Don’t be deceived that playing golf is just about swinging the Golf club and driving the ball to the right hole, there is more to this game than just taking the golf lessons and buying the best golf equipment.
Besides of all the sports, golf players are the most laid back, with a rich taste in clothing and all they do is walk around the golf course teeing off and that is if they are not driving in the golf cart.
We, however, don’t refuse that golf is a sport for the retired rich; however, if you are to get a spot in the competitive PGA tour then you have to be in top physical shape.
The above can, therefore, be achieved with a combination of a nutritious diet and workouts. Take for example the likes of Paul Cassey and Tiger Woods; they do have their favorite nutritious snacks that they take before a round.
Tiger, for example, has been spotted snacking on a peanut butter sandwich, which is known to offer high amounts of Carbs and proteins but lacks in fiber. While you basically need a morning to night diet tip that will enhance your game, the excerpt below has consolidated the best golf snacks to boost your energy levels on the golf course.
Best Golf Snacks for Energy
| Snacks | Nutrients for energy production |
| Hard-boiled eggs | Protein, nutrients (thiamin, riboflavin, folate, B12, B6 and B vitamins |
| Bacon | 37grams animal protein, minerals iron, zinc, potassium and magnesium, vitamins B1,B2,B3,B5,B6 and B12 |
| Baked sweet potatoes | Fiber, vitamins, minerals, such as iron, calcium, selenium, the B vitamins, and vitamin C |
| Fresh Fruits | One serving contains 80 to 120 calories with regard to the type of fruits |
| Granola Bars | Rich in proteins, macronutrients, and fiber. Others include Zinc, copper, the B vitamins, iron magnesium, and vitamin E |
| Beef jerky | High in vitamins and minerals, contains proteins, vitamin B12, zinc, iron, folate, and phosphorus |
| Nuts | Contains fat, fiber and proteins, vitamins, minerals, vitamin E and magnesium |
| Greek yogurt | Proteins, probiotic, iodine, calcium, the B12 vitamins |
| Oatmeal | Rich in antioxidants contain a powerful soluble fiber known as beta-glucan, |
| Cheese sticks | Fat and protein, vitamin A, B12, Zinc, Phosphorus, Riboflavin, omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin K-2 |
| Hummus and veggies | Contain plant-based proteins, high in fiber, low glycemic index |
| Protein balls | It contains nutrients from super and whole foods. Are high in fats, healthy carbs, fiber and protein |
| Peanut butter | Is a good source of proteins, vitamin B6, essential vitamins, minerals(magnesium, potassium, and zinc) |
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Top on our list are the hard-boiled eggs that have been established to enhance muscle strength, so apart from satisfying hunger the boiled egg also furnishes your body with sustained energy. According to research eggs are rich in leucine, which is an essential amino acid that has a lot of influence on how the muscles use glucose.
By consuming just one egg when you break off from your golf lessons your body will be supplied with over 6grams of high-quality protein necessary for the preservation of muscle mass.
Eggs have also been determined to be rich in leucine, an essential amino acid, which will aid in energy and muscle recovery after rigorous exercise. Your body will also be able to build and maintain muscle mass because eggs have been equipped with essential amino acids.
The egg yolk, in particular, contains the B vitamins necessary for converting food into energy and is also a good source of protein and vitamin D. So, while you might be getting proteins from other food sources mainly in your full meals, eggs are a source of high-quality protein that can be consumed as a snack.
Bacon
You are probably wondering how you are going to get bacon on the golf course, well it’s pretty simple but you must ensure that it is organic. And the only way to achieve this is by preparing it at home, the night before you hit the course and carry it in your snack pack.
For as much as we encourage the taking of bacon, you also have to be cautious and not exceed your overall macronutrient goal for the day.
Take for example, when you consume bacon about 70% of calories from bacon are derived from fat, it is your duty, therefore, to ensure that other meals that you partake during the day are high in protein but with low or moderate amounts of fat.
Boiled or Baked Sweet Potato
Sweet potatoes are rich in fiber, and apart from boosting your energy, they are perfect for people who are in a weight loss program, because they have the ability to make you feel full for longer. And as much as many people do their best to avoid carbs, sweet potatoes represent the best complex carbs.
For your energy needs before a round at the golf course, sweet potatoes are a source of manganese that will break down nutrients to produce energy. So, if you are looking for an energy boost in the golf course, you can pack up some sweet potatoes and munch away in between the short breaks.
Fresh Fruits
Fruits are the one type of snacks that don’t need a break or timing, in the daily meal plan, fruits can appear in almost all the meals, from breakfast to dinner.
And for the golf course, fresh fruits are easy to carry, they are packed with antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and fiber; they are, therefore, the best food source to give you an immediate energy boost.
We thus have a variety of energy-giving fruits that you can take to stay energetic the whole day. Some of which are the citrus fruits, turmeric, polenta, Alfalfa sprouts, and melons that help keep you hydrated and reduce headaches, not to forget bananas. For people who work out, bananas are a good source of energy-giving fruits because they contain carbohydrates and can, easily spike your energy levels on the golf course when taken before a round.
Granola Bars
Apart from their flavor and versatility, granola bars are rich in fiber and protein thus helps curb cravings between meals. You can carry one to the golf course given its ability to keep for extended hours. The nutritious bar provides the body with extra energy and protein when you are carrying out intense activities.
Remember that granola comes in various forms but for this snack better you go with the one that is in the form of a snack bar. You can also take them before you hit the gym because they are known to provide the body with energy before a workout and replenish the glycogen stores afterwards.
Beef Jerky
Consuming beef jerky in between rounds in the golf course will help fuel energy and aid in recovery, Remember that jerky is high in sodium content because of the curing process thus will help you restock your electrolytes after rounds of golfing under the hot and humid temperature.
Ensure, however, that jerky also fits within your dietary goal if you plan to consume it as a balanced diet. Additionally, don’t take jerky that contains high amounts of saturated fats, which are normally solid at room temperature and will likely raise your cholesterol consequently exposing you to heart disease.
Nuts
Well, nuts are an easy and healthy option when it comes to snacking in the golf course. They are rich in nutrients that help provide the body with energy. Walnuts, cashews, and almonds are high in calories; contain considerable amounts of proteins, healthy fats, and carbohydrates. The packed nutrients in nuts will, therefore, release energy to your body in small amounts during the day.
You can also carry your mixed nuts pack that contains about three varieties of energy-packed nuts and these are cashews, hazelnuts, and almonds. The three nuts contain magnesium and protein and will aid your body in converting sugar into energy.
Greek Yogurt
If you are not the type to carry a packed snack from home then you can simply grab a cup of Greek yogurt from the store, for a quick energy boost. Yogurt is made of milk, sugar, and lactose that your body can easily use for energy. And even better is that yogurt contains a good amount of proteins that help slow down the absorption of lactose thus encouraging the energy boost to last longer.
And if by any chance you find taking the Greek yogurt cliché, you could try to spice it up by incorporating frozen blueberries into the yogurt. Blueberries are a powerful dose of antioxidants and you can, therefore, freeze them overnight and add just enough in your yogurt.
Oatmeal
No, we are not talking about breakfast here but rather about snacks, oats are a good snack for people that have heart conditions and diabetes. The soluble fiber present in oats helps in the absorption of cholesterol and blood glucose; however, don’t indulge the sugar instant oatmeal.
The reason why we recommend oatmeal as a snack that you can take before you engage another round in the golf course is because they have been established to be high in fiber thus individuals taking them to have a lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes or the heart disease, even better is that it prevents weight gain.
Cheese Sticks
The low-fat string cheese comes with varied nutritional benefits to the human body, the incorporated milk sugar and lactose are a good source of instant energy, while the protein component will ensure that you stay full for extended hours, well this is a good power source if you are feeling lazy in the golf course.
Hummus and veggies
Hummus contains fiber and proteins that are provided with the beans, which help stabilize blood sugar, it is, therefore, a good energy booster, and can help rid your stomach of hunger. You can, therefore, combine hummus and veggies, the likes of carrots and cucumbers, which offer an excellent source of nutrients necessary for the promotion of energy.
Vegetables are high in iron, magnesium, calcium, vitamins A, C, E, and K; they also provide the body with fiber, folic acids, and antioxidants, thus offers the necessary health benefits.
Protein balls
Protein balls are a perfect home-made golf snack because they comprise of the superfoods and the whole foods. There benefit to the body is that they help build lean muscle mass, they will boost your energy levels tremendously and assist in weight maintenance. We can, therefore, confidently say that this is one of the perfect snacks that you can take without an ounce of guilt.
Peanut butter and banana sandwich
Well, peanut butter works well when combined with bread, and the latter is not exactly a welcome option unless you are using the whole grain bread or one with zero sugar. Peanut contains proteins that are converted into energy, and you should also remember that it is a carbohydrate, some of which are quickly converted into energy.
So while in the golf course consuming some peanut butter and banana sandwich will give you the energy boost that you need to get through the summer afternoon.
Snacks to Avoid on the golf course
Well, the above are the good snacks that will not only benefit you health-wise in the long run but also boost your energy levels in the golf course and have you pocket the ball with just one swing. We also have the bad snacks that you should avoid if you want to keep your energy levels high in the golf course. Besides not all snacks are healthy, some have variations and you might easily confuse them for the good snacks.
Granola or cereal bar
From the chart above, we have given you the healthy version of granola, there are, however, other forms of granola that don’t contain the correct blend of proteins, healthy fats, carbohydrates, and will instead pack your body with a direct carbohydrate bomb obliterating fiber among other nutrients.
So as you go shopping for your favorite granola bar, be sure to get one that is high in protein, fiber, and low in sugar.
The calorie cookie snack packs
The calorie cookies are characteristic of white flour and sugar and are also low in proteins. The problem with this snack is that they are not satisfying and will do nothing towards enhancing your blood sugar.
Petzels
A day in the golf club can have you pick up any snack that will help keep you full as you engage the different rounds. Petzels are not ideal because they contain absolutely no nutritional value, and just so you know how negatively they can impact your health is that 1 ounce of the pretzel is believed to raise the blood sugar higher than when compared to one ounce of potato chips.
Potato chips
Which other better snack can beat the potato chips, this is one quick fix that has stood the test of time and doesn’t have any signs of losing relevance. However, for as much as they might your suffice your hunger pangs, they don’t add much nutritional value to your body, not even energy.
They are known to be high in sodium, and a 1-ounce serving will only offer you about 2 grams protein and don’t expect to get any fiber benefits.
Crackers
An afternoon in the golf course with crackers as your energy booster is a complete flop because for one they are low in fiber and high in sodium. The snack will not stave off hunger, important to note is that there are variations of the snack some of which are high in fiber and low in sodium but if you can top them up with some low-fat cheese then that is a healthy dose of snack to counter the afternoon heat.
The perfect golf meal plan
We all look forward to having fun at the golf course and we are obviously not going to snack all day, but also engage some serious meals with lots of fluids. So what is the perfect meal plan for a golfing day? For breakfast, you can take one boiled egg with an apple, which will help steady your body’s blood sugar. You will then take a pre-round drink at least 500ml of water, just before the first tee to keep your brain active.
You will then choose a snack from our comprehensive chart provided above, and don’t miss to hydrate, to keep the energy levels up. Snacks can be taken at least after every four to five holes. And when you hit the 19th hole, just 15minutes after the last round, you can take at least two glasses of water, then take some proteins and replace your energy stores with carbohydrates.
At this point, many golf players will fancy some alcohol and while it is not recommended you can still take it with food and water.
Conclusion
Having a quick snack in between your rounds is inevitable but you also have to make sure that you do it the right way. We have, therefore, compiled an extensive list of the best snacks that you can partake of complete with their nutritional value. We have also provided information on the healthy variations and those that don’t have much benefit to the body, so snack wisely.