When/What Do You Eat for an 8:00 AM Tournament Tee Time?

[Sean_D]

I needed two more rounds to get my initial GHIN index and was able to get a round in yesterday. Normally, I play in the afternoon and will stop by Chipotle and get a burrito before a round and that is usually enough food and a good balance of macro nutrients to get me through a round of golf. Yesterday, I didn't eat before my round and I started off well and went into the tank quickly. One of the significant factors was hunger and I could feel my energy and focus draining quickly.

I recently registered for my first tournament, which is on March 9th and starts at 8:00 AM. After posting a score about 12 strokes above my average I started to think about how I can avoid this when the tournament rolls around. I won't be able to get my usual pre-round meal as Chipotle does not open until 10:45 and my usual breakfast is a bowl of oatmeal. The tourney is about an hour away from my house and I generally like to warm-up for about an hour before I play. I see myself having to get up at 5:00 AM (I normally wake up at 5 for work, so this is not a big issue) for an 8 AM tee time. I will not have a lot of time to make a decent breakfast and I am not too thrilled at the idea of stopping by a fast food joint for the crappy food they serve. How do you prepare for an early tournament tee time? Do you have a large meal to get you through a round? Do you prepare lots of little meals to eat through your round? Or, do you just wait and eat at the end? I really want to do well at this tourney, and as it is a low level tournament, I think nutrition is not something my competition will be giving significant consideration.  Anyway, what has worked for you in the past?

[djfajt71]

I'm not much of a morning eater, as I tend to eat a couple of hours after I wake up.  I usually try to find a McDonald's close to the course and get a couple of Egg McMuffins and a coffee.  I'll eat the sandwich before I warm up and drink the coffee throughout the front 9.  The night before, I'll stop and get a couple of protein bars and a Powerade for the back 9.

[p1n9183]

Eat douring the round too. Power bars, nuts, crackers, fruit, etc. Whatever you want but keep giving your machine fuel to work properly for the entire round.
I always carry water, crackers and nuts in my bag. Sometimes i eat a sandwith on the 9th hole´s bar if the time allows it and obviously i eat after finishing my round.   

[DeadMan]

I tend to just eat a normal breakfast before a play a morning round. I will pack a piece of fruit - apple or banana - for during the round. Sometimes, I'll throw in a granola bar as a snack as well. If I'm going to be out on the golf course when I'd normally eat lunch, I'll throw in a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

You don't need a ton of food really. Walking 6 miles (roughly how much you're walking playing golf) burns about 600 calories. If you're riding in a cart, you're burning even less than that. You know your body better than me, obviously, but a piece of fruit and some eggs is probably enough.

Edited January 14, 2019 by DeadMan

[David in FL]

Coffee

I’m not much of a breakfast eater

[Yukari]

Protein shake and coffee.  Then protein bars or mixed (unsalted) nuts during the round.

[Double Mocha Man]

I play most of my golf in the morning so I like a high-protein breakfast to hold me the entire round.  Eggs, cheese, turkey sausage, milk.  About 15 grams of protein.  $1.07... serious.  Takes under two minutes to make.  Small meal, keeps me light on my feet.  I carry a high-protein energy bar in my bag, if needed on the back 9.

Edited January 14, 2019 by Double Mocha Man

[bkuehn1952]

53 minutes ago, Sean_D said:

How do you prepare for an early tournament tee time? ...

I get up early and try to arrive early so I am not stressing out about missing my scheduled tee time.  Since I am getting up early I go to bed early, too.  I do not beat a lot of balls, just enough to get an idea of how I am hitting them and to get a bit loose.

 

53 minutes ago, Sean_D said:

Do you have a large meal to get you through a round? Do you prepare lots of little meals to eat through your round? Or, do you just wait and eat at the end? I really want to do well at this tourney, and as it is a low level tournament, I think nutrition is not something my competition will be giving significant consideration.  Anyway, what has worked for you in the past?

Typically the menu is a bowl of cereal, glass of juice and a piece of fruit.  Toss into the bag an apple and/or a granola bar for during the round if I want something to eat during the round.  Drink lots of water while playing  I doubt many of your competitors are thinking about nutrition and you probably should not over think it.  Eat what you normally do when you are going to be getting some light exercise.

Edited January 14, 2019 by bkuehn1952

[saevel25]

You could always try to find a local diner on the way over. You could get a more hearty breakfast that way. They are usually open before 7AM.

If you like smoothies, you can make on the night before.

Just suck it up and make a breakfast. ;)

[phillyk]

I try to eat what I normally eat. So, either cereal or stop at Starbucks. I don’t want to try something different before a round because the whole thing is a routine to keep me steady. For really early rounds, I want to wake up a little bit earlier so I can give my body a little extra time to warm up.

A tournament round is still just a round of golf. Don’t try something extra or different because it may mean more. 

[dennyjones]

I'd suggest you hydrate the day before.   I like to carry raw almonds and Nature Valley Bars.   I snack and drink every couple holes and it seems to help me.

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, dennyjones said:

I'd suggest you hydrate the day before.   I like to carry raw almonds and Nature Valley Bars.   I snack and drink every couple holes and it seems to help me.

I drink every couple holes.  Italian Sports drink.

[NM Golf]

You may be overthinking this a bit. You aren't running a marathon, you're playing a round of golf. Just eat something you like. Like the thread where we discussed fitness and golf, unless you have some kind of dietary issue I don't believe your eating habits are going to have much of an effect on your round. 

[Patch]

I eat a bowl of cereal just about every morning, around 5am. Oatmeal seems to stick with me better for an early morning, 4+ hour round. Other times, time permitting, a stop for a breakfast sandwich will suffice. I will  also take some fruit, or nuts to munch on during the round. 

I know guys who make their preround meal up a head of time, to eat prior the next morning's early round. 

Then there is that cart person running around during the round, selling snacks, and beverages. A hotdog with enough mustard on it can (allegedly) save at least one stroke on the score card.

My eating schedule differs from most. I eat breakfast every morning. Usually a larger than normal lunch around 1, or 2 pm, and then a very, very light dinner. Sonetimes I don't even bother with dinner, going with a bedtime snack instead. 

[Big C]

Oatmeal 100% of the time. It's my go-to fuel for an early morning activity, whether it's gym, running or golf.

For a really early round, I'll typically soak the oats in a mason jar with almond milk the night before. Maybe add a few berries, seeds or cinnamon for flavor. 

Then I just grab the jar out of the fridge on my way to the course, bring a plastic spoon and enjoy my breakfast during the front 9. 

[Sean_D]

Thanks for all the ideas. 

38 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Just suck it up and make a breakfast. 😉

Right?? I pretty much know this is what I have to do, but any way out is better than cooking... If I could just convince my wife to get up early......

33 minutes ago, phillyk said:

A tournament round is still just a round of golf. Don’t try something extra or different because it may mean more. 

I've competed and coached in hundreds of tournaments and big games/meets/matches in other sports and I agree with not doing extra or something different, but what I normally do is unavailable due to an earlier than normal (for me) start time, and I want to avoid the meltdown (and not just because I'll be playing in a tourney).

25 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

You may be overthinking this a bit. ... I don't believe your eating habits are going to have much of an effect on your round. 

I may very well be. I have always given nutrition in competition serious consideration and have a lot of hardware (not in golf) as a result. With teams I have coached I have seen markedly better performance from my athletes when they ate appropriately before/during/after matches.

While my eating habits should not affect my round, I experienced what not eating does to my round... and I certainly don't want that to happen again.

 

I still have several weeks and I will probably just heat up some leftover chicken in the nuke before I go, and I am certainly not going to obsess over it in the meantime. But I really appreciate the ideas. I keep a supply of protein bars, and will take one of those for the back and probably a Gatorade for some quick energy 

 

 

[Osnola]

2 scrambled eggs, 2 pieces of bacon, glass of orange juice, and a large glass of water or 2....usually keep gatorade or 2 and an apple in my bag....usually grab a burger or chicken sandwich after the round...

[NM Golf]

15 minutes ago, Sean_D said:

I may very well be. I have always given nutrition in competition serious consideration and have a lot of hardware (not in golf) as a result. With teams I have coached I have seen markedly better performance from my athletes when they ate appropriately before/during/after matches.

While my eating habits should not affect my round, I experienced what not eating does to my round... and I certainly don't want that to happen again.

I still have several weeks and I will probably just heat up some leftover chicken in the nuke before I go, and I am certainly not going to obsess over it in the meantime. But I really appreciate the ideas. I keep a supply of protein bars, and will take one of those for the back and probably a Gatorade for some quick energy 

Nutrition can be a certainly be a factor in more strenuous activities. When I played football or wrestled my pre game meals were much more thought out. My daughter plays basketball, we are careful about what we feed her before a game. 

All I am saying is, in my personal experience, golf is not a strenuous enough activity to worry about your diet. Hell, I've won tournaments when I sucked down a chili dog at the turn. Any activity where it's commonplace for the participants to drink beer while competing, the pregame meal is the least of your worries.