Rory McIlroy’s favorite training aid, explained

If you look Rory McIlroy on the range at every tournament event, chances are you’ll see him walking around a little green with it – and this week at DP World Championship India it was no different.

Earlier this week, a video of McIlroy using his trusty training aid, Links from Sure Golfwent viral on social media.

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

What is it?

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

Links from Sure Golf

Introducing the most versatile training aid in precise golf body-arm synchronization, suitable for all abilities Guaranteed swing performance improvement Improves compression Learn from feel, not information Unique soft memory foam construction, suitable for all abilities Roll it your Pure Chips…F… Photo…Wash your drives…Binder improves the skills of all aspects of your games for a radical change in performance. Perfect Body-Arm Synchronization The Connector effortlessly trains the right arm structure to work in unison with your body. This unified action is the cornerstone of all effective golf swings, laying the foundation for perfect fundamentals. Powerful, impactful layups The connector lights the way to creating powerful, impactful layups, which results in significantly greater compression – the key difference often seen between amateur and professional players.

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To use, simply place it between your forearms with the extension bars facing up. As you take 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 synchronizing almost instantly.

How does it help?

In the video above, you can see McIlroy practicing with the tool, and it looks like he’s focusing on a few key positions in his swing: in the middle of the backswing, at the top of the swing and at the delivery.

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

Mid turn

At this point in the swing, the goal is to keep the arms in front of the chest as the trail arm naturally folds. To get to this position, the arms need some structure and proper space. If they collapse or separate, it can take the energy out of the swing.

The binder helps keep the arms in front of the chest and the forearms properly positioned, promoting a wide, structured backbend. 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.

The tip of the swing

In position two, the tie helps the arms stay connected and structured. By squeezing the rig at the top of the swing, the arms won’t come off or pull away from the body – a common cause of misalignment in the downswing.

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

Submission

During the delivery – immediately before the impact – the arms should be extended forward and connected as everything rotates through the impact. But if time goes by or the arms get stuck in too much, players often end up dropping the club or extending early. Using the binder helps keep everything in a compact position that works together in the correct sequence, making it easier to set up the club for a powerful distribution at impact.

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