Here are a few nutrition tips for enhancing the golfer's endurance.

1. Think Carbos…not Fatos…

Carbohydrate-rich foods include cereals, fruits, juices, breads, rice, plain baked potatoes and pasta with tomato sauce. Lower carbohydrate choices include donuts, cookies, buttery potatoes, ice cream, cheesy lasagna and pepperoni pizza. Fatty foods may taste great and fill your stomach but fat does not get stored as muscle fuel.

2. No last minute stretching…

Your muscles, ligaments and tendons should not be exercised just before playing golf. You want your joints and such to be relaxed to get maximum flexibility and mobility is your swing.

3. No last minute dieting...

It is important to eat a well balanced meal before your round and stay away from sugar. This is to avoid low points in your round when you get tired and have a sudden loss of energy.

4. Drink extra fluids...

You can tell if you are drinking enough fluids by monitoring your urine. You should be urinating frequently (every 2 to 4 hours); the urine should be clear colored and significant in volume. Juices are a good fluid choice because they provide not only water and carbohydrates but also nutritional value. Sports drinks are ok during a round (not prior) but nothing can substitute for water.

5. Eat tried-and-true foods...

If you drastically change your food choices (such as carbo-load by eating several extra bananas), you may end up with intestinal distress. Simply eat a comfortable portion of the tried-and-true carbohydrates you normally enjoy. Do not stuff yourself!

6. Eat a moderate amount of fiber...

If you stuff yourself with lots of white bread, bagels, crackers, pasta and other foods made with refined white flour, you may end up constipated. Include enough fiber to promote regular bowel
movements but not too much fiber or you'll have the opposite problem! Moderate amounts of whole wheat bread, bran cereal, fruits and vegetables are generally good choices. (If you are concerned about diarrhea, limit your intake of high fiber foods and instead consume more of the refined breads and pastas.)

7. Eat the morning you play golf...

Golfers need this fuel to maintain a normal blood sugar level. The brain gets fuel only from the limited amount of sugar in one's blood. If you nervously toss and turn the night before you play, you can deplete your blood sugar and, unless you eat carbs, you will start the round with low blood sugar. Your performance will go downhill from there... Plan to replace the energy lost during a (sleepless) night with a light to moderate breakfast. This will help you avoid hitting the wall. Stick with cereal, bagels, toast, fruit, energy bars and/or juice. These carb-based foods
fuel the brain, as well as stave off hunger.

8. Consume carbs during the round…

The golfer will have greater stamina if they consume not only water, but also some carbohydrates, such as sports drinks, gels, bananas or dried fruit. You should target about 100 to 250 calories/hour after the first hour to avoid hitting the wall (For example, that's 16 to 32 ounces sports drinks/hour.)

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