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You Golf the Way You Eat

September 7, 2011 | By Greg D'Andrea | 5 Comments

Is this your mid-round golf snack?
Is this your mid-round golf snack?

About a year ago, I asked what you eat at the turn. In my research for that post, I discovered that eating at the turn is only half the battle. It’s also about what you eat before your round (and the snacks between holes) too. Like most nutritionists say about all sports; Eating well leads to playing well.

But is this really true for golf?

Physically fit golfers are a rather new anomaly on the pro tour. Remember a few decades ago? Think about Jack Nicklaus, who until he trimmed-down for the 1970 season, was the subject of “fat” jokes. Or more recently, John Daly. I think those guys proved you don’t have to be in top shape to play great golf.

OK, I know what you’re thinking: “But those guys are far and few between – most golfers are thin.” Perhaps, but let’s forget about the pros for a minute and concentrate on the average weekend hack. Many of us stop at Dunkin’ Donuts or McDonald’s to grab a coffee and breakfast sandwich before our round.

Well, according to the vast majority of nutritionists out there, chowing on a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich before your round is disastrous. It may give you an initial boost of energy but by the back nine, you’ll be dragging ass. I have to admit, I’m usually pretty tired for the last three holes…perhaps it’s that Egg McMuffin coming back to haunt me. Or, perhaps it’s because for the last 3 hours I’ve played 15 holes of golf!

Anyway, let’s get back to whether eating “right” before and during a round matters or not. Consider the title of this post: “You Golf the Way You Eat.” Well, I have fun eating and I have fun golfing. So I guess that statement is true.

OK, I know what you’re thinking again: “That’s not what that statement means!” No? Hmmm. I’m not sure what else it can mean. For me, I golf to relax…To unwind and have some fun. Why ruin it with a special golf diet?

Now I’m not telling everyone to eat comfort foods while playing golf…But I am saying: Do what makes you happy. Who cares if that hot dog and beer at the turn costs you a couple strokes on the last two holes? Unless I’m playing for money, I’d gladly give up the strokes for the dog and brew.

Now, I realize not everyone is like me. But if you’re an average hacker and are forcing yourself to eat a specific way in hopes of lowering your score…consider this: You’re not going to make the PGA tour. Ever. Not gonna happen. Not a chance. Pigs will fly first. Hell will freeze over and the sky will fall before you make a living playing professional golf.

But, I digress.

See? I bet that beer and hot dog are looking better already.

Despite the fact that Stinky Golfer Greg writes for this popular golf blog, he is in no way, shape or form qualified to be giving nutritional advice. Always check with your physician before altering your diet.

Filed Under: Health & Environment Tagged With: bacon, beer, dunlin' donuts, eat, egg mcmuffin, food, golf mcdonald's, nutrition, nutritionists

Screw Nutrition; Put Food Trucks on Every Hole

September 22, 2010 | By Greg D'Andrea | 2 Comments

I wish there were NYC-style food trucks on the golf course! (photo by Greg D'Andrea)
I wish there were NYC-style food trucks on the golf course! (photo by Greg D’Andrea)

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…).

Filed Under: Health & Environment Tagged With: back 9, back nine, food truck, nutrition, nutritional, nutritionists, street meat, the turn

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