No Two Golfers Are Identical And Their On-Course Nutrition Plans Shouldn't Be Either

Some people I play golf with can go through an entire round drinking just one small bottle of water, no snacking, and feel just as energized on hole 18 as they did on hole one. I once played with a friend, a single-digit handicap, who was in the middle of a 24 hour fast the day before a colonoscopy. She had a great round.

If I tried that, I wouldn’t make it past hole two. I get really drained when I play golf, both physically and mentally. It usually hits after 10-to-12 holes and I often need a pick-me-up, a coffee and a hearty snack, to get me through. Clearly, my golf endurance needs some work.

Or, maybe I’m just not fuelling my body the way it needs to maintain focus and energy for an entire round. I started asking around about people’s preferences during important golf rounds, and it turns out they go way beyond food and drink. Some people will only ride during match play because they get too tired pushing a cart, others like talking and upbeat music to lighten the situation, while for some, the sound of music is so distracting, they lose all focus on their swing.

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In summary: Keeping yourself fuelled and focused during a round is extremely personal. I’ve written about working through golf nerves, and in my journey to overcome this, I’ve learned that I need to focus really hard to avoid getting distracted by outside factors, like other people watching and scorecards, but that takes a toll on me mentally, which is perhaps why I often feel that crash on the back 9.

I spoke to a PGA professional who convinced me it doesn’t have to be that way, and our physical state is more connected to our mental state than I thought. By making a few small physical changes, I can maintain focus throughout the entire round. Here are my 5 biggest takeaways:

Consistently Fuel Your Body With High Quality Foods

When we get physically drained, we feel mentally drained, explains PGA Teaching Professional Mike Richards. The two are intertwined. Bring high protein snacks, like nuts or a peanut butter sandwich, and fruit, and spread them out throughout the round, eating every couple of holes, instead of one large meal at the turn. That will help prevent that back nine tiredness that I often feel, he explains.

Instead of that “pick-me-up” I depended on during the round, I need to think more long-term, of sustaining energy by consistent snacking and hydration from the start. No sugary energy drinks or coffee, which give a short-term bump, or overly-salty snacks that contribute to dehydration.

Start Hydrating Days Before

Just as important as eating correctly to prevent mid-round jitters is keeping yourself hydrated. Richards explains that drinking water during the round is necessary, but what really keeps your body hydrated is your water intake before your round.

A day or two before I play, I should be drinking as much water as I can. He says I’ll see the effects on the course with more sustained energy. Dehydration leads to drowsiness, lethargy and lack of focus, which can completely crush your golf round after hours in the heat, especially here in Northern California where temperatures can reach into the 100s.

Train Your Body To Handle Hitting 50 Plus Golf Balls In One Session

I typically go to the golf range and hit balls for a certain amount of time. I don’t count how many balls I’m hitting, so I’m potentially not even practicing as many swings as I would take during an 18 hole round. Instead, set a number goal for myself, explains Richards.

If I can eventually get up to the point of easily hitting 100 balls at the range (plus extra swinging for practice swings), then I can be certain my body can handle doing that on the course without feeling physically drained.

Put Your Phone Away

The biggest distraction on the golf course that Richards sees is people checking their cell phones. I’m guilty of this. I have two kids and I check my phone often. But even just peeking at the phone to check the time, recording your score, playing music, or using an app for yardages inevitably leads to seeing unread text messages, work emails, missed calls.

And just like that, your mind is not on the golf course anymore and your round will probably suffer. If possible, separate golf time from phone time. Record your score on a card and use a different device to check distances and pin placement.

Pick Something Consistent And Familiar To Maintain Focus

Richards doesn’t like music on the golf course, it distracts him mentally, which affects his golf game. But he does keep a song going in his head. If your mind starts to wander, due to any of the factors I listed above, find something to bring you back in.

I tried the song technique, picking a tune that I could easily repeat and go back to when my mind drifted, and it helped me regain focus, especially when I was recently playing with a particularly chatty friend.

It takes a little time to work out how you feel on the course and what leads to your best scores. I struggle with preparing ahead of time, packing water and snacks (it’s typically a rush to get out the door). But even being aware that what and when I eat and drink on the course is something that affects how I play is a good starting point for me to make changes.