As an equipment writer, I try to keep my eyes on the global professional tours to see if any trends are developing, such as specific clubs that are seeing increased use or having particular success. A good example of this was the Odyssey Jailbird Mini that enjoyed a stellar 2023, most notably in the hands of Rickie Fowler, Wyndham Clark, and Keegan Bradley.
One such item that has caught my attention recently is not a club at all, but a small inflatable pink ball that seems to be stuck to the arms of many of the world's leading tournament professionals. The item in question is a training aid called the TRS Ball, created by former European Tour professional Liam Bond.
The idea of the TRS ball is that it helps players maintain arm structure and connection throughout their swing, while also helping them avoid a ‘flying’ right elbow or a destructive ‘chicken wing’ position. The TRS ball is placed between the forearms at address, and the concept is that the player must keep the ball in place throughout the swing with constant pressure, thus helping to promote better connection and movement patterns.
Players such as Viktor Hovland, Justin Rose, and Nicolai Hojgaard all regularly supplement their practice sessions with some time drilling the TRS Ball.
Now this isn’t the first training aid that has been created for this purpose. Many of you will remember the tennis ball that Martin Kaymer wore on a string around his neck during the warm-ups before his 2014 US Open victory at Pinehurst. Some of you will also be familiar with the Tour Striker Smart Ball that also sits between the forearms whilst on a string around the neck.
The main point of difference with the TRS Ball, however, that seems to have caught the attention of many PGA Tour professionals, is the convenience of the very clever velcro strap that sits on the forearm and negates the need for the string around the neck. This makes it extremely easy to alternate between shots with and without the TRS Ball, and also keeps the ball in the correct position, without having to re-position it after every swing.
Along with the benefits of improving connection and arm structure, those of you chasing the modern phenomenon of shallowing the club in transition will also benefit from the TRS Ball. Simply feeling a little extra squeeze into the ball with the trail arm from the top of the backswing will help to facilitate this and avoid the dreaded steepening of the club.
In addition to the TRS Ball, the UK-based company also produces the Tour Rotation Stick, whose regular users include Tommy Fleetwood, Max Homa, and Jordan Smith to name a few.
The idea of the Tour Rotation Stick is that it helps to promote more compression of strike, a more passive clubface through impact, and better body rotation, by limiting the ability to flip or over-release the club head.
Keep your eyes peeled next time the golf coverage flashes over to the range and I bet you’ll see some TRS training aids…
