Coaches and all other performance staff have additional factors to consider when working with female golfers.

For example, one unique consideration specific for female golfers is the menstrual cycle which could influence a player’s health, participation, as well as their performance and training. 

Reminder: Not every player will want to discuss/share their menstrual cycle information with you and that's okay, but it's important to still create spaces where this can be talked about, if wanted. 

Communicate 

It's important to be able to communicate with your player openly and honestly about the menstrual cycle. It might feel awkward at first, but it's a topic not only relevant to their golf performance, but also their health and participation. To get the conversation started, try using posters in shared spaces educating about this topic - this will show athletes that you're receptive to this information. 

Support 

For some female golfers, participation as well as performance and/or training might be affected (both positively and negatively) by their menstrual cycle[1]. As a result, you might have to provide support to minimise any issues and maximise any positives.  

Reminder: Everyone's experience of their menstrual cycle will likely be different, so you'll need to individualise support for each player you’re working with. 

Environment 

We need to create golfing environments that are designed for females. This could include things such as ensuring that period products/disposables are available in toilets, having conversations surrounding team kits (e.g., dark shorts instead of white shorts)[2], and providing education surrounding female health topics. 

Signpost 

As a coach you're not expected to have all the answers, but you should be able to signpost/direct your player to further help (if it's required). This might be in the form of pointing them in the direction of medical support through a doctor/GP or educational support, such as the likes of this platform! 

References

[1]McNulty, K. L., Elliott-Sale, K. J., Dolan, E., Swinton, P. A., Ansdell, P., Goodall, S., ... & Hicks, K. M. (2020). The effects of menstrual cycle phase on exercise performance in eumenorrheic women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 50, 1813-1827. 

[2]Krumer, A. (2024). On the cost of wearing white shorts in women's sport. Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, 102214.