Is the Tour Striker Smart Ball worth the awkward stares? After three months of testing this inflatable training aid against the classic 'towel drill,' I found it to be the ultimate solution for swing connection, surpassing my initial skepticism to deliver real, consistent results.
Elevate your golf game instantly with the Tour Striker Smart Ball, a simple yet powerful training aid designed to sharpen your swing, improve timing, and boost accuracy. Whether you’re a weekend player or a seasoned pro, this tool helps build muscle memory for consistent, confident shots every time.
When I unboxed the Smart Ball, I was almost disappointed by how basic it looked. It's literally just a 16-centimeter inflatable ball, about the size of a small cantaloupe—attached to an adjustable lanyard system. No electronics, no app, no complicated instructions. At first glance, you might think you overpaid for what looks like a modified beach ball. But the reality is: after testing dozens of training aids over the years, from high-tech sensors to alignment sticks that look like medieval torture devices, I've learned that the best tools are often the simplest ones.
The ball itself is surprisingly well-constructed. It's made from a durable vinyl material that feels like it could survive being thrown in and out of my golf bag for years (which, let's be honest, is exactly what happens to most training aids). The inflation valve is recessed and sturdy, none of that cheap plastic that cracks after a few uses. When fully inflated, it's firm enough to provide feedback but soft enough that you're not going to bruise yourself if you squeeze too hard during your swing.
What really sets this apart from just grabbing any old ball and sticking it under your arm is the Smart Ball Sleeve accessory. This adjustable strap system lets you position the ball on your arms, wrists, hips, knees, or ankles. I was skeptical about this at first; it seemed like marketing fluff. But after using it, I realized this flexibility is what alters a simple concept into a thorough training system. The sleeve uses a comfortable neoprene material with Velcro adjustments that actually stay put during your swing. No constant readjusting, no slipping down your arm mid-backswing.
Let me create an image for you: for years, my follow-through looked like I was trying to fly away from the golf ball. That chicken wing finish was killing my consistency, especially with my irons. I'd tried everything, lessons, mirror work, and having my buddy physically hold my arm in place (don't ask). Nothing stuck. Within two range sessions using the Smart Ball under my lead arm, I ultimately understood what proper arm connection felt like.
The ball forces you to maintain pressure between your upper arm and chest throughout the swing. If you chicken wing, the ball drops. Simple as that. It's immediate, unmistakable feedback that doesn't require video analysis or a coach standing over you. The initial few swings felt incredibly restrictive. I actually whiffed a few balls completely because I was so focused on keeping the Smart Ball in place. But once I relaxed and let my body adjust to the feeling, something clicked.
What surprised me most was how this one adjustment cascaded through my entire swing. By maintaining that connection, my body naturally started rotating better. My arms stopped racing ahead of my torso. Suddenly, I was hitting draws instead of my typical weak fade. My 7-iron, which usually flew about 165 yards on a good day, started carrying 170-175 with a tighter dispersion. I'm not saying the Smart Ball turned me into Rory McIlroy, but it gave me a repeatable feeling I could take to the course.
The genius is in the ball's size and firmness. At 16 centimeters, it's large enough that you can't cheat by pinching it with just muscle tension, but small enough that it doesn't force an unnatural arm position. I've tried the towel drill, headcovers, even a volleyball (seriously), and none of them provided the same combination of feedback and comfort.
Here's something most weekend golfers don't realize: power doesn't come from swinging harder with your arms. It comes from proper sequencing and using your body as a unit. The Smart Ball taught me this lesson in a way that years of YouTube videos never could. When you place the ball between your forearms (using the sleeve system), it forces you to move everything together.
I started using this drill with my driver, and the results were eye-opening. My typical drive carries about 240 yards—respectable for a 15-handicapper pushing 50. After a month of Smart Ball drills, focusing on maintaining that forearm connection through impact, I picked up nearly 10 yards of carry distance. More importantly, my dispersion tightened greatly. Those duck hooks that used to show up on the 14th hole? Gone.
The key understanding came when I started tracking my stats. My smash factor (ball speed divided by club speed, for those keeping score at home) improved from averaging 1.42 to consistently hitting 1.46-1.48. That might not sound like much, but it represents much more efficient energy transfer at impact. I wasn't swinging faster; I was swinging better. The Smart Ball helped me understand what "hitting from the inside" actually means—not just as a concept, but as a physical feeling I could recreate.
What really sold me was using it for my wedge game. I've always struggled with distance control on partial shots. By wearing the Smart Ball on my lead arm during practice, I developed a much more consistent arm-body relationship through those finesse shots. My 75-yard pitching wedge, which used to vary by 10 yards depending on the day, became remarkably predictable. It's one thing to improve your driving distance; it's another to actually lower your scores, and this is where the Smart Ball really earned its keep in my bag.
Let's be real for a minute, using the Smart Ball isn't instantly gratifying. My first range session was humbling. I hit more thin shots in 30 minutes than I did in the previous month. The ball fell out of my arm at least a dozen times. I looked like I was learning to play golf for the first time, and the guy in the bay next to me definitely thought I'd lost a bet.
But the reality is what the marketing materials don't tell you: that frustration is actually the tool working. Every dropped ball, every awkward swing, every moment of feeling completely uncoordinated is your body learning what not to do. By my third session, I could keep the ball in place for an entire bucket without thinking about it. By week two, the feeling started transferring to my regular swing without the aid.
The progressive training approach is what makes this tool special. You start with slow, deliberate swings, maybe just chip shots. Once you can maintain the connection there, you move to pitch shots, then half swings, then full swings. Each progression builds on the last. I found that spending 10 minutes at the start of each range session with the Smart Ball set the tone for the entire practice. It became my pre-flight checklist, ensuring all my swing components were properly connected before I started bombing drivers.
One unexpected benefit: the Smart Ball exposed how disconnected my swing had become under pressure. You know that feeling on the first tee when your arms feel like they belong to someone else? Using the Smart Ball in pressure situations (I actually wore it during a casual round with friends) helped me understand how tension destroys connection. When I squeeze too tightly, the ball becomes impossible to hold in position. When I stay relaxed and trust the motion, everything flows naturally. This mirrors the principle that pros maintain their grip pressure around 4-5 on a ten-point scale to ensure fluid motion throughout the swing.
Most training aids are one-trick ponies. They fix your driver or help with putting, but rarely both. The Smart Ball's adjustable sleeve system turns it into a Swiss Army knife of swing fixes. When I started experimenting with different positions, I uncovered training possibilities I hadn't even considered.
Wearing it on my trail wrist during putting practice changed my stroke. It prevented that flippy wrist action that sends putts racing past the hole. My lag putting, historically the weakest part of my game, improved dramatically. I went from three-putting at least twice per round to averaging less than 32 putts over my last ten rounds. The ball provides just enough resistance to promote a pendulum motion without feeling restrictive.
For those fighting an over-the-top move (guilty as charged), positioning the ball between your knees during practice swings helps ingrain proper lower-body stability. It's uncomfortable at first; you feel like you're swinging in a phone booth, but it teaches you to rotate rather than slide. I use this drill before every round now, just 10-12 practice swings to remind my body how to sequence properly.
The hip placement might be the most underutilized position. By securing the ball on your lead hip, you can work on maintaining hip depth through the backswing, crucial for generating power and avoiding early extension. This completely changed how I think about the golf swing. Instead of focusing on positions, I started focusing on maintaining space and connection. The Smart Ball makes these abstract concepts tangible. What's remarkable is that this simple tool is trusted by top coaches across the golf industry who use it to fix everything from amateur swing flaws to tour-level refinements.
Elevate your golf game instantly with the Tour Striker Smart Ball, a simple yet powerful training aid designed to sharpen your swing, improve timing, and boost accuracy. Whether you’re a weekend player or a seasoned pro, this tool helps build muscle memory for consistent, confident shots every time.
Yes, you can use the Tour Striker Smart Ball effectively as a left-handed golfer. The device's symmetrical design works perfectly for both orientations, and you'll get the same instant feedback on arm and body connection as right-handed players. Left-handed tour professionals use it regularly, and you'll find it just as effective for correcting common swing faults like chicken wing or flying elbow. It's proven to work for chipping, pitching, and full swings regardless of handedness.
Yes, the Smart Ball is perfect for junior golfers and children. You'll find its adjustable lanyard fits smaller body frames comfortably, and you can deflate the ball to accommodate narrower builds. Your child can easily set it up independently after initial guidance. It's made from soft materials that won't cause injury, and it'll help them develop proper arm-body connection, eliminate swing flaws, and build crucial rhythm and timing skills.
You'll typically get months of regular use from the inflatable ball before experiencing any issues. With proper care and storage, most balls maintain their integrity through extended training sessions. Only about 3-5% of users report failures, and those usually occur from rough handling rather than normal practice. If you store it properly between sessions and avoid extreme temperatures, you can expect your Smart Ball to last through many productive training months.
No, you can't use the Smart Ball during actual rounds of golf. It's designed exclusively as a training aid for practice sessions and warm-ups. Using it during play would violate USGA and R&A equipment regulations, which prohibit training aids during competition. You'd face disqualification if caught using it in a round. Save the Smart Ball for your practice sessions, where it'll help you develop proper swing mechanics without breaking any rules.
Yes, you'll find the Smart Ball works with most swing types and body sizes. Its inflatable design lets you modify firmness and spacing to fit your arms and torso comfortably. While it adjusts well to different swing faults like backswing issues and chicken wing problems, you might experience some discomfort if you have an extremely aggressive release or unusual arm mobility. The adjustable inflation guarantees it'll accommodate your specific build and comfort level.
The Tour Striker Smart Ball isn't groundbreaking technology; it's a simple concept executed perfectly. If you're the type of golfer who wants instant gratification or thinks one training aid will solve all your problems, look elsewhere. But if you're willing to put in the work and don't mind looking a bit silly at the range, this inflatable orange ball might be the key to ultimately understanding what good players mean when they talk about "connection" and "synchronization."
It's particularly perfect for that 10-20 handicap golfer who has decent mechanics but lacks consistency. You know how to hit good shots; you just don't know how to repeat them. The Smart Ball gives you a feeling you can trust and recreate, whether you're warming up for a tournament or just trying to break 90 on Saturday morning. After three months of regular use, it's become as vital to my practice routine as my 7-iron. And considering how many training aids I've bought and abandoned over the years, that's saying something.
