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On Course with Rob Bernard
New golf year resolutions

Spring is here and the new golf year resolutions are starting to take shape. "I’m going to walk more this year", "I have to cut down on my coffee intake before I play" "No more doughnuts and chocolate bars at the half way house this year"... and the list of good intentions goes on. As a golf pro who spends most of his time teaching and getting players into the right equipment rather than playing, these resolutions hit pretty close to home. No one has been more guilty than yours truly when it comes to poor on course eating habits, massive coffee intake, and jumping on a power car instead of playing the game as it was intended...on foot. However, all that’s changed now. You see, after many years of guesswork, trial and error dieting, up and down performances, (mostly down) and generally feeling too pooped to play, I broke down and went to seek the advice of a professional. When I was set down and told what the effects of nutrition and hydration have on playing performance, as well as daily activities around the shop, I was floored.

On a warm day, during an average round of golf, a player may lose up to a gallon or more of water. Research on race car drivers, pilots, and top athletes has shown that a loss of only 2% of body water can result in a decrease of 10 to 20 % in performance. I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford a 20 % loss on performance, especially from something as simple as water!

Always remember, you thirst generally lags 30 to 60 minutes behind your body’s water consumption needs and it’s recommended that you should take in as much as 1/2 gallon or more water during an 18 hole round of golf.
While there is no magic food that will help you play better, a good balance of carbs, proteins, and fats will keep your energy up and I can’t even begin to tell you how bad sugar and deep fried food is for your golf game. Do yourself, and your game a favour, go see a professional nutritionist and find out what really makes you tick. Then make a "New Golf Year Resolution” list for nutrition and hydration following the advice you receive. Print the list on a 3 x 5 index card, laminate it, and carry it in your golf bag. Follow the advice on that card when you play (or all the time if you want) and I guarantee you’ll play better with no effort at all. The bonus to all this is, if you’re anything like me, you may discover a notch or two in your belt you haven’t used in quite some time. Have a healthy, successful, and exciting 2004, make your list, and keep yourself on course.

Rob Bernard is head pro at Belvedere Golf & CC,
Charlottetown, PEI

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