Rory McIlroy’s favorite training aid, explained

If you watch Rory McIlroy on the range at any tour event, chances are that you’ll see him toting around a little green ball with him — and this week at the DP World India Championship was no different.

Early this week, a video of McIlroy using his trusty training aid, The Connector by Sure Golf, went viral on social media.

While some fans are already familiar with this tool, many are just discovering its benefits. So, let’s break down why this simple device is so effective.

What is it? 

The Connector is a foam ball designed to promote proper arm and wrist positioning throughout the golf swing, and you can purchase your own at the link below.

The Connector by Sure Golf

Introducing the Most Versatile Training Aid in Golf  Correct Body-Arm Synchronisation Suitable for ALL Skills Assured Swing Performance Enhancement Improves Compression Learn by Sensation, Not Information Unique Soft Memory Foam Construction Suitable for ALL Skills Roll it Pure…Hit Crisp Chips…Flight your Pitches…Compress your Iron Shots…Launch your Drives…The Connector up-skills all aspects of your games for a radical shift in performance. Perfect Body-Arm Synchronization The Connector effortlessly trains the correct arm structure to work in unison with your body. This unified action is the cornerstone of all effective golf swings, laying the groundwork for perfect fundamentals. Powerful Impact Alignments The Connector illuminates the path to creating powerful impact alignments, which results in significantly more compression—the key difference often seen between amateur and professional golfers.

$109.99 from Fairway Jockey

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To use it, just place it between your forearms with the alignment rods facing up. As you make a few swings, focus on squeezing the ball just enough to keep it in place. You should quickly feel your upper body, core, and lower body syncing up almost immediately.

How it helps

In the video above, you can see McIlroy rehearsing with this tool, and it seems like he’s focusing on a few key positions in his swing: mid-backswing, top of the swing, and delivery. 

With the Connector, he can work on all of these aspects of his swing at once. Let’s look at each and how this tool can help. 

Mid-backswing

At this point in the swing, the goal is to keep the arms in front of the chest while the trail arm folds naturally. To get in this position, the arms need a bit of structure and the right amount of space. If they collapse or separate, this can drain power from the swing.

The Connector helps keep the arms in front of the chest and the forearms properly spaced, promoting a wide, structured backswing. This helps to cultivate power on the way back — loading the swing with a ton of speed that’s ready to fire on the way down.

Top of the swing

In position two, the Connector helps the arms stay connected and structured. By squeezing the device at the top of the swing, the arms won’t disconnect or drift away from the body — a common cause of improper sequencing in the downswing.

It also keeps the elbows close together and the arms in front of the chest, which is an optimal position to get in to shallow the club effectively — a cornerstone of McIlroy’s effortless power.

Delivery

During the delivery — right before impact — the arms should be extended out front and connected as everything rotates through the shot. But, if timing gets off or the arms get stuck too far inside, players often end up casting the club or extending early. Using the Connector helps keep everything in a compact position that’s working together in proper sequence, making it easier to “slot” the club for a powerful delivery at impact.

It’s easy to see why this training aid has earned a permanent spot in McIlroy’s range routine. Whether you’re building better structure, working on sequencing, or just trying to clean things up, The Connector is a simple tool that delivers meaningful feedback — and it’s one the pros trust.