What's the Best Food and Drink to take out on the Golf Course?

What’s the Best Food and Drink to take out on the Golf Course? 

Nutrition is an essential part of our everyday lives. And when it comes to playing golf, the food we put into our bodies – before and during a round - can have a big impact on how well we perform out on the course.

There’s a strong connection between eating well and scoring well. 

Obviously, you don’t want to arrive on the first tee having gorged yourself on a six-course banquet. Equally, you don’t want to be weak-kneed and suffering hunger pangs by the time you reach the 12^th , when there’s still a third of your round to go before sustenance arrives in the clubhouse.

Every time you set out on an 18-hole adventure Travel Accessories – GolfBays, which is likely to last for four or more hours and involve four to five miles of walking (carts can alleviate some of the strain), the food and drink you put into your bag How many clubs are you allowed in your golf bag? – GolfBays will be just as important as any of the clubs.

Golf uses up plenty of calories

You might be surprised to learn that you can burn around 2000 calories during some rounds of golf – that’s only 500 calories short of the daily consumption recommendation for men. This is why you get hungry during a game. And if you’ve had a lack of calorie intake ahead of your round, this could easily lead to physical and mental fatigue catching up with you on the course. Whether you play competitively or not, this ‘fuel starvation’ could make all the difference between winning and losing. 

Recommended food to eat before you play golf

Don’t play golf on an empty stomach. It’s best to have had a decent protein-rich meal beforehand, to provide you with a sufficient level of nourishment to give you a head start. If you have a very early tee time, like around 7am, it might not be practical to have eaten a huge amount before you play. If possible, however, at least have bowl of cereal or an egg on toast before the off.  

What type of food should you carry in your golf bag?

Preferably, eat food that is convenient to snack on, that you can munch on the move, which will maintain and stabilise your energy levels – but preferably not chocolate. What you should be focussing on is food that isn’t full of carbohydrates. Carbs tend to produce peaks and troughs of energy, rather than a steady level and this isn’t what you require to play your best golf Breaking 90 - it can be tough to do. And plenty don’t. – GolfBays.  

Protein bars are excellent as they contain a balance of protein and, to a lesser extent, sugars.

As for drinks, whilst many players carry energy, sugar filled varieties, by far the best thing for hydration, get-up-and-go and clarity of thought is to drink water. So have plenty of it at the ready – a litre’s worth, if possible – especially if the weather is warm. 

The best time to eat during a round of golf

You don’t need to fill your face but certainly spread eating throughout the round Top 15 London Golf Courses – GolfBays. It needn’t be between every hole, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have something half-way round the front nine holes, then a further snack around the turn and follow up with a final intake of nourishment after about the 15^th or 16^th holes.  

After half a dozen holes, we might suggest the protein/cereal bar. These do contain some carbohydrates but nothing that’s over the top. Fruit and nuts offer a decent balance of slowly digesting fibre and fat. This will ensure you maintain consistent sprightliness and ward off feelings of hunger. This will avoid those harmful blood sugar spikes, which can leave you feeling “space-out”.

Around the midpoint of the round, have something like a chicken or tuna sandwich at the ready, ideally on brown or wholemeal. If there is a food cart, as tempting as it may be, avoid bacon sarnies on white bread. It might taste delicious at the time, but within 30 minutes you could find yourself getting that pesky sugar crash (white bread is full of carbs) and salty bacon is extremely dehydrating.

On the home stretch, if you find that you need to eat something for that final boost of energy, go for a banana.

Stay-at-home golf - food for thought?

Of course, if you are playing at home with a simulator in your own golf studio Simulator Enclosures – GolfBays, anytime you feel peckish, you can just slip out to the fridge and make a sandwich. Just one of the reasons why indoor golf is so popular. GolfBays Indoor Centre  

Out on the wide-open expanse of a golf course proper, however, you don’t have the luxury of sneaking out to the kitchen. So, you need to go equipped and to be disciplined about what you eat or drink. Don’t just put a small bottle of water in the bag and leave it at that – hoping to get by on zero food until you get back to the clubhouse. You’d be putting yourself at a huge disadvantage if you allowed this to happen.

The old saying, “we are what we eat” is one of the wisest sayings known to man. Whilst we aren’t suggesting that sensible nutrition alone will turn you into a top pro, by being smart about what you eat and drink out on the golf course Top 10 Manchester Golf Courses – GolfBays, will certainly play a big part in creating an enjoyable round – and, maybe, a really impressive score.