If I were to utilize every beneficial golf fitness program that I’ve read over the years, I would:

1. Be extraordinarily carved and buff
2. Have dedicated 23 of 24 hours of each day to golf fitness

An element of golf fitness that at times gets overlooked is one that we’ve all practiced to some degree since we came into this world: nutrition. It’s borderline hysterical that the recent announcement of the demise of Hostess and its cupcakes, wagon wheels and Twinkies generated more sorrow than the passing of great writers and community figures. That is a sad commentary on the current state of nutrition in the US.

Understand that pre-round and pre-tournament fitness are vital to playing consistent golf. However, fitness usually doesn’t amount to a hill of frijoles unless supported by proper pre-round, in-round and post-round fortification. Eat a solid pre-round meal, perhaps one with a bit of pasta or eggs for protein. Pack two bottles of water and start drinking it on the first tee. Water in your mouth and in your system combats dry-mouth, brought on by self-imposed nerves (remember that only you can make you nervous, no one else has that power.)

Andrea Furst wrote a judicious piece on the challenge of a routine change for the Ladies European Tour website. Dr. Furst, the founding director of Mental Notes Consulting, focuses on the psychological needs of sports people and athletes. Although her article does not focus specifically on nutrition, the principle point can be applied to the strenuous exercise of nutrition upgrade.

Save the water bottles as you empty them, and refill them from on-course coolers when you have an opportunity. Eliminate a few trinkets from your bag that you don’t need and pack some healthful snacks that you will eat. Like the one-iron, if you can’t hit it, don’t carry it. Hit those snacks on Nos. 4, 7, 10 and 13 holes. If you need a pick-me-up late in the round, munch a bit on the penultimate tee, too. I know that adults all love a beer and a hot dog; save them for post-round celebrations or blah-blah sessions. They taste better then, because you aren’t in a rush.

A wonderful document on total nutrition was assembled by Dr. Greg Wells and Denis Collier for the Royal Canadian Golf Association. In it, the two gentlemen consider all aspects of the link and impact between fitness and nutrition, the importance of proteins and glycogen, the spacing of meals, snacks and timing of hydration.

What beneficial items might you consume during your travels around the course? Health professionals, touring professionals and working folks have various suggestions, the majority of which will contribute to a positive and healthful 18 holes. For snacking, trail mix and whole fruit during the first third of the round, a nutritious sandwich (not a burger on a white-bread bun!) in the middle and something with carbohydrates during the final six holes of the round.

With no scientific backing whatsoever, I’m going to make a behavioral statement that I believe seals the deal on snacking: it slows you down. Not so much that you delay play, but just enough to settle the rhythm and give pause during the round. Rushing is a hindrance to proper execution and the brief moratorium allows the intellect to catch up to the emotion.

In 2013, at age 47, I’m going to make a specific effort to consider what I’m putting into my body three to four hours before a round or practice session. I also plan to eliminate rain gear and umbrella on sunny days (I’m a walker, not a rider) and replace them with proper snack bags of trail mix, sandwiches and fruit — I might even mark them up with Sharpie to remind me of the proper order of ingestion. I’ll report back as the season progresses to let you know how the routine has helped or hindered my game. For now, here are the five snacks you’ll find in my bag during the season:

1. Do-it-myself trail mix (a bit of chocolate, almonds, dried fruit, sunflower seeds and granola)
2. A banana (probably eat this first, so I don’t mush it up and stink up the bag!)
3. An energy bar that is actually good for me (I like Clif Bars)
4. A peanut butter sandwich on wheat (tons of protein and still tastes great mushy);
5. Nuun tablets to add electrolytes to water and a little flavor to the chosen fluid