Nutrition & Training
Being a student-athlete means paying attention to both your mind and body. Below are some suggestions for nutrition and weight training to help you stay on track during the season.
Why Do Golfers Need Good Nutrition & Hydration?
What to Eat On & Off the Course
Golf is a sport that requires both physical and mental stamina. It involves walking long distances while carrying a heavy golf bag and maintaining focus for several hours. To perform well on the course, players need to have good nutrition. Let’s review three key areas in which nutrition can significantly impact any golfer.
Energy
Golf requires a lot of energy. To maintain their energy levels, golfers must eat foods that provide fuel and sustained energy throughout the round. Foods high in complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits, can provide long-lasting energy. Many golfers eat carbs in the morning before they play, have a carb-rich snack every 4-6 holes, and have carbs immediately after play to help with replenishing energy stores.
Hydration
Golf is often played in hot weather, and players can lose a lot of fluids through sweat. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, cramps, and decreased mental alertness. Golfers need to drink plenty of water and other fluids to stay hydrated. A good rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight in ounces on any given day and add on 2-4 cups per hour that you play.
Sports drinks can also help replace electrolytes lost through sweat, but be careful as some sports drinks are high in added sugars. The amount of water and other beverages you need depends on your frequency of playing, where you play, and the time of year.
Muscle Function
Golf requires good muscle function, particularly in the core, arms, and legs. Protein-rich foods, such as lean meats, eggs, and beans, are essential to recovery, especially if you play multiple rounds per week. Additionally, foods that are rich in potassium, such as bananas and avocados, can help prevent muscle cramps.
McAnnally, Mason (2023), Diet & Hydration Tips for Golfers, EW Motion Therapy
Golf nutrition involves a well-balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Carbohydrates provide quick energy, proteins aid in muscle repair, and healthy fats support overall well-being.
Foods to include in your diet . . .
fruits, nuts, eggs, granola bars, vegetables, bread, beans, chicken, asparagus, sweet potatoes.
Best snacks to pack in your bag and eat on the course . . .
fresh fruit, nuts, trail mix, protein bars, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, and veggie sticks with hummus. Try having a small snack every 4-6 holes or at every turn.
Why Is Strength Training & Exercise Important?
The Best Workouts for the Gym & at Home
For golfers, the right training and exercise routines can make a positive impact on your golf skills by improving two key aspects: swing technique and distance.
Swing Technique
Mechanics: Targeted training helps refine your swing mechanics by focusing on specific aspects of your technique, such as alignment, posture, and grip. When combined with repetition and practice drills, it ingrains correct movements into muscle memory for more consistent and accurate swings.
Balance and stability: Core strength and stability training are essential for maintaining balance throughout the swing. Exercises targeting the core muscles improve stability, allowing for better control and coordination during your swing motion.
Flexibility and mobility: Flexibility exercises help improve the range of motion in the joints, allowing for a smoother and more fluid swing. Increased flexibility also reduces the risk of injury and helps you achieve a full backswing and follow-through.
Distance
Strength training: Incorporating strength training exercises, particularly for the lower body and core muscles, can increase clubhead speed and power generation. Exercises like squats, deadlifts, and rotational movements improve muscular strength and explosiveness, allowing you to hit further and harder off the tee.
Speed training: Implementing speed training drills, such as overspeed and underspeed swings, in combination with gym exercises can greatly improve the efficiency of your golf swing. For example, pairing these drills with explosive gym exercises like medicine ball slams, kettlebell swings, or plyometric jumps can enhance your capacity to generate power and speed during your swing.
Which Muscles Should Golfers Be Working
For strength training-based workouts, the chest, back, core, and legs should be the primary focus for golfers looking to improve their golf swing as these muscle groups provide the strength and stability needed for your swing.
Core muscles: The core is made up of a group of muscles that stabilise your pelvis and spine, and they are essential for generating power and stability in your golf swing. This includes the obliques, which help with rotational movements during the swing, the transverse abdominis which stabilise the spine and pelvis during the swing, and the lower back muscles which help to maintain posture and prevent injury during the swing.
Hip flexors: Support hip rotation and generate power in the swing.
Gluteal muscles: Provide power and stability during the downswing and follow-through.
Quadriceps and hamstrings: Help to maintain posture and generate power during the swing.
Latissimus dorsi: Support as you rotate your shoulders during your swing - especially during the backswing.
(2024), Improve Your Golf Swing with these Best Golf Workouts for the Gym and at Home, PureGym
The following workouts will help to build strength, power, and stability for a stronger golf swing. Make sure to do a warm-up before each workout, and a cool-down after. As you get stronger, increase the intensity of the exercises by adding more weight, reps, or time under tension.