When I played golf yesterday the heat became progressively debilitating. We were constantly looking for shade trees to stay under while we waited for our turn to hit. If you are feeling week or dizzy, it is important to look at the amount of fluids you are ingesting prior to playing golf. As you sweat you lose body fluids. Your mental and physical energy levels will be taxed if those fluids aren’t replaced.
Golfers need to drink lots of water. Anywhere from eight to ten glasses per day is optimal, and more than that may be necessary when playing in extreme heat. Hydration is very important. It is important to drink water because it is beneficial to your organs, especially the kidneys. Add one additional glass of water for each cup of coffee, alcoholic beverage, and soda you drink. Make water your beverage of choice.
In order to play well during these hot conditions, it is necessary to be taking part in regular exercise and eating a healthy diet. It is impossible to be at your best if you eat a diet of junk food. Healthy nutrition is something which many people do not associate with golf.
We normally think of the food we eat in terms of enjoyment, of being healthy, or of what it does to our bodies in terms of attractiveness. The truth is that your body is a vast storehouse of chemicals and what you eat, the amount you eat, and when you eat can change the chemistry of your digestive system and your nervous system. When it affects your nervous system, it then affects your mental and emotional state.
Your nutritional intake can definitely help or hurt your playing performance during a round of golf. You may have experienced these letdowns due to a carbohydrate/sugar drop in energy. When our bodies experience mental or physical fatigue, the tendency is to swing the golf club faster or harder to make up for the lack of energy. This usually results in a jerky or rushed swing that causes errors.
Prepare for the heat before going to the golf course
1. Wear loose fitting or sun protective clothing. LPGA Tour gals can be seen wearing the new soft and breathable long sleeves under their golf shirts that circulate air and also protect them from the sun. These new fabrics are actually cooler than short sleeve shirts because it keeps the direct sun off your skin.
2. Protect yourself from the sun. Wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen/extra virgin coconut oil to protect yourself from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Using a silver sun umbrella will reflect the sun’s UV rays and keep you cooler.
3. Keep hydrated. Start your day with two glasses of water to replace what you lost overnight. Drink cool water constantly on course, not ice water. Remember when Jack Nicklaus had stomach cramps from drinking ice water during a tournament.
4. Do not take salt tablets. Salt tablets drain water from your body and make dehydration worse. Juices and sodas contain more than 10% sugar and are not absorbed well during exercise.
5. Maintain your electrolyte balance. If you are feeling dizzy, it may be that your electrolytes are low. Electrolytes are lost in sweat and must be replaced to keep the electrolyte concentrations of your body fluids constant. This is important to keep your nerves, muscles and heart properly. Sports drinks replace electrolytes but also contain carbohydrate (sugar) calories. There are several brands of water that contain electrolytes and no added sugars.
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