Why Does Everyone Eat While Golfing?

[golf55]

I only drink water and nothing else. How come everyone have a snack while playing golf? I can't be the only one.

[BostonBrew]

Energy. You're burning calories as you play golf. To keep energy levels up so that you don't "crash" towards the end, you need to consume more calories.

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by golf55

I only drink water and nothing else. How come everyone have a snack while playing golf? I can't be the only one.

Can't believe I'm actually responding to this question but...it's a bit like why you might eat a banana half way into a bike ride. Thought you may have worked this out yourself.

Depends what time you play. Chances are you'll be playing during during a time you most likely would be having lunch or you didn't have a full breakfast.

You can easily get hunger flat if you're walking for 4 or 5 hours on an empty stomach.

I'm guessing you ride in a cart.

[golf55]

Originally Posted by BostonBrew

Energy. You're burning calories as you play golf. To keep energy levels up so that you don't "crash" towards the end, you need to consume more calories.

I get distracted when I have food. Even simple as banana I lose my concentration. I just don't understand how people can switch on and off with golf.

Originally Posted by Shorty

You can easily get hunger flat if you're walking for 4 or 5 hours on an empty stomach.

I'm guessing you ride in a cart.

I always walk. I eat FULL right before I leave my house. I'm usually hungry by the 6th hole lol. I have done it but I was losing so much focus on golf. The golf bag you move around and stopping every minute to hit the shot. Eating while riding a cart makes sense. Store food in the cart and eat while your buddies hit but it's harder when your walking. When I have a large group in front it takes 5hours to finish a round and I can't afford to eat at the golf restaurant so that's more than 6hrs of no food.

Now I think about it I should buy those mini size chocolate bars but I think they melt in the heat. I don't want a mess all over my hand. Small crackers maybe?

EDIT: I guess the question I"m asking is, am I the only one who doesn't eat while playing golf.

[Floris]

I eat on the course, have trained myself to eat small bites every 20 minutes. I drink water mostly, but take a banana/pineapple smoothie with me and start drinking that at the tenth hole. It's low calorie, but high on fruit sugars. Other then that I drink water, maybe about a liter. This is not taking me out of the game, but keeping me focused. There's people I play with that don't eat and I see them scoring worse in the last six holes. The eaters tend to keep their scores more or less equal once the last 6 holes arrive. Also: we all walk, you don't see many players using carts here.

[Zeph]

I eat because I get hungry and want some energy. [quote name="golf55" url="/t/67575/why-does-everyone-eat-while-golfing#post_853193"]I get distracted when I have food. Even simple as banana I lose my concentration. I just don't understand how people can switch on and off with golf. [/quote] Sounds like a reason to eat that banana to me. I don't want to be 100% focused on the golf for an entire round. Eating may give me a few minutes to push the golf out of my head and think about something else.

[MS256]

Originally Posted by golf55

I guess the question I"m asking is, am I the only one who doesn't eat while playing golf.

I don't. For no particular reason other than I just never have and it never occurs to me. Nothing to do with a plan or strategy.

I also don't eat breakfast or lunch. For no particular reason other than I never have.

All of the guys I have worked with for years (on an extremely physical job) had to eat before work and at least once during the shift or they would get weak and even get headaches or get dizzy. Just about every day somebody asks me why, or how, I can go so long without eating but I have no idea why. Just seems normal to me.

I do eat MANY more calories per meal than most people when I eat.

The rest of my family is just the opposite. They actually get sick or weak if they don't eat something every 3 or 4 hours during the day so I usually keep some packs of crackers in my golf bag in case they want something.

[billchao]

I eat while I'm on the course. Usually I bring a bag of trail mix, beef jerky, or just some mixed nuts. I grab a handful when I'm waiting for my turn or while I'm walking to my ball. I like to grab a bite at least once a hole.

Originally Posted by golf55

I get distracted when I have food. Even simple as banana I lose my concentration. I just don't understand how people can switch on and off with golf.

I actually find my concentration goes down if I don't eat during my round. Sometimes I start eating as early as the 3rd hole.

Originally Posted by golf55

I always walk. I eat FULL right before I leave my house. I'm usually hungry by the 6th hole lol. I have done it but I was losing so much focus on golf. The golf bag you move around and stopping every minute to hit the shot. Eating while riding a cart makes sense. Store food in the cart and eat while your buddies hit but it's harder when your walking. When I have a large group in front it takes 5hours to finish a round and I can't afford to eat at the golf restaurant so that's more than 6hrs of no food.

Now I think about it I should buy those mini size chocolate bars but I think they melt in the heat. I don't want a mess all over my hand. Small crackers maybe?

What do you eat before your round? I'm not a health nut or anything, but I tend to eat low glycemic foods before I play just so I don't get hungry too early. Being hungry by the 6th is more reason to eat on the course. I'd be thinking about food instead of golf.

You can probably guess how I feel about chocolate bars as a snack...

Originally Posted by golf55

EDIT: I guess the question I"m asking is, am I the only one who doesn't eat while playing golf.

Most people I've played with don't eat on the course. The ones that do eat will eat a hot dog at the turn, or some peanut butter crackers or some kind of fruit once during the round. I guess I'm on the other end of the eating spectrum.

[zipazoid]

Here in Florida, especially in the summer, it's too damn hot to eat. Just gimme lots of water.

[Fourputt]

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.  Back when I could still walk the course, I would sometimes grab something at the snack bar at the turn.  That wasn't always possible though if I was in one of the first groups out, since the snack bar doesn't open until about 9:30 or 10, and I'd halfway through the back 9 by then.  I often played the entire round even without having any breakfast.

Never seemed to have any effect, positive or negative, on my score whether I ate or not. It certainly isn't a distraction.  I can't imagine being so sensitive that taking a few minutes to eat a hot dog as I walk up the 10th fairway would impact my score.

[tmac20]

It's impossible for me to focus on anything but food if I'm hungry.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by golf55

I get distracted when I have food. Even simple as banana I lose my concentration. I just don't understand how people can switch on and off with golf.

Bananas are pretty difficult to eat under the best of circumstances.

[AmazingWhacker]

I don't eat on the course - just water.  I will occassionally toss a few granola bars in my bag if I think I'm going to get hungry .. but I never eat them.  I *hate* stopping at the turn, too.  I have discarded a few golf buddies simply because they *have* to stop for a hotdog or whatever at the turn.  Drives me crazy.  Just personal preference, I guess, but I can easily go 4-5 or more hours without eating.  It might be noted that I am not one who really should be replacing all the calories he burns . .I could stand to drop a few, lol.

[clearwaterms]

I generally play better when I eat.  But I know that I need to find balance, too large a meal and I end up being lethargic and feeling "less" flexible, too little and I lack concentration.

For early morning rounds, I try to eat a lite breakfast before I start to play, if I eat a big meal, I feel less flexible and lethargic.  A small meal (bowl of cereal for example) and a cup of coffee is usually perfect.  Then I will bring some roasted almonds with me to munch on throughout the round.  a 1/2 dozen or so every other hole and I find myself satisfied with water for the entire round.

Mixed nuts work great as well, being dry, they don't make a mess of your hands, they provide energy without the glucose spikes associated with candy bars, etc.

The other piece that I have found is to drink alot of water, even when it isn't hot outside, especially when walking.  Once you feel thirsty its too late.  When you feel thirsty you will drink too much water filling you up.  The secret is to drink a few sips after every shot.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by golf55

I get distracted when I have food. Even simple as banana I lose my concentration. I just don't understand how people can switch on and off with golf.

I always walk. I eat FULL right before I leave my house. I'm usually hungry by the 6th hole lol. I have done it but I was losing so much focus on golf. The golf bag you move around and stopping every minute to hit the shot. Eating while riding a cart makes sense. Store food in the cart and eat while your buddies hit but it's harder when your walking. When I have a large group in front it takes 5hours to finish a round and I can't afford to eat at the golf restaurant so that's more than 6hrs of no food.

Now I think about it I should buy those mini size chocolate bars but I think they melt in the heat. I don't want a mess all over my hand. Small crackers maybe?

EDIT: I guess the question I"m asking is, am I the only one who doesn't eat while playing golf.

Since you walk you have a lot more time between shots than guys who ride, so I do not understand why chomping a few nuts, or even having a couple of bites of a sandwich would affect your concentration.  Do you totally concentrate on golf the whole time you are walking up to your tee shot?  Or do you have some problem with eating while you walk?

[jshots]

5 hours is a long time. It's easier to just eat mid round than plan your rounds around your meal schedule. I don't think I really every go 5 hours without eating unless I'm sleeping.

[Paradox]

shew..why do you people breathe when you're playing golf????? Whats wrong with you??

People eat because they feel the need something to eat.

Me, I drink lots of water(with a powdered gatorade mix thrown in at some point) but every now and again I'll eat peanut butter crackers or something if my stomach is saying "feed me".

I don't get weak when I golf and don't eat but when I work and haven't eaten....I get extremely weak and shaky and must eat soon or I'll be sick...but still don't eat a real meal if I'm gonna be back out in the heat.  Heat and heavy food are a sure path to sickness for me

[phillyk]

I almost never eat when playing, and I carry my clubs. All I'll typically get is a gatorade or something to keep me going.  I also get a little distracted when eating food, because I'm constantly thinking about the wrapper, like wheres the next garbage, where should I put it so that it doesn't bother me.  Either way, it bothers me.  With a bottle, i have a pocket for it, and I never have a need to toss it. I also don't get very hungry on the course anyway.