Have you got a sports bra on your Christmas wish list to wear for golf? If not, why not? To be fair, I haven’t. I wear one for a gym class, but when I play golf, I wear the first one that I pull out of the drawer, as I’m not going to be jumping up and down a lot, unless I score a hole-in-one!
The reason I’m mentioning this is because Lewis Clarke, Sport Science Lead at the PGA and Professor Joanna Wakefield-Scurr from Portsmouth University, joined forces to research the subject of breast health in golf.
The pair soon realised that while we know a lot about breasts and bras for other sports, for golfers, there is limited information, and listen up. If you don’t wear a correctly fitted bra for golf, you’re at risk of breast tissue damage, stretch marks and worse.
It’s not just us club golfers that are lacking in knowledge about breast health. Earlier this year, the R&A and Ladies European Tour were invited to join the research project to find out the extent of players’ knowledge of breast health. Educational workshops were held at events across the LET, LPGA and Access series and over 170 players were surveyed on bra usage.
The pros are no different to many of us. One of the key findings was that their awareness and knowledge of breasts and bras is limited, but they did acknowledge how they can have an influence on your technique and performance, especially the set-up and backswing, as well as stability and balance. We have to remember that the golf swing is an athletic move. Then, of course, it’s the size of breasts that matter!
Carly Cummins wrote an article for Golf Monthly highlighting this research and how difficult the golf swing can be for women with large breasts. Like Carly, I’m probably one of the lucky ones, mine have never got in the way! But I can see how large breasts can pose a ‘big’ problem – women have to decide whether to swing above or below!
Social media sensation and former tour player Paige Spiranac, who is known for showing off her large breasts, suggests going under on the right arm and over the chest on the left at set up if you’re a right-handed golfer.
Another tip is to turn your right toe out 30 degrees and your right heel away from the target line by a few inches. This clears space for arms to move freely as women turn their hips during the backswing and then through to the downswing.
Anyway, that’s enough boob chat for now. After one of the worse weekends of wet and windy weather that we’ve ever known, I’m looking forward to the course drying out and being able to play some golf before the year is out.
Alison Root
Women's Editor
Golf Monthly