 R Flex? No warranty – the site needs more information.
Desmond
Oct 3, 2016 at 9:11 am
No warranty info, that is…
Mark
Oct 3, 2016 at 1:57 am
What is a “hand-forged head”? I think it is impossible for hand strength alone to be able to pound a billet in a die. Did you mean hand finished?
cgasucks
Oct 2, 2016 at 6:05 pm
A frickin’ swing fan will do the same job as this overpriced training aid and cheaper too.
Jeffrey Purtell
Oct 4, 2016 at 3:27 am
How far do these swing fans hit the ball? Do they come in different lofts?
Bwall
Oct 4, 2016 at 5:47 pm
I hit my swing fan about 180
SS
Oct 2, 2016 at 3:16 pm
No thanks. I don’t want to pause at the top, I prefer to be fluid in my return transition
Mike
Oct 2, 2016 at 1:12 pm
I worked at a web.com event this year on the driving range, i saw about 2-3 pros using this aid. Their swing sequence was amazing.