What do Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas wear on their arms?

PGA Tour stars Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas have recently been spotted wearing arm bands during tournaments. These are WHOOP bands, devices to measure biometric parameters.

The WHOOP bands worn by Rory McIlroy, Thomas and other athletes are produced by a company of the same name. They are wireless devices that fit on the body and are capable of measuring the behavior of various variables.

These parameters are so varied that they range from the time and the need for sleep to the temperature of the skin. What is certain is that they allow players like Rory McIlroy to monitor their performance, recovery, etc.

The WHOOP band works through sensors that take readings of different parameters (blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, blood oxygen, etc.). Many wear them on their wrists, but golfers like Rory McIlroy wear them on their arms.

The sensor sends the readings to an app developed by the company WHOOP, available for iOS and Android, which the user can consult on their mobile device. In this way, performance can be permanently monitored.

Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas are not the only golfers using the WHOOP band. Others such as Billy Horschell, Scottie Scheffler, Nelly Korda and Tiger Woods are also users of the product.

Outside of golf, other athletes use WHOOP bands, although, given the characteristics of each sport discipline, they use them mostly during training. In that case they are (or were) LeBron James, Michael Phelps, Adeline Gray and Ryan Lochte.

WHOOP specializes in wearable technology and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Their main product is the WHOOP band which is now in its 4.0 edition.

Technology that Rory McIlroy and other golfers use

Professional players like McIlroy use a variety of technological tools, both during training and competition.

Such is the case of the GCQuad, an attachment used on the practice range to monitor swing performance. Basically, the GCQuad allows you to see all the parameters of the club and the ball at the moment of impact.

There is also the case of rangefinders, which have been the subject of controversy in recent times. Rangefinders are used to determine the distance in yards between the player's position and the hole.

Finally, the Arccos Caddie has become popular among professional players. This is a series of sensors that are placed on the club's head which allows the device to "learn" the characteristics of each player's swing.

After the "learning stage," the Arccos Caddie is able to recommend which club to use for each shot, depending on where the player is on the course and other variables.

These attachments are generally used in practice sessions. Many claim that they are no substitute for a coach or caddie, and this is most likely true. But there is no doubt that technology can contribute to a more comprehensive appreciation of a player's training and overall performance.