When we first learn about the menstrual cycle we're taught about the basics, such as the menstrual cycle's role in reproduction and how to manage our periods.

But often what's left out of this conversation is how the hormones involved in the menstrual cycle might affect our bodies outside of reproduction and what that might mean for us as golfers. 

Hear from Dr Kelly McNulty as she explains whether we can link changes in our golf performance to certain phases of the menstrual cycle.

Oestrogen and progesterone primarily prepare the body for potential pregnancy each month. But did you know that their effects can reach far beyond reproduction? Research suggests that oestrogen and progesterone can influence our brain, our heart, our musculoskeletal system, our nervous system, our respiratory system[1]. These hormones can also affect our metabolism, our body temperature - the list goes on! 

All these effects are key for us as golfers to be aware of and understand as they could influence the likes of your ability to perform out on the golf course, how you perceive your training sessions to feel, and how you recover/adapt after playing/training*. 

*Currently, there isn't enough scientific evidence to support that the hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle influence factors like performance, training, and recovery and of course the menstrual cycle isn't going to be the only answer to all our golf endeavours. But for many, it could be an important piece of the performance puzzle - alongside other important aspects like training, nutrition, sleep, stress etc. 

Statistics show that somewhere between 51 to 93% of female athletes perceive that their menstrual cycle influences their ability to perform or train[2]. Yet, knowledge surrounding the menstrual cycle and its relationship with exercise isn't up to par. So, it’s time we flipped the script and learnt more! 

Can we link changes in our golf performance to certain phases of the menstrual cycle? 

In short, no! But, as you might expect, it's a little more complex than that… 

The science bit 

It’s important to remember that so far, no studies have investigated the effect of the menstrual cycle specifically on golf performance. But to help us answer this question, we can look at the other research that exists across a wide range of different sports and activities. In fact, a team of researchers from Northumbria University have already investigated this for us by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis on this topic in 2020 – which basically means they took all the studies so far investigating performance across the menstrual cycle and put them all together in one big analysis. They found 78 studies and discovered a small decrease in performance during the early follicular phase phase of the cycle - which is the time when oestrogen and progesterone are low, and we experience our period[3]. 

However, the decrease in performance was tiny, and the quality of the studies was low. Because of this, the researchers couldn't give clear guidelines on how the menstrual cycle affects exercise performance. Because of this, the researchers couldn't give clear guidelines on how the menstrual cycle affects exercise performance. Instead, they suggested that each person should figure out how their own cycle affects (or doesn’t affect) their performance. So, the key takeaway is that some of us might notice changes in our golf performance during certain points in our menstrual cycle but some of us won’t see any changes at all. And the best way to figure this out is by collecting your own data through menstrual cycle tracking. 

You can excel at all times across your menstrual cycle 

It's important to remember that as female golfers we're more than capable of excelling at any time during our menstrual cycle. In fact, course records and major tournament winning performances have been achieved by female golfers during all times in their menstrual cycle. 

By keeping a track of your own golf performance, you can see whether your performance dips or improves at any point during your cycle. You can then use this data to help you keep performing at your best on any day of your cycle! 

References

[1]Constantini, N. W., Dubnov, G., & Lebrun, C. M. (2005). The menstrual cycle and sport performance. Clinics in Sports Medicine, 24(2), e51-e82. 

[2]Bruinvels, G., Goldsmith, E., Blagrove, R., Simpkin, A., Lewis, N., Morton, K., ... & Pedlar, C. (2021). Prevalence and frequency of menstrual cycle symptoms are associated with availability to train and compete: a study of 6812 exercising women recruited using the Strava exercise app. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 55(8), 438-443. 

[3]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.