NUTRITION
Here at Fleetwood Academy, we appreciate how important eating the right foods are to support health and growth, but also for your game of golf.
Have you ever thought about the food you eat could make a difference to the way you play golf? It is quite amazing really.
Making sensible food choices supports the growth of your body, such as skeleton, muscle strength and power, helping you to physically swing the golf club and your food and drink influence the way you feel and focus. In golf your focus and concentration levels are important. Have you noticed when you are most focused you make your best decisions and get your best results?
Tommy Fleetwood Academy performance nutritionist Tamara-Louise gives 5 hot tips to support your golf performance.
1. PREPARE
Prepare well by eating to comfortably satisfy your hunger before your game of golf, hunger can be very distracting, as well as leave you feeling tired and lacking energy. Choose healthy foods with some protein and carbohydrate leaving enough time to digest so you feel comfortable afterwards. We all like different foods so it is about finding wholesome foods you enjoy and eating at the right time.
2. DRINK
Drink water regularly to stay hydrated, after all more than 60% of our body weight is water and performs at its best when comfortably hydrated. Our bodies need around 6-8 glasses of water throughout the whole day, a little more if the weather is warm and you are physically active. On a very warm day chilled water can be quite useful and refreshing when playing golf, try having a refill in an insulated container or a small frozen bottle of water that can slowly defrost on your way round.
3. SIP
Sipping on sugary drinks throughout a game of golf is not healthy for your teeth or physical wellbeing. You may want to try the natural sugar free options, I suggest a weak dilution and always read the ingredient label.
4. SNACK
A wholesome snack is useful especially if playing longer than 9 holes. You may want to keep your snack in a mini cool bag with a cool pack, then snacks such as a wholemeal chicken / egg sandwich or squeezy yogurt will not spoil.
5. REFUEL
Avoid letting yourself get tired during a game, do not wait for that tiresome moment to decide to refuel, food is your fuel and increases your energy stores so be prepared. Eating a healthy snack like a whole meal sandwich, piece of fruit, veggie or if appropriate nuts can keep you energised. Sweets, white bread, and junk food cause your energy levels to go up and down.
It’s probably a good idea to mention here that a good night’s sleep is important, so a late night or a friends sleep over the night before a game is probably not the best preparation.