7 minute read
Ever made it to the final few holes of a round and your energy levels and focus completely left you?
Meaning that you really struggled to get to the house with a score you were happy with.
Well this could simply be due to what you are eating and drinking (or not) on the course!
In this post I will outline why your nutrition is impacting your score and what you can do to improve it.
First off, let’s start with hydration.
Hydration
You’ve probably heard the idea that we should be drinking 2 litres of water per day. But what actually gives?
The information in the following table will give you a rough guide as to how much you need to be drinking per day, along with some on the course/in the gym targets. Data collected from various different sources.
If you’re starting to feel thirsty, this is a sign that dehydration is already setting in and it’s already costing you in your cognitive and physical performance.
A simple hack to help prevent this on the course, to keep you adequately hydrated; on every tee box take your bottle out and have two big glugs. Doesn’t matter whether you are thirsty or not… it’s better to get ahead of it to prevent dehydration setting in.
It should see you consuming anywhere from 1-2 litres per round. Which may seem like a lot, but you’ll swing a lot free-er, your focus will be sharper and you won’t fatigue anywhere near as quickly.
Generally speaking, the only drawback of consuming more water is that you’ll need to go to the bathroom more. But the benefits are vast! Expect to see; greater mental focus, more energy, better digestion and reduced hunger… all things that’ll probably help your golf game!
What you eat
Movement requires energy. Energy that we consume through food and drink… and energy that’s contained within our food/drink is measured in kilocalories.
Needless to say, we move on a golf course, quite a lot in fact. Which requires fuel. I play with so many players that fall woefully short on what they should be consuming on the course and it robs them of performance greatly.
Based on various sources, here is what I have calculated to be an approximate for the calories the average golfer will expend whilst walking and playing 18 holes.
Needless to say, these aren’t an exact.
Your height, weight, muscle mass, general level of fitness and activity level, along with the number of shots you hit each round are going to be the factors in contributing to calorie expenditure on the course. But these are good, simple benchmarks to aim for.
But food isn’t just about getting calories in…
Calories, Protein, Carbs and Fat
Calories, quite simply are the way we measure molecules of energy within the food and drink we consume. More calories = higher energy source.
But calories aren’t everything! An 800 calorie sausage sandwich won’t quite yield you the benefits that a good source of protein, fruit and nuts will bring.
Protein
Are the building blocks for muscle tissue growth and repair.
I know you may be thinking that when you’re on the course you’re trying to perform right then and there, why should you care about muscle tissue repairing at that stage?
Well, the protein we consume is going to have a huge impact on the muscles contracting efficiently. Needless to say, we want that!
So, not just for on the course, but both before and after as well, protein at every meal, should be the goal.
We in the western world are poor at consuming adequate protein as our diets historically have been built around beige foods, which tend to be starchy carbs… which, as a side note, tend to be why they get villainised, because we over consume them.
Carbohydrate
Can be split in to starches and sugars.
Carbs on the whole provide energy to both our body and brain.
Starches (potatoes, rice, bread etc) = slower absorbed, slower release in to the bloodstream.
Sugars (fruit, isotonic drinks) = quickly absorbed, fast release in to the blood stream meaning the energy is quickly accessible.
This is the nutrient group where you’ll want the largest portion of your rounds calories to be consumed. Head more for the sugars kind as these can be digested and utilised as energy.
Yes, a pack of sweets fit in here, but they’re not ideal, fruits and good quality bars are the way to go.
Fat
Keep you feeling full for longer. So if you’re in the pursuit of body fat loss, then consumption of fat may actually help you.
As much as I don’t recommend this approach in any way when dieting, this is the reason behind the popularity of low carb/ketogenic diets.
You drop the carbs (which provide low satiety) and load up on dietary fat with the aim that you feel full pretty much all the time, so cravings for food tend to be minimised, leading to an overall reduction in calories.
The problem here being, carbs provide energy for the brain and body… so those opting for a keto diet tend to feel slow and sluggish - NOT ideal if looking to play a sport.
You’ll probably want the least of this food group whilst on the course, but a handful of nuts here and there really can fight back the huge waves of hunger that are inevitable whilst playing 18.
What not to do
Don’t avoid getting some form of nutrients in. Particularly if playing early, a lot of people will skip breakfast and wait for the half way hut to pick up a bacon sandwich… don’t. Something as simple as a protein shake and some fruit in the car on the way to the course can go a long way to getting your body in a better position to perform, without causing too much digestive discomfort.
Big heavy breakfasts - after a big meal, whether it be a big fry up or a meal that’s particularly starch carb heavy, you’re likely to feel heavy, full and a bit bloated. Not ideal if you’re looking to move athletically. So, opt for protein and some carbs here. Perhaps a 4 egg omelette and some fruit, or a bowl of porridge with a protein shake.
Chocolate bars and fizzy drinks…
Common place in pro shops/halfway huts. Yes they contain sugar, which in theory will get converted in to energy you can utilise quickly, but they can cause some digestive discomfort and they aren’t exactly “healthy” due to the quality of nutrients. A good quality bar, some fruit and an isotonic still sports drink would be a better option.
What to do with early tee times
Not everyone likes to eat breakfast, I get that, but not eating/getting some nutrients on board should not be an option.
Get a good blender, whack in 2 scoops of protein powder, a table spoon of peanut butter, a banana and some oats and that is one heck of a nutritious breakfast whcih you can consume on the way to the course which will carry you well in to the round.
Don’t just rely on a cup of coffee and the bacon bap coming at the turn! Your performance will have been greatly impacted by a lack of nutrients at this stage.
Snacks to pack
If you’re struggling for ideas on what to pack for your round, find your calorie target number above, load up the bag with these handy snacks and then consume the appropriate amount whilst out on the links:
- Protein bars/carb bars
- Beef jerky
- Protein shakes
- Boiled eggs
- Fruit
- Dried fruit
- Nuts
(or just use chat GPT and type in "healthy snacks")
Summary
Food is fuel.
Fuel which our brain and muscles need to perform for 4-5 hours.
It’s something that I’ve spotted over time, that all of my playing partners have fallen woefully short on getting enough on board. Which robs from your performance!
Eat an appropriate breakfast - not too heavy.
Find your calorie target above.
Load up with the appropriate snacks.
And this should help fight off the mental misses and the final holes fatigue.
Should you have any questions on the above, then fire me over a message directly or reach out via Instagram @TourStrength.
This article was written by Ben Foulis. The founder of Tour Strength, a sports science graduate who has accumulated more than 5000 hours of 1-2-1 personal training sessions working with golfers.
He is qualified with both TPI and is an accredited member of the UKSCA.
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