Golfers, whether amateurs or professionals, have to take hydration seriously. As athletes, they are prone to sweating. Whether it is about swinging the club quickly or walking across the course, golfers have to stay hydrated.
Nutrition and wellness expert Jaclyn London maintained that hydration is vital for our overall wellbeing. The expert recommended that people should start their day with one or two glasses of water, along with a regular food intake. As a general rule, people should drink 8 to 10 glasses of water every day. You can also adjust the fluid intake according to your physical activities, sweat level, and other factors.
Once you feel thirsty, that is already an initial sign that you are dehydrated or have lost 1 to 2 percent of the body’s fluid. However, this loss of water doesn’t mean that you have severe dehydration. As a reminder, you should immediately replenish the loss of water to free yourself from some symptoms of dehydration such as headaches, stress, and irritability, which will destroy your focus and your chance of playing a great game in the course.
In terms of the need to drink alcohol during the game, Vincera Institute also recommends that you should stick to one drink per hour, not per hole!
Other players opted to drink alcoholic beverages during the game. For them, drinking alcohol adds to their socialization skills, keeps them cool, or relaxes their nerves. While it is true that alcoholic beverages enhance your perception of what you are doing in the course, this activity will not surely improve your scores during the game.
If you managed to drink alcohol during the course round, you should drink 3 ounces of water per hole to keep you hydrated and not lose your coordination.
Always remember that the dehydrating effects of drinking alcohol can still end up to 72 hours. Thus, your game performance will suffer a lot if you keep on drinking alcohol per day.
How to stay hydrated during a golf game
Drink enough water
Drink enough water before heading on the course. Always prepare multiple bottles of water while you are on your way, too. Once you feel thirsty, be ready with your water and drink it as soon as possible. You can also have some sports drinks containing electrolytes so you can get enough minerals to manage your sweating moment.
Award-winning sports writer Steve Silverman recommends that you drink at least two bottles of water in the four hours before you hit the bed. This step will help your body to work properly. During the day of the match, you should also eat a protein-rich breakfast. As much as possible, avoid drinking coffee because it will cause you to dehydrate fast.
When you start taking your swing, drink a bottle of water every hour. Do not also forget to bring healthy snacks, like a turkey sandwich, Granola bars, raisins, or fruit, to give you sufficient energy to finish the game in goody body condition.
After the game, there is a tendency for players to drink beer instead of water. However, if the temperature is over 90-degrees, you should pick a bottle of water first to rehydrate yourself in the next 45 minutes. The beer can wait a bit later.
Wear light-colored dress
Choose a dress that is made of light-colored fabric. The key here is to dress cool with the help of “breathable” apparel. Dark fabrics trap the sun’s heat on your body, while light materials reflect the heat out of your body. Furthermore, clothing made of light fabrics can capture the cool breeze in the course.
You can also pick your signature moisture-wicking clothing to allow your body to feel the coolness around.
Bring moist towels
When the sun seems to beat you in the course and drinking water is not enough, you can also rely on your cold towels to cool you down. Freeze the towels before the game and place them in ziplock bags while taking your swing in the course.
Some towels are designed to dry but maintain their moisture to help you cool down slowly during the game.
More tips to stay hydrated while playing golf
Wear sunglasses
Wearing sunglasses will deflect the sun rays from your eyes. It will also help you feel calm during the game.
Ride a golf cart
Walking in the golf course throughout the game will make you dehydrated fast. To avoid this, you can ride or drive a golf cart to avoid exerting much energy, leading to unnecessary sweating.
Have a Sunscreen
Your chances of being dehydrated will become less once you avoid extreme exposure to the sun. Wearing sunscreen will not only protect your skin from absorbing the harmful UV rays but also protect your body from absorbing the sun’s heat.
Wear a Hat
A hat will protect your face from the sun while you are walking on the course.
Cool down yourself under the shade
Find a tree and hide under its shade while waiting on a hole. This way, you cool down the heat in your body.