The training aid of this invention is a comprehensive golf practice aid, designed to be used by any golfer, using any club, at indoor or outdoor practice venues, with or without the aid of an instructor, to learn and improve most aspects of the golf swing. The invention comprises an aiming arm that serves as a reference for learning and correcting player position relative to ball and target. The invention uses a plurality of break-beam type sensors to detect club movement. The device gives sensory cues to assist the user in adjusting and perfecting swing tempo. The device also measures club speed between fixed points, and assists the user in adjusting and perfecting swing speed by providing a visual representation of changes in speed from swing to swing. During the swing, the training aid can produce a high intensity ultra short duration burst of ultraviolet (UV) energy, invisible to the naked eye, which is focused on the hitting area. The UV burst can be selectively triggered by any of the break-beams. This UV pulse source is used in conjunction with certain matter applied to or incorporated into the club, and which fluoresces brightly under ultraviolet energy. The UV pulse highlights and "freezes" an image of only the club head and ball, which is retained on the user's retina for only an instant, without lighting the surrounding area and without distracting nearby golfers. By this using this device and method, the user can see the position and orientation of the club head in relation to the ball at a selected point during the swing. This training aid may be adapted for use with other sports.