Snacking on the course is essential for players to keep their energy levels up, maintain focus, and provide necessary nutrients for missed meals due to variable tee times. Between the time it takes to warm up before a round, the four or more hours competing on the course, and the post round activities such as signing autographs, taking selfies with fans, and answering interview questions, the players could be out there for 6-8 hours every day. That would be a long time to go without eating with all that activity.

Each player has their own plan for how they nourish and hydrate on the course. Some players eat small amounts every 1-2 holes, some eat every 3-4 holes, some every 6-7 holes, and some don’t eat until the turn. When and what they eat may depend on their tee times. For example, a 9:00 AM tee time might mean a smaller quantity of snacks for a player because they will have had time to eat a full breakfast prior to playing and will have a full lunch afterwards. On the other hand, an 11:00 AM tee time poses the challenge of playing right through lunch. In this case, a player may bring something more substantial to eat on the course such as a turkey wrap or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich along with a banana, grapes, trail mix, and a protein bar.

I always recommend a combination of carbohydrate and protein snacks to maintain energy and focus, promote a quicker recovery, and prevent overeating after a round. I work with players to create a fueling plan and to choose foods appropriately based on their energy needs and personal preferences. While every golfer is different, there are some overwhelmingly popular snack choices such as, bananas, peanut butter sandwiches, protein bars, trail mix, granola bars, and jerky.

I spoke with some players who shared their favorite snack choices for on the course. Here is what they said:

Maddie Szeryk: Grapes, crackers, and protein bars.

Louise Ridderstrom: Trail mix.

Mi Hyang Lee: Peanut butter and jelly sandwich and bananas.

Pajaree Anannarukarn: Banana and boiled eggs.

Haeji Kang: Apples.

Leona Maguire: Bananas and protein bars.

Jennifer Song: Bananas and her mother’s rice balls with different proteins in them.

Brooke Henderson: Peanut butter and banana sandwich.

Lindy Duncan: Chomps beef jerky

Ruixin Rui: Mama Chia chia seed packets.

Kristen Gillman: Protein bars, fig bars, and peanut butter pretzels.

Riley Rinnell: Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, jerky, trail mix.

Note: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be medical advice. Please contact a licensed physician or other qualified health provider for direct advice, diagnosis, and treatment regarding all medical conditions.

Added credentials to my bio:
Siobhan Donofrio, PhD, LDN, sports nutrition consultant, educator, and founder of Be Fit Nutrit, the official nutrition consultant for the LPGA.