The secret to making the perfect hot dog? These 4 creative topping combos, courtesy of a golf-club chef

Welcome to Clubhouse Eats, where we celebrate the game’s most delectable food and drink. Hope you brought your appetites.

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Old habits can be hard to break.

This applies to golfers. Gourmands, too.

No wonder you can’t seem to shake that stubborn slice. Or stray from your routine of topping your hot dog at the turn with the same old ketchup-and-mustard combo.

Good news is, culinary cures are quicker than swing fixes.

All it takes is an open mind, and input from the likes of Garret Martindale. He’s the executive chef at Sequoyah Country Club, in Oakland, Calif., and he’s got a knack for putting nifty spins on classic dishes. Here are four of his favorite non-traditional ways to dress a dog.

(Note: in each of these suggestions, Martindale says that the measurements are a matter of taste, so feel free to experiment. “Just be sure not to lose the main star: the all-beef hot dog,” he says.)

The Aloha Dog

Gather up a handful of island staples, and you’ve got yourself a wiener with a tropical twist.

Grilled pineapple
Crispy onions
Fried spam
Daikon sprouts (or radish slices, as a substitute; what you’re looking for is some crunchy texture)

The Bahn Mi Dog

If you’ve never had the pleasure of a bahn mi sandwich, this is your chance to transport its Southeast Asian flavors from the usual baguette onto a hot dog bun.

Pork pate
Pickled carrots
Jalapeños
Cilantro
Roasted peanuts

Mexican Street Corn Hot Dog

Known in Spanish as elote, grilled corn on the cob can be found on street corners all around Mexico. This is Martindale’s South-of-the-Border homage.

Grilled corn kernels, removed from cob
Queso fresco
Mexican crema (as a substitute, use sour cream)
Tajin (a chili, lime and salt seasoning mix)
Canned green chilis
Chunky tomatillo salsa

The All-American Hot Dog

If a runaway hot dog cart crashed into a Fourth-of-July picnic, you might get something like this.

Fritos chips, crumbled
Cole Slaw
Ranch dressing
Relish

Golf.com

A golf, food and travel writer, Josh Sens has been a GOLF Magazine contributor since 2004 and now contributes across all of GOLF’s platforms. His work has been anthologized in The Best American Sportswriting. He is also the co-author, with Sammy Hagar, of Are We Having Any Fun Yet: the Cooking and Partying Handbook.