So I’m standing in line at the chicken and rice cart on the corner of West 45th street and 6th Avenue in midtown Manhattan.
It’s lunchtime and that awesome smell from the truck is wafting down the street towards my office. Yes, I know it’s street meat. But in New York, street meat is king…and cheap. For 4 bucks, you really can’t beat it.
Anyway, while I’m standing there, it dawns on me that when I make the turn on the course, it’s usually around lunchtime too. That got me thinking about what I eat at the turn – and the funny thing is, I normally don’t eat much. Somehow, I feel if I eat a burger or dog, it will slow me down on the back nine (strange how I never seem to worry about slowing down when a stack of work is waiting for me back at the office).
You know what I normally have at the turn? Nothing. Yep – water is usually the only thing I swallow (other than my pride) during an 18-hole round. Is this bad? Should I change my ways? Well, I did some research on the subject – turns out nutritionists have infiltrated the golf industry as well (don’t take Mulligan’s; spend more time at the range; eat healthy – as much as we want this game to be fun, people keep finding ways to make it a pain in the ass).
As I investigate further, I realize that nutritionists want to initially discuss what you ate for breakfast (yep, we can’t get an answer on what to eat at the turn without first changing the rest of your life). The general consensus is breakfast should be eaten a full 90 – 120 minutes before your tee-time. And this can’t be an Egg-McMuffin or breakfast sandwich from Dunkin’ Donuts either – nope, this will just make you “crash” on the back nine. You need to eat some whole grain bread with peanut butter, or cereal with nuts, etc.
Now then, once breakfast is out of the way, make sure you’ve got good snacks to nibble on during the round – nuts, banana, apple, peanut butter crackers, etc. And…well, the web is filled with advice on how to eat and what to drink before, during and even after a round of golf – it’s rather overwhelming. Do a Google search for “golf nutrition” and you’ll see what I mean. There’s even a book written on the subject entitled “Nutritional Leverage for Great Golf” and more directly, an energy bar created specifically for golfers.
Look, I get it. I understand that I should be eating healthy; that healthy eating will probably give me more endurance during a round; and that extra endurance will probably lead to better scores. But I’m also trying to eat healthy in my general day-to-day life as well – and if you’re like me, you cheat “once in a while” (e.g. chicken & rice cart). For me, golf happens “once in a while.” That being said, I think I’m going to start eating hot dogs and drinking beer at the turn (now if I can only convince a food truck to set up shop on the 10th tee…).
I didn’t know you are a New Yorker but I should have guessed based upon your no nonsense attitude.
I’m a Bronx girl, grad fr NYU. Where do you play golf, Pelham/ Split Rock?
Stacy
Stacy – I read you were from the Boogie-Down Bronx! Actually, I only work in the city (right on West 45th). I play most of my golf in Connecticut, where I live. Are you still living in the area?