​We’ll admit you’re not ordering a hot dog on the golf course for its nutrition. Golf Digest even highlighted the 15 best dog-friendly spots on courses nationwide to celebrate golf’s long-running partnership with canines. Still, a leading sports nutritionist says the protein and fat in a hot dog can support athletic performance, while the bun offers little benefit. Matt Jones, who has advised athletes from the 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics to Premier League teams and players on the DP World Tour, explains why simple carbohydrates in a hot dog bun can cause “dumped shots,” missed putts, and a late-round drop-off.
To demystify how nutrition affects performance, he points to two key neurotransmitters: serotonin and dopamine. Eating processed foods rich in simple sugars raises tryptophan levels in the bloodstream. Once tryptophan crosses the blood-brain barrier, it rapidly converts to serotonin, which has been linked to central fatigue—a brain-driven decline in signal transmission to muscles that can reduce force and performance even when the muscles aren’t fatigued. That scenario could spell trouble for a golfer finishing a crucial round.
Conversely, dopamine is linked to cognition, mood, memory, attention, and learning. After consuming a meal low in carbohydrates but high in quality protein and fat, dopamine levels rise because high-protein, high-fat foods boost tyrosine in the blood, speeding up dopamine synthesis in a similar way to how tryptophan boosts serotonin, Jones explains.
Jones does acknowledge “quality” when it comes to protein, noting that hot dogs aren’t the pinnacle of nutritious options. However, given their popularity on golf courses, if you’re hungry and don’t want nuts, a bun-less hot dog is a reasonable choice. For golfers seeking a more comprehensive plan, Jones shares a hole-by-hole nutrition strategy you can read about here for better performance and consistency.