On the next tee Fred ended up in the bushes. He wasted two strokes getting out. As he climbed out The Pro said:

“I saw you coming in from your car with a cup of coffee in one hand and a donut in the other. Is that your breakfast?”

“Well sometimes a bagel. Sometimes I just do not have the time except for a big glass of orange juice” Fred replied.

“You get your physical energy for performance from the interaction between oxygen and glucose. We should be thinking about what is called the Glycemic Index, according to Loehr. After a night’s sleep and twelve hours without eating, blood glucose levels are very low. Eating breakfast increases blood glucose and jump-starts metabolism. Foods that are high on the glycemic index, like donuts or orange juice do give you a kick, but they quickly dissipate. Foods lower on the index, such as some fruits, whole grains and proteins provide a slower release for sustained energy. Twenty years ago you never saw golfers eating snacks on the course. Now it is quite common. We are designed for four or five smaller meals a day and not just one or two. Performance suffers when energy levels fluctuate. Many snack foods give a brief kick of energy but not the sustained energy needed for performance.”

The Pro pulled a water bottle out of his bag and then continued:

“You should also drink 64 ounces of water daily. We are made of water and not coca cola, tea or coffee. And finally, it takes eight hours of sleep to be a top performer.”