Your Energy Drink Caddie

Summer is in full swing and what better way to enjoy it then by hitting the links. Whether you are an early morning, or an evening league player, golf can be a frustrating sport where you need all the advantages you can get. Having the right energy drink to enhance and energize your game is a step in the right direction.

After two hours of walking, having the energy to power through the back nine is a must. You are not going to get that from water, beer or your regular energy sodas as they contain a plethora of sugar and an overload of caffeine which is going to make for a jittery back nine, topped off with a "sugar crash" taking effect around the 13th whole. Trust me, jittery hands and a sugar crash is not going to improve your golf game. However, you still need that energy and focus to keep you going. So what should you be looking for in an energy drink to caddie you through the rest of your round?

• Keep it Sugar Free - The majority of energy drinks in today's market are loaded with sugar. An excess of sugar will lead to a quick burst of energy and an even quicker crash.

• Fast Acting and Long Lasting - When rounding the turn, you want the energy now, not 9 holes from now and you want that energy to last the rest of your round.

• Caffeine - Not too much as the more caffeine you take in the jitterier you putting can be.

• Size Matters - When it comes to drivers bigger is usually better, not the case with energy drinks. How often do you want to make a pit stop, can you hold it until the hole with the restroom? Look for an small energy drink to cut down on restroom breaks.

• Calories - Why worry about calories? Just generally a good idea. Why consume a drink with over 200 calories? Less calories, less gut you have to suck in when the cute beverage cart girl drives by.

• Refrigeration - You don't have it on the course so look for a drink that tastes just as good warm as it does cold.

Whether you are looking for extra energy to make that early morning tee time, after work league, or just make the turn the proper energy beverage is one advantage that you can add to your bag without a penalty stroke.