Summer is Here, Hydrate my friends.

summer-golf-silhouette

 

The most interesting man in the world is wrong. You really do not want to stay thirsty this time of year my friends.

Summertime is here in South Florida, clearly evidenced by the fact that I finally have time to get everything in the store properly priced and I can attend to things like my neglected website. Thanks to Tropical storm Colin and a wee bit of a roof leak, I got to spend a lot of this weekend outside. It didn’t take long to realize that our humidity levels were just off the chart.  You could possibly gain some hydration just by breathing in deeply to be honest, but based on how fast I got thirsty, it was clear that a better action plan was necessary.  I simply felt the need to drink so much water to replace what I was losing it was uncomfortable and it got me thinking about what the benefits of proper hydration would be to assist my golf game this summer.  By the way to answer the question, “When do you get out to play?” Unfortunately, it’s now, in this oppressive heat that I finally get to get out there and play some golf. The rates are lower and we can play 18 in about two and a half hours, if we keep moving.  So as a result of my extreme home addition roof leak repair weekend, I have gone ahead and put together a little research that some of you might find interesting. So here goes a small public service announcement to help you locals beat the heat and play your best this summer.

According to the TPI website “optimal hydration can improve your golf game mentally and physically. Since the brain is made up of 85% of water and is water inefficient, it has top priority in regards to blood circulation. Drinking the correct amount of water will ensure optimal blood flow to the brain, which will enable you to focus on the golf course. Proper hydration can be a preventative measure against low back pain. Water also acts as a lubricating agent for joints which can relieve pain from chronic joint pathologies.” Another minor detail they failed to mention is that it can help to prevent heat stroke and the associated horrible headache that comes with it.

Additionally the TPI site goes on to say that “The optimal amount of water to drink is ½ your body weight (pounds) in ounces per day. For example, a 200 lb. person will need to drink 100 ounces of water per day. A key point to remember is that other fluids do not count toward your goal of ½ your bodyweight in ounces. Those fluids include: coffee, tea, juices, soda, milk, sports drinks, and flavored water. In fact, other fluids like sports drinks and juices can actually dehydrate the body because it takes water to actually dilute these high sugar drinks before it is assimilated in the body.” So plain water is best and it has to be cool but not COLD. Cool water is more readily available to your system than freezing cold water.  Additionally, going the other way, I recently read an article that stated warm water from the bottle could actually be bad for you as the chemicals in the plastic can tend to break down a bit if the bottle is too hot. I am not a scientist, so I don’t know about that, but it sounds about right.

TPI went further and outlined a good timetable for hydration “Timing of water consumption is important to optimal hydration. Drinking water first thing in the morning is critical because during sleep the body becomes dehydrated. Therefore drinking water first thing in the morning is the first step towards optimal hydration. Start with 25% of your total water intake in the morning. If your water intake for the day is 100 ounces, you would consume 25 ounces in the morning. During a golf round you should consume 40% – 50% of your total daily intake of water. If your water intake for the day is 100 ounces, you would consume 40-50 ounces of water on the golf course. The remaining water should be consumed throughout the day.” Seems like a lot of water to me, but as hot as it is now and how early it is in the season for this oppressive heat, I am adding the prerequisite guzzling a few bottles of water with taking my customary Advil’s to my pre round routine. Of course that will always be followed with stretching and some time on the range getting warmed up. Right golf students?  Right? Eh hem. You know who I am talking to.

A few other tips that might get you through the hot summer season are:

–Wear loose-fitting clothing that will allow air to circulate but protect you from the sun.

–Avoid direct exposure to the sun. Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. We have Golferskin on the front counter. A great product because it can be applied mid round and doesn’t leave your hands completely greasy. By the way, has anyone else experienced the overzealous cart barn guy that decides to Armor all the steering wheel and the seats of your cart before you get in. I had an adventure last fall that would have been hysterical to watch, if it wasn’t happening to me. Just a precaution, check the steering wheel before you put your glove on it. Armor all does some crazy things to cabretta leather once it gets on there. I know where you can get some new gloves though if this happens to you. I had to pitch mine in the trash as they were so slick they were rendered totally useless. But alas, I digress.

–Call it a day if it gets to be just too much. I have had a number of customers and students tell me how they got dizzy out there and just barreled on, only to feel like crap that night. Listen up, heat stroke is no joke and it can have some lasting effects on your system. If you realize that you are feeling pretty bad while you are out there, it’s probably too late. Head in, call it a day and live on to fight the battle another day. No shame in taking a break and heading in to the clubhouse for some air conditioning and a little blood pressure lowering if that’s what it takes. If you feel better, give it a try, but listen to what your body is trying to tell you.

Oh yeah, and finally, most importantly, Lets keep your damn head down will ya!

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