As a part of my quest to blog about surviving the summer heat on the golf course, I googled hot golfers and this came up...
Not exactly what I was looking for, but I bet this got your attention....
SURVIVING THE SUMMER HEAT ON THE GOLF COURSE
Let me first say that there are very safe ways to play golf throughout the summer here in the UAE, but just as you know you need to apply suntan lotion, you also need to use some simple steps to prevent "sunstroke" during these challenging weeks.
As a society, we recently played the Creek on what turned out to be the hottest and most humid day of the year so far, and one of our guests collapsed and spent three days in hospital... basically down to sunstroke and not enough fluid intake.. ( he has made a full recovery ).
So here are some essential tips for you to continue to enjoy your golf throughout the summer months here in the UAE.
1. COMMON SENSE
It is pretty obvious that if you are sweating enough to saturate your shirt, socks, shorts and underclothes, then you are seriously leaking fluids...
Therefore, it is COMMON SENSE to know that you must replace that lost fluid immediately.
The human male body is 60% water, of which your brain is 75% water, your blood 82% water.. so if you lose several litres of water playing golf in the summer, it is no wonder that you will stand the chance of becoming unwell and collapsing... So let's first use our brains and before they get dehydrated and they stop working altogether.... !
2. DRINK FREQUENTLY AND MAKE IT INTERESTING
We asked our very own Dr Andrew Devine, "how much should we drink when its really hot on the golf course ?" and he replied 500ml,.. per hole. Now that to some may seem impossible, to others acceptable.. but to all of us it is essential...
However, drinking that much water alone can be daunting, so try to make it interesting.. and I do not mean by adding alcohol.. !
This is what I do.... I keep a tube of electrolyte tablets always in my golf bag, and to start the day I pop one in my water bottle.. (read the instructions on how many you should take a day)... I find the taste alone helps to vary my intake of cool water... I also take a large flask of weak tea... this again helps me to make my intake of fluids more palatable and interesting... I stay away from all sodas, I sometimes drink a gatorade or similar, but only one, and I always maintain that I have my two trusted water bottle flasks in my golf bag to ensure that I stay on my routine....refilling around the course and making a habit of it... repetitive actions become habits and good habits will keep you alert and safe on the summer golf days.
By making drinking water interesting, it is easier to maintain your fluid intake, than simply drinking water alone... give it a try... find your "interesting route" one that best suits you. But remember that beer, booze, soda and fruit juices will not do the same job as water alone or water with a little something to make it more interesting. You already know this, so now put it into action.
3. KEEPING A COOL HEAD
Throwing clubs into the lake after you hit those stupid shots may be a result of not keeping a cool head, but really ... that's not what I am talking about.
We all know that we should wear hats and indeed the vast majority of us do, but those who have known me for the 16 years that I have been playing golf in Dubai, they know that I always wear, what some call, silly old mans hats... and never one of those baseball styled hats that may look trendy, but really only shade your eyes and nothing much else.
When I started to wear bucket hats my mates sniggered and often joked about them, but as I explained, I wear my bucket hats because they give my eyes, ears and neck better protection from the sun.. and moreover, I take an ice cold wet flannel and fold it neatly and place it on top of my head and the bucket hat over to keep it in place. I can then refresh the coolness of it by dipping it into the ice box that all courses have here in the UAE.
It is essential to keep a cool head on the golf course both to better your game and to keep the top of your brain, physically cool.... You could also use wide brimmed hats, straw hats etc. So, do not listen to any jibes from others, because you are making your game more enjoyable and you will be far better placed to endure our summer heat and stay healthy, and maybe more able to keep a cool head and beat the others around you... I did say maybe...
4. STAY IN THE SHADE
It may seem obvious, but try to stay in the shade of the golf cart, or under a tree or palm whenever possible. It is not always easy, but it really does make a difference.
The heat in the direct sunlight will be many degrees more than in the shade, and that direct sunlight, radiant heat, will have an effect on your body temperature, which will in turn naturally fight to maintain a lower temperature by causing you to sweat more and therefore lose more fluids.... So, staying as much in the shade as possible is a vital part of enjoying your golf in the summer months in the UAE...
Family commitments, work, other social scenes, each play a part in preventing us from having more time to play our beloved sport, so why add another reason to prevent us from playing Golf in the summer... Just use your common sense and a few basic rules to enable you to play golf all the year around....
"your brain, use it, don't boil it..." Captain Dubai Divots.
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