Nutrition plan for an elite-level female teenage golfer. By Robert Ferris, Andrew Atkinson, Andy Grannell and Aodhán McEntee. Slides compiled as part of undergraduate studies in Health & Performance Science at University College Dublin. Sources for all imagery and sources listed in references section where possible. I do not claim ownership of any images or graphics. Slides for educational purposes only, and should not replace clinical judgement. No monetary gain was made for this work.

1. Type relevant Irish
language Unit Name into
this text box in Title Master.
Type relevant English
language Unit Name into
this text box in Title Master.
Elite Female Amateur Golfer
A Guide To Nutrition For Golf
Robert Ferris Applied Nutrition for Health,
Andrew Atkinson Exercise & Sports Performance
Andy Grannell PERS30010
Aodhán McEntee

2. Key Points
• Coach has contacted you
• He is concerned his athlete is not consuming the
correct food for the sport
• She avoids bread, pasta and rice, and is gluten-free
• She is in shape and work out
• Aim of this presentation is to provide an
understand of what to eat for the sport
• Give alternatives to the aforementioned gluten
foods

3. The Stereotypical Traditional Golfer
John Daly Pat Hurst

4. Tiger Woods
Looking after your
body
Working out
Eating the correct
foods

5. The “Fit” vs. “UnFit”
Fit
• Tiger Woods - 104
• Ben Hogan - 68
• Gary Player - 165
• Annika Sorenstam - 93
Unfit
• John Daly - 19
• Craig Stadler - 29
• Mark Calcavecchia – 30
• Fuzzy Zoeler - 20

6. What makes the difference?
• The “fit” golfers looked after their bodies
• They ate clean and healthy
• They all worked out
• The “unfit” did none of these

7. Will this lead to winning?
• In general no
• Many golfers do all the right things and never win
• Many get by with just skill
• However……….

8. Good vs. Exceptional
• In every sport the difference between winning
and losing can be tiny
• In golf there are many factors which make up
winning
• Nutrition is one of them
• Body and mind will be in peak condition
• Best chance of longevity

9. What do you need to do?
• We have just discussed why nutrition is important
• We will now discuss what exactly to put in your
body
• When to do this
• And give you some sample meal plans

10. What is Nutrition?
• The process of obtaining a variety of foods
necessary for a healthy lifestyle.
• A balance of all nutrients is needed.
• Nutrition can help:
- improve an athletes performance
- improve recovery from fatigue
- optimise body composition
- avoid injury

11. Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA)
• The recommended level
of nutrients that should
be consumed on a daily
basis.
• The recommended
calorie intake for women:
2000 kcal/day
• Different dietary
requirements depending
on:
- Age
- Gender
- Weight
- Type of sport
- Intensity of training
- Duration of game

12. Macronutrients
• Three main types include:
- carbohydrate
- protein
- fat
• Carbohydrates:
- are broken into a sugar called glucose which
provide the energy needed to fuel the muscles.
- glucose not being used is stored in the muscles
and liver as glycogen.
Eg. brown rice, oats, potatoes, whole grain bread.

13. • Protein:
- is responsible for the building, maintenance and
repairing of cells.
- is not an ideal source of energy for exercise
- used when diet lacks adequate carbohydrates
Eg. Fish, turkey, chicken, milk, eggs.
• Fat:
- should only be consumed in small amounts.
- takes up to 6 hours before being converted to
energy.
Eg. Olive oil, soybean oil, walnuts, fatty fish.

14. Blood glucose
• Glycemic Index (GI) is a
scale of 1 to 100 that ranks
carbohydrates by how much
they raise blood sugar
levels.
• Low GI foods stabilize the
blood sugar levels.
• They provide a sustained
release of energy over a
prolonged period of time.
• Low GI foods/fluids reduce
the risk of fatigue

15. Avoidance of bread, pasta and rice
• The question is:
1) What nutritional needs were being provided by the
above excluded foods and
2) What foods need to be included in your diet in order
to ensure that the nutritional needs continue to be
met.

16. Avoidance of bread, pasta and rice
• Alleged benefits of a gluten free diet:
- Optimisation of performance as it allows the
muscles to repair more efficiently.
- It maintains a stable blood sugar level during
exercise.
- Eases unappealing digestive symptoms during
competition.
These claims are as yet unsupported by peer-reviewed
evidence

17. Maintaining a gluten free diet
Athlete insists on maintaining gluten-free diet:
• Firstly it is important to mention that both white and
brown rice are gluten free.
• Other foods which are naturally gluten free include:
- Fresh vegetables
- Dried or frozen fruit
- Fresh potatoes
- Dried beans
• Read the food labels: Wheat must be on the food label
if the food contains wheat
• Look for “gluten free” label on the packaging.

18. Alternative foods
• The biggest issue with
avoiding gluten is not
being able to eat bread.
• Alternative ways if
making bread include
using gluten free flour or
flour made from rice.
• Eg. Brown Multigrain
sliced loaf
• Healthy carbohydrate
substitutions within a
gluten free diet include:
-varieties of rice
- potatoes
-tofu
-nuts
-beans

19. Golf is often underestimated!
Misperception
• Golf is a low demand
sport
• Golfers expend little
energy
• Golfers don’t need to be
in shape
Reality
• Golf has high physiological
demands
• The energy costs of golf are
comparable to many field
sports
• Top-level golf requires a high
level of physical fitness

20. • Intense matchplay
• Multiple rounds
• High-level competition
AND
• Walking the course
• Carrying clubs
• Weather
Demands

21. Energy Balance

22. Nutrition is more than what you eat
on the day
Leaving it to the last minute can be detrimental...
but with the right preparation your body will be properly fuelled to
win.

23. Hydration is key!
A loss of just 2% body fluid can cause:
 Loss of muscle performance
 Trouble concentrating
 Impaired motor control
Golfers should carry water with them to ensure they
are well hydrated.

24. The day before
• Essential for lasting energy
• Three meals
– Moderate-high inslow-burn
carbohydrates
– Moderate in protein
– Low in fat and fibre
• Familiar foods
• Snacks – between meals
– High carbohydrate sources
• Lots of water!

25. Competition Day
• Large meal, 4 hours before competition
– Same guidelines for carbs, protein and fat
• This meal is vital, and will set you up for the day
But what about an early start?
• If 4 hours before is not feasible, use snacks!
– Small amounts, 30-90 minutes before competition
– High-carb meal the night before, and snack before
bed.

26. Maintaining Blood Glucose

27. How to maintain energy levels during
competition
• Eat regularly while on the course
• Good foods to eat include Fruit, nuts, flap jacks
• Foods to avoid are those which are high in sugar
such as chocolate bars

28. What to drink during the match
• Plain Water is fine
• Drink about 500ml of water an hour when playing
• Best to avoid sugary soft drinks and energy
drinks as these can lead to a crash in blood sugar
levels

29. Sample Meal Plan
• Breakfast: 2 cups of porridge with milk and 2
boiled eggs, 500 ml bottle of water
• During Warm-up: A large apple and ½ 500ml
bottle of water
• During Match: Every Hour consume a 500 ml
bottle of water, and a snack such as Banana,
Apple, Granola Bar, Box of Raisins
• After Game: Chicken, Potatoes and Vegetables as
soon as possible

30. Conclusion
• Eating Correctly can help you maintain good
performances and career longevity
• Carbohydrates are essential for gold along with
protein and fats and must be included in the diet
• Although Golf is relatively Low intensity, energy
requirements are still high, therefore you must be
fuelled properly before playing
• Drinking Water during play will reduce
dehydration and performance decreases
• Keeping blood glucose levels steady will stop
“crashes” and maintain performance

31. Thank You!
Questions?