A golf diet is important if you want to enjoy better golf scores. Like practicing putting, practicing good eating habits ends in good results. When you play golf, you use both your brain and burn calories, and this takes as long as 4 or 5 hours at a stretch. Moreover, the sport is far different than other sports where you play with intensity for about an hour, then stop.
Why a proper golf diet is important
During a golf game, you also go through more motions – performing the proper physical action, selecting the correct shot, choosing the right club, aligning yourself correctly, and estimating the greens. Executing a smooth swing requires that you have both physical energy and mental sharpness – 2 things you won’t have if you do not use the right nutritional fuel before or during game play.
While you might use your golf time to indulge in hot dogs or drink beer with your friends, it is best to switch out the coneys and beer for more “winning” golf foods. Also, you will do better during a round of golf if you get your rest before scheduling an outing. If you sleep poorly, it will take longer to recover from golf activities physically and mentally.
Preparing your golf diet
To ensure better game scores, prepare for golf play the night before by doing the following:
- Avoid alcohol. While drinking a wine or some beer will help you to get to sleep faster, you will not reach the level of deep sleep that fully rests the brain and keeps you mentally alert for a golf game. Therefore, avoid drinking a libation, if you must indulge, 2 hours before going to sleep.
- Avoid eating anything 2 hours before going to sleep as well. The spike in blood sugar inhibits the ability to sleep.
Stay hydrated for better golf
When out on the golf course, hydrate, or keep drinking water, to keep the body and mind functioning properly. Drinking water supports maximum functioning of the brain and muscles. If you are thirsty, that is a strong indicator that you need to hydrate. Thirst is the body’s way of telling you that it is dehydrated and you need to replenish it.
Also, consider this – when you feel thirsty, you will not concentrate as well, which will reduce your ability to play golf and get a better score. According to research, being dehydrated by only 2% can lower your performance by a whopping 10%. That translates to as many as 8 shots in an average round of golf. That is why golf tour pros take hydration seriously. Getting enough water can mean the difference between getting a better score or just playing an average round.
Therefore, you will improve your golf score by drinking some water on every tee. You should drink about 6 fluid ounces every 30 minutes, or even more if it is hot outside. Electrolytes are lost through sweat as a round progresses, so hydration is vital to playing your best.
The electrolytes in your body define the minerals and salts that transmit electrical impulses over the cells in the body so the brain and muscles work properly. When you sweat on the golf course, you use up these minerals and salts. Therefore, they need to be replaced through hydration or by drinking electrolyte solutions during a round.
When should you eat before a round of golf?
You should eat a pre-round meal about 3 hours before playing golf and have a quick snack about an hour before you arrive at the first tee. Research reveals that eating a meal that contains about 300 grams of carbs about 3 hours before playing a round of golf increases athletic performance.
The quality of the carbs you eat is an important consideration, as starchy or poor-quality carbs, such as pancakes, donuts, or bagels, give you an energy surge, but also cause you to crash later and feel downright tired.
However, the carbs you consume from vegetables and fruits fill you up because they contain fiber and the sugars are released much more slowly. If you do eat a starchy carb, such as a bagel, make sure it is made with whole wheat.
Best golfer snacks and meals
Eat just enough food to make you feel moderately full. You should never feel too hungry or too full, as you want to concentrate on the game. For instance, if you feel ravished or if you feel uncomfortably full, you will not be able to focus like you should. Eat a good balance of healthy carbs and protein. Some examples of a golf diet you should eat before golfing (about 3 hours before you begin) follow:
- A veggie omelet with some fruit
- A bowl of steel-cut oatmeal with a sprinkling of nuts
- Grilled chicken sandwich and soup
- Whole wheat spaghetti and tomato sauce
- Grilled fish with veggies and a salad
- Yogurt and fruit
- Whole wheat bagel and cream cheese
- Whole wheat toast and 2 boiled eggs
An hour before the game or while out on the golf course, snack on protein, such as a peanut butter sandwich or eat a fruit, such as a banana, which is full of potassium. Potassium prevents muscle cramping and provides a satisfying, hunger-free source of energy. Some golfers take a couple strips of beef jerky with them to maintain their protein counts.
What do you think? What do you eat to stay slim and play well when playing golf? What are your suggestions for good foods to eat to satisfy a golfer’s requirements for added strength and energy?
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