What Can I Use Instead Of Impact Tape? — (Good Alternatives)

Impact tape is a fantastic training tool that allows golfers to see where the golf ball is making contact with the clubface after a shot. Striking the ball on the center of the club, better known as the “sweet spot,” is the best way to improve your golf game and hit more fairways. 

Ball striking is one of the most important parts of the game of golf, and being able to visualize the strike location is extremely helpful for PGA professionals and high handicap golfers alike.

Alternatives To Golf Impact Tape

The primary purpose of impact stickers is to show the golfer where the ball makes contact with the club face. A variety of materials can be used when impact tape is either not available or too costly for the golfer.

Some of these alternatives are better than others, and it is important to make sure that an impact tape alternative does not leave behind residue.

One of the most common alternatives to impact tape is athletes foot spray or foot powder. These powder spray cans coat the clubface in a film, and after impact it is very clear where the ball came into contact with the clubhead.

Foot spray is one of the best alternatives to proper impact tape, as it has a long track record among golfers and has been proven not to damage golf clubs. 

Powder sprays like Dr. Scholl’s is an affordable option that is readily available at drug stores, and easy to fit in a golf bag. 

Dry erase marker is another commonly used tool for tracking the location of impact. A line or dot is drawn on the back of the golf ball, which leaves a mark of the clubface after it is struck. Dry erase markers are better options than permanent markers, as the ink is easier to clean off. 

These same principles can be used with putter drills, as impact tape is not a suitable option for the face of a putter. Impact tape requires a hard strike to make a mark, and the putting stroke is too soft and delicate to leave a mark.
Foot spray and dry erase markers are great for putting drills, as it is just as important to make solid contact with the putter as with every other club in the bag.

How To Use Golf Impact Tape

Golf impact tape is applied directly to the face of the club. There are different-sized impact stickers for woods and irons, and they should be applied at the beginning of a driving range session. 

All the golfer has to do is swing away as they normally would, and take a look at the club face after each shot to see where the ball made contact with the club.

The same piece of impact tape can be used for multiple swings before it will begin to wear out and stop showing where the ball made impact effectively. This is similar to a shooting target, as the center will wear out over time and shop showing marks.

More highly skilled golfers will need to switch out impact tape strips more often, as they will wear out the center of the tape very quickly with proper ball striking. Higher handicap golfers can use the same piece many times, as their impact spots vary. 
Practice sessions using impact tape help golfers make small adjustments to center the ball on the clubface. Impact tape is one of the simplest, most effective, and easiest to use training aids available on the market today.

What Types Of Tape Can You Use As Golf Impact Tape?

Some golfers also elect to use other types of tape in the absence of impact tape. Some types of tape work as an alternative to impact tape, and others should not be used under any circumstances. 

Masking tape and blue painters tape are usually suitable alternatives, as the adhesives peel off easily and do not leave behind residue on the golf club.

Duct tape is a DIY option that should never be used, as its adhesive is extremely sticky and is likely to leave behind a film or residue. A foreign substance on the clubface will render the golf club non-conforming according to the rules of golf. 

What Are Good Ball Striking Drills To Use Impact Tape With?

Some of the best ball striking drills to use with impact tape are the most simple, as overcomplicating the golf swing is one of the worst things a golfer can do.

To begin, a golfer should apply their impact tape after stretching and warming up, and hit three to five golf balls as they normally would. They should then take note of where the marks on the impact tape are located.

The next step is to use a fresh piece of impact tape, and take three to five quarter swings. A quarter swing involves a slow tempo, and only taking the club back 25 percent of the way on the backswing. Small abbreviated swings are a great way to improve club path and strike position.

After taking quarter swings for as long as necessary to center ball striking, the golfer should repeat the process with half swings. It will become marginally harder to maintain a perfect ball strike position as the swing expands and speeds up.

The same process should be repeated with three quarter swings, before moving back to a full golf swing. This progressive drill is a fantastic way to keep an eye on ball striking and club path while focusing on simple swing mechanics.

Better golfers will use impact tape to track strike location as they work their way up and down the club face, a technique that is particularly helpful for developing feel on wedge shots. Being able to strike the ball in a different location on demand is a way to level up your short game. 

One handed swing drills are extremely popular, and have been used by golf teachers for decades. The golfer holds the club with their trail hand (right hand for righties and left hand for lefties) and takes half swings while focusing on making solid contact.

The one handed swing drill is most commonly used with the lob wedge and sand wedge, as it is a great way to get the feeling of breaking the wrist in the backswing, and casting the wrist through impact. 

After a range session of one handed swings using impact tape, the golfer will have a great feel for the proper tempo of the golf swing, and making contact with the center of the club face with two hands will feel much easier by comparison. 

Conclusion: Research by Tellmemoregolf.com

Impact tape is one of the simplest and most effective training aids available to golfers today. It is lightweight and easy to store in a golf bag, and is usually very affordable. There are different styles for woods and irons, and strips usually feature crosshairs and tracking marks. 

The team of experts at Tell Me More Golf recommend impact tape to golfers of all skill levels, as we believe that a simple training aid is the best training aid, and hitting the ball on the sweet spot is the best way to increase distance and consistency for any golfer.

Patrick Corley

From a golf scholarship to a Southern California University, to a private golf coaching career and an instructor position at a nonprofit organization, I’m here to help you get better at golf! With my 50+ years of golf experience; I bring you Tell Me More Golf. A golf coaching website that helps your game with instructional golfing content that’s ultimately geared toward making you a better golfer and having more fun!

Our golf instructor team brings it all to you, so enjoy!

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