Eating Healthy on your Golf Trip

Just because you’re on vacation, doesn’t mean that your diet should be, too. As what you eat determines your performance, you’ll need to have a solid diet plan when you’re going on a golf trip.

More than just about improving your health in general, proper nutrition can help boost your golf performance. It’s a no-brainer. Eating healthy means your mind stays sharp enough to make tough decisions, and you have sufficient energy to play all 18 holes.

So before you grab that bag of chips for a quick energy boost, read on to know what you should be munching on your golf vacation:

Eat or drink

• Water – Chugging down at least 8 glasses of water daily can help you keep hydrated, especially when you’re teeing off under the heat of the sun. Loss of water can lead to dehydration, which can affect your performance and physiology.

• Small frequent meals – Spreading out your meals throughout the day allows you to replenish your energy levels without bogging you down post meal. Experts recommend 5-6 small meals instead of the usual 3 big meals.

• The power combo – Your meals must consist of the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in order for you to have enough energy to finish all 18 holes. This trio also ensures that you are getting the right nutrients into your body.

• A healthy snack. Forget chips. Go for snacks that are jam packed with fiber and other nutrients for a healthy digestion and lots of energy to finish the course. Go for fruits or a bag of nuts for a quick mood and energy booster, and you’re all set for a good match.

Avoid

• Alcohol and caffeine. Take it easy on the alcohol and caffeine. Both are diuretics and can cause dehydration. In addition, they can also affect your performance. Caffeine can over stimulate your mind and muscles, thus making your performance less controlled, while alcohol is on the other side of the spectrum. Too much of it, and you’ll suffer loss of coordination.

• Food rich in sugar. Sugar-based food will only give you a quick jolt of energy, but once blood sugar rapidly plummets after a temporary high, you’ll be on an express train to exhaustion.

• Binging 2 hours before tee time. When you have food in your digestive tract, blood gets diverted away from your brain and muscle, which explains why you feel lethargic after a heavy meal. This is another reason why you need to spread out your meals to 5 small ones instead of 3 big ones. But with that said, you must also avoid;

• Skipping meals. Playing on an empty stomach is just as bad as teeing off on a full one. You’ll need a steady release of energy to get you through the long play. Going for small meals fuels you throughout the day without slowing down your metabolism (and yourself) and prevents sugar highs and lows.

It is important to note that your brain consumes 20% of the calories your take in. And if you’re fuelling your brain (and body) with the right type of food, you’ll be able to think on your toes all throughout the 18 holes.

Stay healthy. Have a great golf trip!

Golf Exercises for Improved Flexibility

Golfers, like most athletes, need to work hard not only on the sport but also on their physical fitness. These people need to go through rigorous exercises before heading to golf vacation destinations in order to be able to enjoy the game and to reduce chances of injury. 

A pre-game golf exercise set the player’s mood and is known to dramatically improve a golfer's flexibility - an important factor for a much smoother swing. Of course, it is a known fact that golfers can only perform a great swing from rather unusual body movement where the body can possibly become stiff. For this reason, golfers need to exercise and work on his flexibility. An exercise improves overall coordination of the body and affects a golfer's stance on the course. 

These flexibility-enhancing exercises should not only be focused on the shoulders but should also involve muscles in other parts of the body. Examples of these exercises are as follows:

Lunge with Rotation - Considered a dynamic golf stretching exercise and is known to warm up the hip flexors. To do this, position the golf club on your shoulders. Step your right leg forward for a lunge while making sure the left leg is stretched backwards and your left knee is locked.  Next, gently twist your torso to the left without moving your lower body. Hold this position for a minute or so before you release. Do this exercise at least 5 to 7 times on each side. 

Supported Squats - This simple exercise improves heart rate and increases blood flow throughout the body. To do this, extend your arms straight while holding your club. Bend your right leg and position it on top of your left thigh. Slowly squat on this position until your left thigh is parallel to the surface then go back to the starting position. Repeat at least 10-12 times on each leg. 

Supported Twist and Bend - Speed and power in hitting a golf ball towards a putting green comes from an ability to twist the upper torso. To improve in this golf skill, practice twisting and work on improving flexibility around your waist. Position the club on your shoulders and your hands on either side. Stand with your feet at least a shoulder width apart and gradually twist to the right side and then bend over as if you were trying to reach your head to the right knee. Do this exercise at least 10 to 12 times on each side.

Shoulder Rotation - Work on your shoulder griddle to reduce chances of shoulder pain that's common among golfers. Stand with your feet at least hip width apart, your shoulder blades down and your hands on your thighs. Slowly rotate both shoulders clockwise at least 8 to 10 times, then counter-clockwise 8-10 times. 

Chest Stretch - To improve flexibility of the chest muscles, stand with your feet at least hip width apart then straighten your arms backwards. Intertwine your fingers and hold this stretch position for at least 10 counts before you release. Do this at least 10 times.

Make every golf trip a fun and fulfilling one by engaging in simple pre-game exercises. Then you’ll have more power and energy for more rounds on the resort.

Golf Tips: How to Make More Birdies

Golf birdies don’t always happen by pure chance; these come as a result of excellent golf conditions and great golfing skills. Professional golfers share the following tips on how to make more birdies:

Be familiar with your yards. While on a golf trip, carefully observe professional golfers on tour and observe how they manage to almost accurately estimate how far every club in their golf bag goes. While it is essentially impossible for a beginner or an average golfer to be precise, most golfers tend to have a close idea of how far they hit each club.

The next time you go on a golf vacation, spend at least an hour on each range. Hit 5-10 shots with each club and figure out the average distance each club in your bag flies. This will give you an idea how to hit more greens and make more birdies.

 Devise a game plan and stick with it. Make a detailed, strategic game plan for every shot you want to hit at the golf course. Know exactly where you want to land your golf ball and swing your way to it.

Some golfers do not always have pin sheets for each round of the game but, whether you’re up for a competition or simply going on a golf vacation, at least plan your rounds a few days ahead.  Focus on a target each time you play and be determined to follow your game plan.

If you are a beginner, start at the green. Identify your target and know where you should be hitting from as you approach the greens. Then imagine where you’ll be hitting next to get to your ideal approach shot.

Establish control. If you’ve been watching golf tournaments, you might have noticed that some golfers tend to choke up on the club and make shorter, more controlled swing. In case you don’t know it yet, shorter, more controlled swings result to more precision and less error.

Like any other skills, control on golf clubs does not happen overnight. You might have to make several trips to your favorite golf vacation destinations so you can practice your swing as well as your game plans.

Golf Vacation Destinations with their Own Airstrips

Are you looking for a more fancy golf vacation with the family? If you’re in for a grand getaway and you have all the means to afford a fly-in golf resort, here are some golf vacation destinations that feature their own airstrips. This way, guests don’t have to deal with gridlocks on the freeway. On top of that, they enjoy more dramatic entrance to their chosen golf area.

Mountain Air Country Club in Burnsville, North Carolina is home to the highest private landing strip located at an elevation of 4432 feet. The famous country club designed by Scott Paul is located amid lush forest and fauna and offers every vacationer a picturesque 100-mile view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This luxurious spot features an on-site Outdoor Discovery Center that is a huge hit for families with children. Other must-see and experience finely crafted amenities form this golf resort include its multi-awarded clubhouse, championship golf course, swimming pool, tennis courts, and organic garden.  Exhilarating outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, kayaking, and whitewater rafting are also available.

A resort on the northernmost tip of Key Largo, Florida named Ocean Reef Club features a runway that spans 4,456 feet. The club offers a pair of challenging championship 18-hole courses: The Dolphin Course with its trademark fairways of winding rows of tamarind, coconut palms and mahogany trees and other exotic landscaping, and; The Hammock Course that dips into a wildlife sanctuary of mangrove, tropical hardwood hammock and other endangered plant species.  Apart from its Bruce Devlin and Robert Von Hagge-designed courses, Ocean Reef Club also features a 175-plus marina equipped with charter boats for cruising and fishing.

Lajitas Golf Resort of the historic Big Bend in Texas is a 27,000 acre golf vacation destination featuring a world-class 18-hole course dubbed as “Black Jack’s Crossing” and is noted for its lush fairways, tight greens, and plenty of bunkers and water hazards. Lajitas Golf Resort provides regular charter flight services to Houston, Midland, San Antonio and Austin.

Vacationers looking for a fly-in golf course in San Diego, California need not look for any other golf haven within the city. There’s Pauma Valley Country Club that features 2,700 feet runway and at least 20 hangars for its guests to park their jets. The golf resort on this Southern California gated community is a classic Robert Trent Jones, Sr. design and has already hosted high profile tournaments like the SCGA Senior Amateur Championship (2005), SCGA Mid-Amateur Championship (2004), and the SCGA Super Senior Amateur Championship (2005). Pauma Valley Country Club’s frequent guest includes Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player.

Fox Harb’r Golf Resort & Spa located in Wallace, Nova Scotia of Canada is a Graham Cooked-designed course that also features a runway spanning 4885 feet. The resort was cited by Golf Digest as Best New Golf Course in Canada in 2011 and has since provided novel experiences to golfers of all skill levels. Fox Harb’r offers a myriad of facilities and services, so its guests can also enjoy other activities like sport shooting, fly fishing, nature trails, and private sightseeing tours among others. This way, every golf trip at this Canadian charm is always exciting and fulfilling.

Have a Caddie on your Golf Trip

Caddies play very important roles in every golf trip. These people works with every golfer not only on practice swings and elimination rounds but even on actual golf championships. Steve Williams who is ranked the world’s No. 1 caddie, for instance, have been hopping from leading golf courses to another, working closely with top notch golfers around the world like Adam Scott, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods.

But what really is a caddie? Caddies are not hired to simply carry golf bags and other equipment. Instead, they are there to encourage, admonish, and counsel players. They serve as coaches both on practice and on actual games, and are basically expected to understand every player’s strengths and weaknesses as well as stress cycles. They are also there to guide players through emotional moments prior, during, and after every round.

The essence of a caddie far exceeds that of being a bag carrier or emotional absorber. He is also there to provide insights, share ideas, help develop a strategy, and follow through a direction to get better golf results. In a way, caddies serve as game partners.

Perhaps the best thing about having a caddie is that they have a technical know-how about the sport. They are expected to be familiar with the golf vacation destination, including distances, obstacles, hills, and valleys that are considered risk factors when playing golf. With this in mind, caddies are able to advise how to go through each course despite potential hazards.

Unfortunately, there are some caddies who don’t live up to their roles. Case in point several caddies who come to golf resorts unprepared and not knowing what exactly is on the golf course and how to strategically play the game. These types of caddies do not understand the challenges of the sport and have limited idea as to what to expect throughout the game, hence they are less likely to be able to coach players well.

For this reason, it is necessary that every golfer carefully choose his/her caddie. Ideally, it’s best to hire one who shares the player’s competitive spirit. They should be highly motivated, aggressive, and protective of the team. In addition, they must be hardworking and should be able to inspire players throughout the game.