As more women take up the game, questions around comfort, performance and wellbeing are finally being asked — including one golf has long ignored- breast health. New research shared by PGA Sports Science Lecturer Lewis Clarke is starting that conversation.
Golf has never been short on advice about grip, posture and swing plane. But when it comes to women’s bodies — and the practical realities of playing the game comfortably — the sport has often lagged behind.
Now, early research highlighted by Lewis Clarke, a PGA Sports Science Lecturer, is beginning to address an overlooked area: breast health in golf. His findings, originally published by PGA.info, suggest that what women wear under their polo shirts could influence comfort, confidence and even how they move through the swing.
A Growing Game, Old Assumptions
Women now make up nearly a quarter of adult golfers worldwide, yet much of golf’s performance and equipment research still defaults to male bodies. Clarke’s work challenges the assumption that golf’s “low-impact” nature means breast support doesn’t matter.
While golf doesn’t involve repeated pounding like running, the swing itself places high demands on the upper body. Rotation, acceleration and deceleration through the torso all happen at speed — and without adequate support, that movement can become uncomfortable or distracting.
For some women, it’s enough to take the edge off a round. For others, it’s a reason not to play at all.
Learning from Other Sports
Research in sports such as running has already shown that poor breast support can cause pain, affect posture and discourage participation. Clarke argues that golf shouldn’t assume it’s exempt simply because it looks gentler on the body.
A key issue is education. Many women, including elite athletes, report never being shown how to choose or properly fit a sports bra. In golf, where changing rooms, fittings and conversations around kit have traditionally been male-led, that gap is even wider.
Taking the Research to the Tour
To explore the issue properly, Clarke worked alongside the Ladies European Tour Performance Institute, Adidas and breast health researchers from the University of Portsmouth. At three LET events, players were offered education sessions, surveys and professional sports-bra fittings.
More than 170 players took part. What emerged was striking: fewer than one in five had ever received any formal guidance on breast support for sport. Many didn’t wear sports bras at all while playing, often because they didn’t see golf as demanding enough to require one.
Yet nearly half said discomfort or distraction related to breast support had affected them during a round.
Small Changes, Big Difference
For players who took part in professional fittings, the impact was immediate. Improved comfort, better posture and a greater sense of freedom in the swing were common themes. Some players reported feeling more stable at address and less restricted through their backswing.
Support staff noticed it too — particularly in how players stood, rotated and maintained balance.
It’s not about shaving shots off a handicap overnight. It’s about removing an unnecessary barrier to playing well — and playing comfortably.
Why This Matters Beyond the Tour
While the research has started at elite level, its implications stretch far wider. Most women golfers aren’t chasing tour cards — they’re fitting golf around work, family and everyday life. If something as basic as discomfort is making the game less enjoyable, it matters.
Clarke’s ongoing work will now look more closely at biomechanics and how breast movement interacts with spinal loading and swing mechanics. The long-term goal is better understanding — and better support — for women at every level of the game.
A Conversation Golf Needs to Have
Perhaps the most important outcome so far isn’t data, but dialogue. Breast health has rarely been discussed openly in golf environments, whether at clubs, academies or coaching sessions.
As Clarke’s research highlights, acknowledging women’s physical realities isn’t about making golf “softer”. It’s about making it more inclusive, informed and fit for the modern game.
And sometimes, progress starts with asking the questions golf forgot to.
This article is based on early research shared by Lewis Clarke and originally published by PGA.info.
