Keeping Energy on Course

To go the distance (and make those back nine putts), snack a little and often throughout a match.

By John Lehndorff

From chili dogs and Snickers to sips from the “birdie juice” flask, leisure golfers eat and drink things before, during and after a round that are the stuff of clubhouse legends.

In the name of fun, “nutrition” and “performance” are not necessarily the factors determining the players’ menu choices.

However, competitive amateurs and all professional golfers understand a simple truth: You play like you eat, especially over the course of 18 or 36 holes on a hot summer day.

Jim Knous, who lives in Lakewood and plays professionally on the Korn Ferry Tour, takes his on-the-course snacking very seriously.

“My friends make fun of me because I snack a lot from my bag, usually every two or three holes. I’ll have a banana, cashews or almonds, or a half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” Knous says, calling from a practice round at Bear Creek Golf Club.

“There was this one time when I had a big Chipotle burrito stuffed it in my bag and started chomping on that halfway through the round,” he says.

A Basalt native who played collegiate golf at the Colorado School of Mines, Knous has been playing professional golf since 2012, earning his PGA Tour card in 2018.

“My thing has always been that whenever I feel hungry on the course, it’s too late. It will take two or three holes to not feel hungry and your body’s not functioning at peak capacity,” Knous says.

Eighteen-year-old Morgan Miller admits that she didn’t pay much attention to what she ate – and especially when – before joining the University of Colorado women’s golf team.

“I used to crash and burn going into the few last holes. Now, I have energy left after 36 holes,” says Miller. A sophomore in the fall, Miller called from hot, humid Houston where she was trying to stay hydrated while competing in a tournament.

“I’ve been golfing since I was 6 but my diet changed a lot when I got CU. We have our nutritionist who helps us plan our diet with us,” she says.

“Now, I eat a couple almonds every two holes, give or take, and then maybe a peanut butter cracker every five holes,” Miller says.

RULE NO. 1: NEVER PLAY HUNGRY OR THIRSTY

Nutritionist Siobhan Donofrio is the founder of Be Fit Nutrit, the official nutrition consultant for the LPGA since 2019. She works with professional players at every level.

“One of the biggest problems players have is they forget to eat on the course. After the ninth hole, they say: ‘I’m so hungry. I can’t focus. My game is off.’ At that point they are already on the downslope,” Donofrio says.

When it comes to golf tournaments, breakfast is indeed the most important meal of the day.

“You want to make sure that you’re not going out on the course already hungry. Have a basic breakfast, a couple of eggs, a piece of toast, a piece of fruit, or some oatmeal, or fruit and Greek yogurt,” she says.

Knous approaches breakfast carefully on tournament days. “I like to eat some form of protein like eggs or yogurt. If eat a big breakfast with a bunch of pancakes I feel sluggish out there. A good healthy medium is where I want to play,” he says.

Morgan Miller is also a breakfast believer.

“Before the match I like to get some meat in me so bacon is a great choice with maybe a bagel. The more you eat for breakfast the better off you are playing the rest of the day,” Miller says.

PACKING THE RIGHT SNACKS TO LAST

Maintaining energy and focus through 18 holes means strategically planning the snacks you pack in the golf bag.

“I always bring a little packet of trail mix and fruit. I need to get fats from nuts like almonds, rice cakes with peanut butter. I just try to stay consistent,” Miller says.

Donofrio recommends keeping track of what you eat and how it affects your game. “Try to eat a little bit throughout the round or your practice so your energy and focus don’t go up and down while you’re playing. Some players like to eat every three holes,” she says.

The Holy Grail for golfers and nutritionists appears to be a snack with the perfect balance of protein, calories and carbs. It is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

“Peanut butter sandwiches are very popular among the professional players. It’s an easy thing to stick in your golf bag that won’t go bad on a hot day,” Donofrio says.

SKIP THE SUGARY, CAFFEINATED SPORTS DRINKS

The right beverage is also important but if you wait to start sipping water until you’re thirsty, you’re in trouble.

“Make sure you’re hydrated before you even start a round of golf or practice. If you start out dehydrated, it’s really hard to kind of catch up,” Donofrio says.

“Most people just need water, unless it’s super hot. You can add some kind of electrolyte drink to your water, but as long as you’re eating snacks like pretzels or fruit with the water, you’re getting natural electrolytes,” she says.

The problem with water, as far as Morgan Miller is concerned, is that it gets, well, boring.

“Water is the best choice, but water gets old eventually, especially during those 36-hole tournament days. That’s why I lean towards Biosteel, an energy drink with no caffeine or sugar. It’s one of the best tasting sports drinks out there,” she says.

 

THE GATORADE AND THE DOUBLE BOGEY

While today’s golfers generally take a sensible approach to food, the choices aren’t always just about nutrition.

“I do have some superstitions. If I open a new water bottle, and I do well on a hole, I have to save that water bottle over the next few holes. If I eat a banana the first day and play well, I’ll eat a banana the second day. I’m going to keep it going as long as it works,” Miller says.

“In the Pac 12 tournament, I opened a new Gatorade, and I bogeyed or double bogeyed a hole. I was like ‘we’re throwing this thing away now.’”

The focus on nutrition and energy doesn’t end when the day’s play is finished.

“After you put out all that effort, you need to replenish all that energy you’ve exerted,” Donofrio says.

“I’m usually pretty darn hungry after a tournament,” Knous says.

“Back in the day, I used to be able to eat just about whatever I wanted. I’m 33. Nowadays, I try to eat as healthy as possible. I do like a slab of meat – a steak or grilled chicken and mashed potatoes and something green like broccoli,” he says.

Miller’s post-match dining choices are in a similar vein.

“I’m not a picky eater. I like a good old steak – a filet mignon – or a good pasta dish. I’m also going to do some French fries, here and there,” she says.

 

THE NECESSARY JOY OF TREATS AND CHEATS

It’s not a question of abstinence when it comes to the litany of culinary delights serious golfers shouldn’t eat. It’s all about quantity and timing.

“I never tell any of my players to eliminate all their favorite foods. A lot of them will lay off the sweet treats during a tournament and save it for Sunday night. Ice cream seems to be extremely popular among the players,” Siobhan Donofrio says.

“I try to keep it to maybe one cheat meal a week on Saturday or Sunday. My go-to cheat dessert is a big, big piece of chocolate cake. I can’t resist that,” Jim Knous says.

As a nutritionist, Donofrio avoids labelling them “cheat days.”

“We call them ‘non-competition days.’ On competition days, our golfers want to make sure they’re eating as well as they can to be focused and play well,” she says.

Miller is crystal clear about her top choice in cheats.

“I have a love for chocolate, any kind of chocolate – dark, milk, white – all of the above. Dark chocolate is way better for you, but milk chocolate definitely tastes the best,” she says.

18 SNACKS FOR 18 HOLES: A NUTRITIONIST’S GUIDE

Siobhan Donofrio, official nutrition consultant for the LPGA, recommends the following snacks in moderation for on-course munching.

• BANANAS
• BERRIES
• DRIED FRUIT
• NUTS
• TRAIL MIX
• GRANOLA BARS
• PROTEIN BARS
• PB&J SANDWICHES
• PEANUT BUTTER CRACKERS
• TURKEY SANDWICH
• BEEF JERKY
• TURKEY JERKY
• HARD BOILED EGGS
• WHOLE GRAIN CRACKERS
• CHEESE STICKS
• HUMMUS
• AVOCADO SANDWICH
• RAW VEGETABLE STICKS

(More LPGA golf nutrition tips: lpgawomensnetwork.com/author/siobhan-donofrio)

---

John Lehndorff is the former Dining Critic for the Rocky Mountain News. He hosts Radio Nibbles on KGNU.

Colorado AvidGolfer Magazine is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.

Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.