The weather may be hot and muggy, and it is tough to go out and practice your golf. Obviously, practicing early in the day or later in the evening will help you avoid the hottest times of the day.  But you can practice in the heat if you follow these proper guidelines:

– Wear loose-fitting clothing that will allow air to circulate but protect you from the sun.

– Avoid direct exposure to the sun. Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

– Do NOT take salt tablets. Salt tablets make dehydration worse because they drain the water from your body,

– Drink cool water rather than cold water because the body absorbs cool water faster.

– Do not drink juices or sodas during golf, because these drinks contain more than 10 percent carbohydrates (sugar) and are not absorbed well during play.

– It is ok to drink sports drinks because they usually contain less than 8 percent carbohydrates, but these can lead to too many calories if you drink too much of them.

– Stay away from coffee, even ice coffee, because the caffeine acts as a diuretic. Stay away from alcohol, even beer (sorry!). Alcohol dehydrates you. You’re asking for trouble. In the heat, nothing is better for you than sports drinks in moderation and pure, clean cool water.