I've Changed My Diet And It's Definitely Helped My Golf. But Why?

I really, really love food. I was having a conversation with my other half recently and she definitely raised an eyebrow when I said my favourite thing about being alive was eating. I quickly corrected myself and put ‘loved ones’ at the top of the list!

But, over the last few years, I’ve been increasingly watchful when it comes to my diet and more aware of what I’m putting in my body, driven by a combination of health niggles and an awareness that, nowadays, I simply can’t eat whatever I want whenever I want.

Previously, golf was ring-fenced and exempt from my self-imposed dietary rules, and to an extent it still is. If I’m playing on a Saturday, for example, I’ll sometimes still eat what I want before, during and after.

However, if I’m playing on a weekday, I now tend to eschew a bacon sandwich, egg roll or sausage roll at the halfway hut, even though I really want to eat all those items.

If I’m acting unhealthily on, say, a Thursday, I’ll then continue that trend until the following Monday, convincing myself there’s no point sandwiching a healthy Friday in between a Thursday golf session and the inevitable weekend excess.

But things changed this year – not just in terms of my consumption during the day, but also my scores on the course. There’s no question in my mind the two elements are related.

I’ve not been a great sleeper historically and that doesn’t often mesh well with golf, as I’m up early in the morning to head to wherever it is I’m playing. I haven’t had a car for the last few years, so that often resulted in me picking up a snack for the train journey.

If I didn’t succumb on the journey, I’d almost certainly enjoy a sausage or bacon roll at the club before heading onto the course. Studies show you’re far more likely to crave or consume unhealthy, high-calorie food if you’re tired or sleep-deprived.

But it’s just a short-term solution. I’d always start to flag towards the end of the front nine – a combination of existing tiredness, poor nutrition, dehydration and physical exertion – just in time to replenish the stocks with a sausage roll, a flapjack or an egg bap.

I can’t tell you how often I’ve messed up the 10th hole because I’ve spent more time scoffing a sandwich and dealing with the resulting egg yolk clean-up than focussing on the shots I’m supposed to be playing.

I don’t fall into the same traps nowadays, however. When you’re tired, it’s so easy to slip into bad habits, but you'll thank yourself after your round if you show some discipline. Trust me. Better decision making, better clarity, better focus and better scoring await.

What I Now Eat

For the most part, my golf-day diet now looks something like this:

Breakfast: soaked oats with skimmed milk, chia seeds and blueberries. If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to stay in bed for as long as possible, so I prepare this the night before. It literally takes three minutes and provides you with fibre, healthy fats, energy and protein.

Snacks: While I’m playing, I’ll make sure I have a banana, some carrot sticks and a bag of healthy nuts (like almonds) or a crunch bag (which contains dried corn and peas etc). Some of the ‘healthier’ alternatives to chocolate and crisps, like protein bars, still contain a lot of added sugar, which can cause you to crash. This combination takes the edge off my hunger but doesn’t make me feel sluggish.

Lunch (if between rounds or I’m playing in the afternoon): a chicken and salad, egg salad or hummus and salad sandwich on wholemeal bread, an apple and some nuts. It’s best to avoid refined carbohydrates (white bread etc) if at all possible, as wholemeal is fibre-rich and provides slow-release, sustained energy.

The other really important element is hydration. Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning showed even mildly dehydrated golfers suffered a reduction in shot distance. Being dehydrated also forces you heart to work harder, making you feel more sluggish on the back nine, and can contribute to poor decision making.

I’ve no doubt some of you reading this will think ‘what a load of nonsense’, and that’s fine. You can absolutely still play a great golf if you’ve enjoyed a bacon roll and a couple of pre-round pints and scoffed down a flapjack and a sausage roll at the halfway hut.

However, as someone who used to do the above on a regular basis and now thinks more about nutrition and what I’m putting in my body, I’m telling you it can make a massive difference.

I’ve played some of my best rounds of golf ever this summer and I’ve been more disciplined with my diet than ever before.

If you’re struggling on the course or looking for the small details that could help take your game to the next level, I’d strongly recommend scrutinising your diet and seeing if you can make any changes, even if they seem small. It could be the difference between breaking 80 for the first time or coming in with yet another 81.