Today’s blog is written by Greg Ciavarelli, PGA Professional at Haggin Oaks. Call 916-808-2531 to schedule a lesson or club-fitting appointment with Greg.
Many people view golf as a leisure activity and not a sport. As a result, they walk straight from their car to the first tee, and have a hot dog and a soda at the turn. If this sounds like you, let me give you some insight on how the best golfers in the world approach their round, and how you can apply that to help your game.
Before any of the top professional golfers even touch a golf club, they will warm up between 20-40 minutes before they even hit practice balls. These warm ups allow them to fully stretch and prepare their muscles for the golf swing. If we neglect the warm up it may take us 12-15 holes just to feel somewhat warmed up and by then it’s too late. I advise all golfers to find a quick routine (10-15 minutes) that will focus on stretching and warming up your body to get ready to play. Areas of focus should be hamstrings, back, shoulders, and quads. The more prepared your body is, the more enjoyment you will get from your round of golf.
The second part of this lesson comes during your round. During a round of golf your body burns anywhere from 700-1500 calories, depending on whether you walk or ride and body type. With such a large use of your body’s energy it is extremely important to replenish those lost calories to help you stay focused and energized. Water is also extremely important because as your body becomes dehydrated, it becomes harder to maintain focus and perform your best. My recommendation is to always have plenty of water during your round (64 ounces, more if it’s extremely hot), and to have plenty of healthy snacks (Peanut butter & honey sandwiches, nuts, clif bars, etc.). Stay away from anything with lots of sugar, caffeine, alcohol, and processed foods as these will cause your body to crash after a short period of time.
With a proper warm up, eating the correct foods, and drinking plenty of water during your round, your body and mind can be at their best for all 18 holes and you will always get the most out of your round of golf.
Greg Ciavarelli, PGA
