Playing Golf with Type 1 Diabetes

As some of you know I am a Type 1 Diabetic. I became Type 1 in 2006. It was alarming at first and many adjustments had to be made. But, I decided very early that I would not live with diabetes, rather diabetes would live with me.

What I mean is, I didn’t want to stop being who I was in order to live a healthy life. I wanted to live my life as close to how I wanted and manage diabetes in a way that would allow me to stay healthy and continue to do the things I love.

At first, the hardest thing for me to accept was that I had a disease.

I thought my body betrayed me. I always did the right things to stay healthy. I ate right, exercised and didn’t even drink much. Heck if you looked at me I looked like an athlete until I was in my mid 30s.

How did this happen to me?

Anyone with Type 1 diabetes knows this is not easy. Everything you do, everything you eat and even the time of day is effects your endocrine system. How in the world was I going to stay active and manage balancing my blood sugars before, during and after every activity that I wanted to do? 

At first it wasn’t that hard. My pancreas was still working just a little and it helped with the management of my blood glucose. This is typically called the honeymoon period. I am glad it exists because it gave me the time I needed to understand my body, food, exercise and balancing them all at the same time in order to stay within safe limits. And most importantly, for me to thrive.

The hardest thing for me to get right was golf. I thought it would be the easiest because it is not a particularly taxing sport.

Boy was I wrong!

At first I would start to run out of energy before the round was over. My blood sugar would start to drop and I would do my best to keep it from falling too low too fast. I started to check my blood glucose after every hole. This gave me a map to see what was happening as I played. I learned when to turn my insulin off and when to eat something to keep my blood glucose from dropping. After a short while I understood how to manage a full round and could make it until the end. 

The next step was to figure out how to play a round of golf while walking. That was even harder. Golf is a long slow draw on the body’s energy needs. Just managing my blood glucose during the round wasn’t enough. It took a little finesse, time and awareness. I got it. Or at least I understood what was happening. It was evolving. As I got into better shape, the other parameters also changed.

But as with all things, if you keep trying eventually you will succeed.

Then came the after golf management. Being done playing golf doesn’t mean the management was over as well. As a matter of fact….it continues for hours.

Factors such as:

• am I going to eat right after I play
• or am I going to go home and rest
• or am I going to do both

These are all factors that need to be considered.

But, as with anything there are days that no matter what I think I know, I am reminded that I am at the mercy of Type 1 diabetes. It comes down to being flexible.

Just like golf – No two rounds are the same.

Even if I play the same course at the same time, eat the same food and get the same rest….Type 1 diabetes is ever present making it different.  After almost two decades of playing golf with diabetes, I can handle a round fairly easy. This makes Type 1 diabetes more of an inconvenience than a disease….Allowing me to enjoy the game that I love.

Fairways and Greens – We are 18 Holes and Counting

Written by: Marc Festa