chicken or beef , or even a homemade protein shake — which is very different than those ready-to-drink , gas-station type beverages .”
Organic fruit like pineapple , mango , papaya , and bananas are all good sources of carbs and energy that will get the body moving .
Hydration should start long before you ’ re on the first tee . On hot summer days , golfers should drink at least three liters of water a day .
“ Your brain and muscles need water to function correctly ,” Caughey said . “ Without it , you could put yourself in danger of getting dehydrated , which leads — at a minimum — to cramping and mental fatigue .”
Beer is not a performance-enhancer on the course .
“ Most of the low-handicap players I know don ’ t drink during a round ,” Caughey said . “ While the ‘ loose juice ’ might help kill a few nerves on the first tee box , it will only dehydrate you and cause you to make mistakes after the first swing .”
Sports drinks , like those prepackaged muscle-building shakes , are a no-go as well , simply due to the amount of sugar , sodium , and artificial ingredients they contain .
PLAN AHEAD
It ’ s hard to make up for a week of bad eating or a night of partying an hour before your tee time , which is why Caughey recommends approaching good nutrition as a lifestyle , not just a pre-golf routine .
“ If I asked you to go hiking up a mountain trail for the day , I ’ d bet you wouldn ’ t reach for a Snickers bar and a diet soda , or ask to bring a cooler of beer ,” he said . “ You ’ d pack a decent lunch , bring a water bottle , and have some healthy snacks just in case .
“ You wouldn ’ t put cheap gas in a race car and take it to the track . Why do you want to put garbage in your body and take it to the course ?”
Before morning rounds , Caughey fuels up with a few organic eggs , a slice or two of organic bacon , a slice of Dave ’ s or Ezekiel bread ( more on this later ) with real Irish butter , and water . For later-day rounds , he ’ ll make an organic turkey or chicken
Proper hydration and nutrition habits can translate to more success on the golf course .
sandwich , with fruit and Siete grain-free tortilla chips on the side .
In either case , he ’ ll pack bananas and “ clean ” protein bars ( especially Built or Larabar brands ) to get through the day .
SHOP SMART
Start by reading the labels on everything you consume — you ’ ll be surprised by the amounts of sugar and other ingredients you ’ re taking in . The best foods are whole foods .
“ Think of these as ‘ God made it , so I can eat it ’ foods ,” he said . “ If you can ’ t pronounce an ingredient in something you ’ re planning to buy , or there are more than 15 ingredients listed , you should pass on it .” Here ’ s a list of solid choices :
• Organic eggs , meat , fish , cheese , and poultry
• Organic bananas , pineapple , papaya , mango , avocado , sweet potato , and white potatoes
• Organic asparagus and pickles
• Organic , low-sugar yogurt
• Organic Irish butter , and raw honey For the bread lovers among us , Caughey
“ If you can ’ t pronounce an ingredient in something you ’ re planning to buy , or there are more than 15 ingredients listed , you should pass on it .”
is quite fond of the aforementioned Dave ’ s Killer Bread and Ezekiel bread , both of which contain lots of organic whole grains without the high-fructose corn syrup found in many seemingly healthy white , wheat , or whole-grain counterparts .
“ I ’ m sure there are golfers that don ’ t practice this advice and still manage to shoot par or better , but it will eventually catch up with you ,” he said . “ For all of us , golf is a sport we hope to play long into our senior years , and it ’ ll be hard to do that if you ’ re not properly managing your nutrition . You ’ ll feel better , play better , and it will directly impact your performance on the golf course .”
vsga . org S EPTEMBER / O CTOBER 2022 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 37