Your food choices could be affecting your performance on the golf course and people often underestimate the intensity of playing 18 holes of golf. Of course golf is not as demanding as running a marathon; however it can use up a lot of your fuel reserves through mental concentration, repeated high intensity swings and extended periods of walking and standing. Glucose is our body’s main fuel, and players must remember that your brain cannot function on anything else.

Insufficient fuel levels hinder mental capacity as well as swing performance. Given that golf is predominantly a mental game and that achieving a low score relies on a good swing, having adequate fuel on board is paramount. This fuel however needs to be readily available when our body’s need it.

Players should therefore be sensible about their food choices before as well as during a game. Poor food choices at breakfast could leave you sluggish and performing poorly for the front 9, or if you aren’t careful at the halfway house you could be under performing for the back 9. This problem is exacerbated by the choices made available to us. Not eating before you leave the house could result in a fry-up at the clubhouse, and not carrying food with you on the course could result in a pie, chips and gravy at the half way house.

Planning ahead and being prepared for a game is key to improving your food intake and hence your golf performance. This is where clever food choices can give you the edge on your 4-ball and your competitors.
The next time you are packing your bag for a game have a think about what foods and snacks will be available to you at the clubhouse. Perhaps it is an idea to think ahead and to pack a few healthy snack items that will enhance your game. This way you will not be reliant on the heavy, energy dense meals that have become synonymous with the half way house and could be affecting your energy and concentration levels.

Article Credit:

Kerryn Gibson, Dietitian Durban (Kerryn is a registered dietitian in private practice in Durban and Ballito working as a paediatric dietitian and a sports dietitian).

Photo Credit: Aneurin Gounden – KZN Golf