What Do Pro Golfers Drink While Playing? (Explained)
Professional golfers are professional athletes.
Even though they may not sweat at the rate of a hockey or basketball player, they still need to stay hydrated on the golf course.
For golfers, it is not about the rigorous nature of the game but instead the longevity of being on the golf course all day.
Sometimes when temperatures are really high, it becomes even more important to stay ahead of hydration with the proper fluids.
You have likely seen golfers drinking something out of a bottle or container as they move from one hole to the next.
If you are curious about what pro golfers drink, we have all the answers you need.
What Do Pro Golfers Drink While Playing?
Pro golfers will drink water, sports drinks, or vitamin drinks specifically suited to their needs.
Although many amateur golfers will enjoy a beer while playing golf, this is not something you will see professional golfers do during a round.
The game of golf requires very close attention to detail, and many parts of the body are used when taking a golf swing.
This is why golfers need to ensure that they stay hydrated and are fully capable of hitting the types of shots that they need in their game.
Professional golfers sometimes even work with a nutritionist to be sure that they have the best fluids entering their body during the course of a round of golf.
Many times players that only drink water start to feel a little sleepy, and they will have something else to ensure they can keep their energy up.
Here are the top things you will see golfers drinking while playing and some reasons behind why they consume them.
1. Water
We all need water to stay hydrated.
Dehydration is one of the leading causes of golfers suffering poor judgment making and muscle fatigue.
The problem with dehydration is that it comes on quickly, and it is often too late to control it when you start feeling poorly.
Staying on top of water consumption as you go through a round of golf is essential.
Some golfers are very methodical about this and require themselves to drink a bit of water every hole or two.
Even if this is just a sip of water here and there, it will add up, helping to prevent an issue with dehydration.
Golfers almost always have a water bottle with them, even if they are players that like energy drinks or vitamin shakes while they play.
It is not uncommon to see a professional golfer having an energy bar and a bottle of water as they move from the 9th green over to the 10th tee.
Water is important for golf caddies as well.
They are carrying a large bag that can be pretty heavy, and they need to ensure they are not falling into dehydration.
2. Sports Drinks
Gatorade Zero Sugar Thirst Quencher, Cool Blue Variety Pack, 20 Fl Oz (Pack of 12)
Sports drinks are very commonly used in sports to help athletes have enough electrolytes.
Some of the most popular sports drinks are Gatorade and Powerade.
These have some sodium in them to help with any salt lost through sweat during a round.
The sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade also typically do not have caffeine in them, so they don’t get a player feeling shaky.
A drink that does have caffeine can be a bad choice for a professional golfer as it can make them a bit shaky.
The swing tempo is so important, and if your tempo is off because of the liquids you are putting in your body, it can cost you a chance at winning the tournament.
Sports drinks do have sugar in them, so some golfers try to stay away from these products.
This has opened up another world of products for professional golfers to drink, which are more vitamin or recovery-type drinks.
3. Vitamin Drinks/Protein Shakes
Vitamin drinks or shakes are made by many different companies, and some are even designed specifically to help athletes.
There are two situations in which professional golfers will choose these types of drinks.
The first is that the golfer has worked with a specialist and determined that specific vitamins, minerals, or amounts of protein can help them perform well in the middle of their round.
These drinks may even be hand-made to have the perfect mix of what a player needs.
Golfers spend plenty of time practicing outside of golf tournaments, so they have ways of testing what is working to help them perform and what is not.
The second situation we see here is golfers who are sponsored by one of these companies.
Some brands look to partner with professional golfers, and then they provide the golfer with gear and cups that show the brand name.
The golfer is then required to use those during the event, and in return, they get a payment for it.
This is something essential for amateur golfers to understand.
Just because a player like Dustin Johnson or Jordan Spieth is having a particular type of drink on the golf course doesn’t mean they aren’t getting paid for it.
Do some research first to see if they are sponsored by the product or if they are using it just because they find it to be helpful while they are on the course.
If a player is sponsored by the product, there are other motivations for them using it.
What Happens If A Professional Golfer Becomes Dehydrated?
Dehydration for pro golfers is a major issue and concern.
Players need to be sure they hydrate before, during, and after their round to ensure that they don’t have any issues with overall performance.
Here are a few of the problems that dehydration can cause, and this should be plenty of reason to have a few sips of water as you move from one hole to the next.
1. Mental Game
One of the most concerning things that can happen when golfers get dehydrated is that they become confused when they are on the course.
This confusion leads to poor club selection and sometimes even a problem with how to swing the club.
You may forget all of the things you have been working on to improve your game.
These issues with the mental game have a direct and quick impact on scoring.
Professionals and amateurs cannot expect their best rounds of golf when their mental game is not strong.
Golfers that are great players will tell you that the mental game is just as important, if not more important than the physical game.
Anything that you can do to protect your mental strength on the course is only going to help you in the long run.
2. Fatigue And Loss Of Distance
All players like to hit the ball far, and the best way to do this is when you have all of your strength available.
Losing distance from the tee results in you having a much longer shot to the hole.
The further you are from the green, the harder it is to hit the golf ball close to the pin.
It seems like these may be just small changes to a game, but they have big results.
For some golfers that don’t realize dehydration could be setting in, simply paying attention to your body and seeing if you are losing distance can be a great way to check whether your body is getting the fluids it needs.
Of course, loss of distance on the golf course is not always caused by dehydration.
You could have an injury, or the wind may have even picked up, but if you are smart about how you respond and pay attention to the warning signs, you can stop dehydration before it turns into a problem.
3. Slower Reaction Times
Golfers with fast reaction times and great reflexes tend to hit impressive shots.
These players can square the clubface up at impact and sometimes even recognize if their club is in a poor position and save the shot.
However, as soon as your body lacks the fluids that it needs, you will have slower reaction times.
You may not be able to release the club the same way, and shots could start turning to the right or left without as much of your control.
Swing flaws can bring about these same problems, but paying attention to your swing reaction time, tempo, and overall distances will help give you a better idea of how dehydrated you may be.
What Should Amateur Golfers Drink On The Golf Course?
Amateur players likely don’t have sponsors that pay them to drink certain liquids on the golf course.
Unfortunately, many amateur players choose to drink beer or soda.
Golf should be fun, and you should enjoy yourself out on the course; however, if you want to play your best game and take full advantage of your skills, think about what you consume.
Having a hot dog and a soda after the first nine holes may leave you feeling sluggish and behind on the back nine.
If you can switch that out with an energy bar or protein bar and some water or Gatorade, it could change the way you play on the back nine.
This is worth testing when you are practicing to see if it helps you before the day of a tournament or an event.
Professional golfers have doctors and specialists that let them know what drinks and foods are best for them.
However, these are not all necessary if you start to listen to your body.
If you are playing great golf, stop to have a snack, and start hitting bad shots; think about the fact that this could be related to what you are consuming.
Some players refuse to eat anything on the course for fear it will impact their game.
Listen to your body, make sure you are staying hydrated, and if you don’t like sugary or carbonated drinks, know that it is more than acceptable to drink water on the golf course.
Conclusion
Looking into the lives of the best golfers in the game, we can learn quite a bit about what to do and what not to do on the golf course.
It’s interesting to see what players are drinking and eating while they play.
For golf professionals, these tiny details end up creating significant changes in their games, so it is essential for them to pay close attention.
Most players will drink water, but there are some protein and energy-type drinks that help players maintain peak performance throughout their entire round.
In the end, you must listen to your body, ensure that you are being smart about what you consume, and in the summer, pay really close attention to the heat index.
When it gets very hot out there, pack plenty of fluids.