For Golf enthusiasts who want to enhance their performance on the greens, a solid nutrition plan is a key to their success. Unfortunately, nutrition on the Golf course is one of the most neglected aspects of Golf.
Talk about diet and nutrition and the first thing that comes to mind are ones related to bodybuilding and energy-sapping sports. However, it can actually play a vital role in the performance of your Golf game. Yes, what and when you consume can sway your capability to knock in birdies and evade bogies.
Here’s a closer look at the nutritional tips that can give a fillip to your game
The average round of golf can take close to 240 minutes. The research found online shows the average golfer expends 2,000 to 2,500 calories over those 4 hours on the course. Research also found that golfers can lose close to 2.5 pounds as well due to the calories being burned and water being depleted from your body.
By eating carbohydrates before going to the golf course you can fuel your body to endure the time spent out on the course.
It’s recommended that you eat 3-4 hours before going to the course if you can remember too because this gives your body enough time to digest the food and break it down for energy absorption. Sports drinks or sugary carbs can be broken down quicker but aren’t the healthiest choice if you’re trying to program your body to burn off stored fat rather than stored sugar.
Your body as mentioned above burns a lot of calories during the golf round. If you’ve eaten a healthy meal with protein, moderate amount of carbs, and moderate amount of fat, your body will be primed for staying energetic over several hours.
By eating protein though before playing, you help your body protect the muscles and not break them down for energy consumption. Instead your body should turn to fat stores and glycogen stores if it runs out of energy from the meal you consumed.
You also want to eat protein after you leave the course because of the muscle use during the round. This may help you prevent some soreness the next day. I typically will feel it in the legs from walking but also in the back or core from all the turning during swings.
The meal you consume a few hours before going to the golf course will provide your initial energy at the golf course. To ensure you stay energized and prevent your body from becoming very fatigued, you may find that eating a small snack at the course can give added energy as your body can easily break it down and use the energy if needed.
Dehydration is something we probably don’t think about much but it can happen at the golf course. Water prevents hydration, headaches, muscle spasms, and keeps you feeling energetic as it helps your body break down its food. I try to drink over 100 ounces of water per day to help my body stay hydrated, flush out toxins, and help with fat flushing. 1 gallon of water is 128 ounces so I’m using that as my target goal each day but anywhere between 100-120 ounces if okay for me if I come up short.
For a while, I would wake up and just head to the golf course on an empty stomach and use that as a substitute for walking for an hour. Only because I was just using the practice range briefly for a few hours and heading back home. On days you don’t go to the course though you should try to walk for an hour on an empty stomach so your body burns calories and hopefully fat and stored carbs. Then consume protein after the walk and lots of water.