SKLZ Gold Flex Review: 80% of an Orange Whip, $70 Less

I walked into a golf store last month intending to buy an Orange Whip. The guy at the counter handed me one, I swung it a few times, and my tempo felt better immediately. Then I looked at the price tag. $120.

I put it back.

A week later, a buddy showed up at the range with a SKLZ Gold Flex he’d bought on Amazon for $50. He handed it to me and said, “Try it. It’s the same thing.” I was skeptical. A training aid costing less than half the price of the category leader usually means corners got cut somewhere. Usually, you get what you pay for.

In this case, you get more than you pay for. But not everything.

What It Is

The SKLZ Gold Flex is a weighted, flexible-shaft swing trainer that comes in two sizes: 40 inches ($49.99) and 48 inches ($49.99). The 40-inch version swings like a mid-iron. The 48-inch swings closer to a driver. Both cost the same, which is a nice touch. You pick the feel, not the price tier.

The shaft is a mix of TPR, PVC, and fiberglass that flexes dramatically when you swing it. There is a weighted head on one end and a standard rubber grip on the other. No counterbalance weight in the grip, which is the main design difference from the Orange Whip.

It weighs roughly the same as two clubs. Hold it by the grip, swing it back and forth continuously without stopping at impact, and the flexing shaft forces you to swing in sequence. If you rush the transition, the shaft wobbles and the weight gets ahead of your hands. If you swing smoothly, it traces a clean arc and you feel the club “load” naturally at the top.

What the Gold Flex Does Well

For $50, this thing does three things really well.

One, it warms you up fast. Ten swings each way and your back, shoulders, and hips feel loose. My dad, 68, keeps one in his trunk. He swings it on the first tee. His back hasn’t felt stiff on the front nine since he started.

Two, it teaches tempo through physical feedback. You cannot rush a swing with the Gold Flex. The weighted head hits the top of the arc and hangs there for a fraction of a second. You feel a natural pause. That pause is what your instructor means when he says “wait at the top.” The Gold Flex makes you wait. After 20 swings with this thing, your real 7-iron feels like it swings itself.

Three, it fits in your bag. At 40 inches, the shorter model slips into a golf bag like an extra club. It is legal to carry on the course. I know guys who use it on the 10th tee if their tempo gets quick after a hot dog at the turn.

The Walmart reviews back this up. 4.6 stars across 104 ratings. One reviewer summed it up bluntly: “Exactly like the $109 version at local golf stores.” Another, a guy over 65, said he gained 10 yards on his driver after using it daily for ten minutes. That is not a typo. Ten yards from a $50 warm-up stick.

Where It Falls Short

The grip is thin and uncomfortable. Multiple forum users on GolfWRX and The Hackers Paradise have complained about it. The stock grip feels cheap. It wraps directly around the thin white shaft underneath, which means replacing it is a pain. Standard grips do not fit easily without modification. If you have large hands, you will notice this immediately.

There is no counterbalance. The Orange Whip has a weighted counterbalance in the grip that keeps the club feeling balanced through the swing. The Gold Flex does not. The Gold Flex head feels heavier than the Orange Whip’s. Swing it too long and your real clubs feel wrong afterward.

The shaft can kink. The flexible shaft is not reinforced like the Orange Whip’s. If you over-flex it or store it bent, it can develop a permanent kink. Not a dealbreaker at this price, but it means the Gold Flex has a shorter lifespan.

It is not the Orange Whip. If you want the premium feel, Made-in-USA build, and counterbalanced design, pay the extra $70. The Orange Whip ($119.99 on Amazon) is better. I am not going to pretend otherwise.

Who Should Buy It

If you are a beginner who wants to learn what good tempo feels like but does not want to spend $120 on your third training aid purchase, buy the Gold Flex. It does 80% of what the Orange Whip does at less than half the price. That $70 you save buys a putting mat. Or two dozen Pro V1s. Or a round of golf with a lesson thrown in.

If you are a senior golfer who wants a pre-round warm-up tool that is light enough to swing comfortably and fits in your bag, buy the Gold Flex. The warm-up benefit alone is worth $50. My dad’s ten yards is not a guarantee, but the flexibility and mobility improvement is real.

If you are a single-digit handicapper looking for a serious tempo and sequencing tool, skip the Gold Flex. Buy the Orange Whip or the Lag Shot 7-Iron ($129). You will notice the difference in build quality and feedback. At your level, the extra $70 matters.

The Verdict

The SKLZ Gold Flex is not a cheap imitation of the Orange Whip. It is a budget alternative that does most of the same things at a price that makes sense for most golfers. The grip is worse, the shaft is slightly more whippy, and it lacks the counterbalance that makes the Orange Whip feel premium. None of those things matter if you are a 20-handicap who just wants to stop rushing your downswing.

Buy the 40-inch Gold Flex for $50. Swing it ten times before every range session and ten more before you tee off. Give it two weeks. If your tempo improves and your transition feels smoother, you just saved $70 versus buying the Orange Whip. If you outgrow it and want the premium version, you are only out fifty bucks.

That is a bet I’d take.

Where to Buy

• SKLZ Gold Flex 40” $49.99 at Amazon
• SKLZ Gold Flex 48” $49.99 at Amazon
• Orange Whip Trainer $119.99 at Amazon (premium alternative)
• Lag Shot 7-Iron $129 at Amazon (hit-real-balls alternative)

Prices verified July 2026. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

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