Your success on the golf course depends on your nutrition. Eating the right food supplies you with the consistent energy you need, increased stamina required to shoot lower scores, improved concentration and also enhance both your physical and mental performance. Through proper nutrition, you get the strength to hit it far off the tee and also give you the focus to drain putts.
In this article, I will explain all you need to know to ensure you are firing on all cylinders right until the final putt on the eighteenth green. In addition, if you are playing with friends and use golf to indulge as you eat hot dogs and drink beer, then I personally have nothing against you. However, if your aim is to be at the top of your game, then you need to stick to these ideas:
1. Drink Water
Drink plenty of water before the game to help keep your mind and body working properly. Water is also important for optimal function of the brain and muscle performance. One of the major causes of low energy levels is dehydration. This can also sabotage sports performance and weight loss efforts.
2. Mixed Nuts
These are one of the ideal foods you should have before playing golf. Always make sure you pack one in the golf bag. Peanuts, almonds, pecans and walnuts are among the nuts that can benefit you in more than one way. These nuts will supply you with protein and energy, keeping you full for longer and providing you with the stamina that you need. However, ensure you keep off salted nuts as they will dehydrate you.
3. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
Many golfers including professionals enjoy this delicious treat. It is tasty as well as healthy. It is rich in proteins, which is essential in providing the necessary energy that is needed in a game of golf. One benefit of this food is that it’s easy to prepare as well as to eat. Just ensure you use the right type of bread as far as your health requirements are concerned. Whole wheat bread is recommended.
4. Fresh Fruits
Fresh fruits are one of the healthiest foods any golfer can have, even beyond the golf course. From fresh fruits, you will get the energy you need without crashing. Fruits are rich in fiber as well as other essential nutrients that are beneficial in many ways. Examples of the most common fresh fruits that you should munch before your playing golf include bananas, pears, grapes, oranges, apples among others.
5. Beef Jerky
The two reasons why many golfers munch on beef jerky before a game is that they are portable and delicious. Beef jerky provides the proteins and energy your body needs in order to withstand the demands of activities. But as you may want to remain healthy, go for variants that aren’t loaded with MSG and salt. Choose the one with natural flavoring to enable you to eat without guilt. Beef jerky as been equated to a home-brewed beer for millennial. This only indicates how popular it is.
6. Protein Bars
Energy is perhaps one of the most important requirements when playing golf. If you don’t have the required energy, it’s difficult to survive a round. If you feel a bit low, probably because you went to bed late last night, eat protein bar or granola. This will give you an instant energy boost, and alertness throughout the game. They’re also filling, and hence you don’t need to eat a lot in order to satiate your hunger.
Point to remember
If you are a newbie to golf nutrition, don’t attempt to do a lot at once. Begin by making food choices that are healthy before your round. Over time, try to find a dietary game plan that works best for you.
If you try to apply all these guidelines at once, you may end up hindering your performance. Focus on the round you are playing. Being overly focused on ensuring you drink and eat when you are supposed to may end up exhausting you mentally.
Conclusion
Golf is one of those unique sports that you play for 4 to 5 hours. This duration is too long considering the fact that you burn calories and use your brain. It is not like many other sports where players play intensively but for an hour or two and reacts to what is happening.
With golf, players need to switch their focus on and off for an average of 86 times each round and then perform a specific physical action that depends on how well you have prepared for it.
To align properly, choose the right shot, read the greens, pick the right club among other activities and execute a smooth swing, you need physical energy and mental sharpness that you may not have if you did not fuel your body properly. This is the reason why you need nutritional tips to stay focused for your golf round.
