The training aid behind Viktor Hovland’s swing breakthrough

It’s no secret Viktor Hovland has been teetering on the edge of superstardom over his last few seasons on the PGA Tour. With a win at the Valspar Championship and a third-place finish at the U.S. Open, he’s shown moments of greatness — but many golf fans would agree he hasn’t quite hit his ceiling yet.

But, that might be about to change.

In a now-deleted video posted by Team Europe’s social media team, Hovland was captured talking with teammate, Shane Lowry, raving about his game and the work he had put in ahead of Friday’s first-round matches.

“That was a good one on the range. I haven’t had a session like that in two years,” Hovland told the Irishman, whose face lit up like a Christmas tree at the news.

While Hovland didn’t give away all the details, footage from his Monday range session (below) might offer a crucial glimpse into what’s clicking in the seven-time PGA Tour champion’s swing. The key? A simple training aid created by George Gankas, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher. 

The training aid Hovland is using is called the GBox and in a video about the product, Gankas explains this simple training aid is designed to help players rotate properly.

“When I built the GBox, I was doing it so a player could finish their turn. Which creates more speed, better low point, and the ability to turn back through the ball with a proper pivot,” he says. 

The result? More face control, which means better start lines.

How the GBox works

Using the device is simple — just strap on the Velcro belt and start swinging. But to truly unlock its benefits, you need to understand how it works. To get a clearer picture of the GBox in action, I reached out to GOLF Top 100 Teacher Joe Plecker for his insight.

“This device, from what I can see, is what we’d call negative feedback,” Plecker says.

Essentially, he says, you’re trying to swing without hitting anything. If you hit the box you know you’re slipping into old habits and swing patterns. Progress comes when you can consistently avoid the box.

So how does this help Hovland or even golfers like you? 

Plecker explains that with the GBox strapped to your trail hip, you receive instant feedback on your club shaft position throughout the swing. If you can swing without hitting the box, you’re rotating properly and keeping the shaft above your trail forearm plane.

But if you make contact with the box, that’s a red flag: your club shaft has likely dropped too far underneath, often a result of improper rotation. In most cases, it’s a sign you’ve taken the club too far inside.

And from what Hovland is saying in the clip above, it’s safe to assume that’s what he was working on during his range session.

“I just feel like everything has to be out in front,” Hovland says.

Plecker says that when Hovland rotates properly and keeps his shaft above his trail forearm plane, he’s able to minimize clubface variability that typically causes a two-way miss. While Hovland’s version of a two-way miss is far less extreme than the average amateur’s, the ability to deliver a square clubface at impact makes his shot shape more predictable. That’s especially valuable in a Ryder Cup setting, where precision and control under pressure are everything.

Improved rotation also boosts Hovland’s sequencing, allowing him to harness ground forces effectively and release that stored energy more efficiently. The result is added speed without added effort — a huge advantage when navigating Bethpage Black’s lengthy layout and dense, punishing rough.

Tune in all weekend to see how Hovland’s newfound swing performs and to see if Team USA can defend their turf against the Europeans.