These Celebrities Are Really Good At Golf (Or At Least, They Enjoy Playing It)
When celebrities hit the links, it's a sight to behold. When they're not doing their famous day jobs, many celebs relax with 18 holes or play for charity. Some are so good they could even go pro. Justin Timberlake and Bill Murray are two of the most respected celebrity golfers, and Tony Romo's game is so strong he's making a push to get professionally ranked! To find out about Romo and more, read on as we reveal all the reasons that some of these celebrities could have played golf for a living!
Sam Jackson Schedules Golf Into Filming
Samuel L. Jackson is the highest-grossing actor of all time. From Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to Mace Windu in Star Wars, his resume is untouchable, and so is his love of golf.
Jackson is so serious about golf that his contracts state he is allowed to play while filming. Without golf, he claims his behavior would become destructive. He says that Arnold Palmer is the most temperamental golfer that he's ever played with, and he's played with a lot of them!
Tom Brady Gave Advice To Phil Mickelson
Tom Brady is quite possibly the greatest quarterback to ever play in the history of the NFL. He is also one of the most respected celebrity golfers, and has even given advice to Phil Mickelson!
Speaking with Golf Channel, Mickelson said Brady gave him this advice, "Overload, underload. It's about how to create speed, how to retrain and reprogram your governor for speed. I’ve been doing a lot of the same stuff, and he just kind of explained how he applied it to football and throwing and arm velocity."
Dennis Quaid Has Credentials
In 2005, Golf Digest named Dennis Quaid as Hollywood's top golfer. At the time, his handicap was one. In the years since, his handicap has dropped to six. That hasn't stopped Quaid from holding a golf charity event every year, though.
Quaid also has plans to turn his love of golf into a movie. He has been open about his desire to star in a film about the sport. After watching him warm our hearts in The Rookie, we'd love to see him hit the links on the silver screen!
Adam Levine Is Golf's Celebrity Rebel
Looking at Adam Levine, you wouldn't think he would be the avid golfer that he is. His body is covered in tattoos, and his "too cool for school" attitude aren't what you usually find at the golf club.
Of course, standing out at the first hole has never stopped Maroon 5's lead singer from playing all 18. In 2012, he was even featured on an episode of The Haney Project, one of Golf Channel's flagship programs. Perhaps an entry into the PGA tour is next?
Celine Dion Owns Her Own Golf Course
Another surprising addition to this list is Celine Dion. The Canadian known for her incredible voice loves the relaxing sport. Not only is her handicap a solid 17, but she owns her own golf course, Le Mirage.
Dion also has a private course at her home in Canada. And who can forget the 2000 Kraft Nabisco tournament where she got a little crazy and jumped into a pond with Karrie Webb! That same year, Webb won her second consecutive Rolex Player of the Year title.
Bill Murray Is More Than A Golfer In The Movies
One of Bill Murray's most defining roles is that of Carl Spackler in Caddyshack, the groundskeeper at a golf course that ends up winning the Masters. In real life, Murray is an avid golfer who sports an eight handicap.
More impressively, the funnyman regularly competes in charity events, such as the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. In 2011, playing alongside D.A. Points, he won the entire competition. First prize for winning the event was $1.1 million.
Alice Cooper Wrote A Book On Golf
Shock rocker Alice Cooper is so in love with the sport of golf that he even wrote a book about it! The book, Golf Monster: My 12 Steps to Becoming a Golf Addict, details how turning to golf helped him approach sobriety in his life.
Cooper says that the relaxing sport was a major reason he was able to beat his alcoholism. Not only has he stayed sober since the mid-1980s, but he also sports an attractive handicap of seven when he's on the course.
Mark Wahlberg Says Golf Keeps Him Healthy
You can choose to believe whether this is true or not, but Mark Wahlberg claims that playing golf is the only exercise he gets to stay in shape. Obviously, he gets into a real routine before shooting a movie, but during his time off, he works to improve his seven handicap.
Speaking about his health, Wahlberg said, "If I have to do it for a movie, whether it's being in shape or out of shape, then I'll do it for the job. That's part of the gig. But other than that I just like to swing a club."
Justin Timberlake Missed His Chance To Go Pro
As a young celebrity living a cherished life, Justin Timberlake once proclaimed that he would be a professional golfer by the time he was 30. Today, that time has come and gone, and Timberlake has had to settle for becoming one of the biggest music stars in the entire world.
Timberlake's dad introduced him to golf when he was young, and for him, playing is just like performing, "The golf swing is very, very rhythmic. There's a certain tempo to it, just like in music. It just made sense to me. Music is everything to me."
Michael Jordan Is "The Airness" Of Amateur Golfing
Michael Jordan, like Tom Brady, can stake claim to being one of the greatest to ever play his sport. It turns out, basketball isn't the only athletic competition he exceeds at. On the golf course, he sports a 1.2 handicap.
Over the course of the last several decades, Jordan has joined 12 private golf clubs. He also owns over 40 golf sets and has a private putting green at his house. Would you believe us if we told you he averages 36 holes a day?
John Smoltz Is As Close To Pro As An Amateur Could Be
John Smoltz is a Hall of Fame MLB pitcher who spent most of his career with the Atlanta Braves. He is the only hurler in league history to record 200 wins and 150 saves. After he retired, he nearly became one of the only professional athletes to successfully transition to golf.
With a two handicap, Smoltz once attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open in Pebble Beach. He came close, but ended up barely on the outside looking in. The performance was praised by Tiger Woods, who said Smoltz is the best non-PGA golfer ever.
Tony Romo Gives John Smoltz A Run For His Money
Tony Romo is doing his best since retiring from the NFL to become the next John Smoltz. In 2017, the former Cowboys quarterback missed the cut for the U.S. Open by six strokes. Jason Day praised Romo, saying he had "sneaky talent."
The good news for Romo is he has his broadcasting career to fall back on. After one season with CBS announcing football games, he is already widely regarded as one of the best in the booth.
Sugar Ray Leonard Faces His Fears With Golf
Sugar Ray Leonard has made over $100 million boxing for living. You would think he wouldn't be scared of anything. Surprisingly, he says, "A downhill three-footer? That's scary," and he enjoys that golf makes him face his fears.
When he was boxing, Leonard wasn't scared of his opponents. "Marvin Hagler wasn't scary," and neither was anyone else who challenged him in the ring. To help him overcome his real fears, Leonard starred on The Haney Project just like Adam Levine did.
Kenny G Is Always Trying To Get Better
Kenny G is probably the most famous saxophonist of all time. To earn the title, he had to work tirelessly on his craft. To maintain his reputation, he still works tirelessly. And to become the best golfer he can be, he applies that same work ethic.
As he told Golf Digest, "With the sax, I learned technique well enough so that it feels like part of my body and I just express myself. That's where I want to get in golf." It doesn't hurt that he's been playing golf since high school, where he starred on his alma mater's team.
Snoop Dogg Is An 18 Hole Regular
In 2017, hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg played a round of golf at Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia. A surprising fan of golf, Snoop cites Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Tiger Woods as his favorite golfers.
Snoop also admits, "it's hard to play golf... It looks easy on TV, but it's not that easy. It's a real profession, it's a real sport, it's real coordination, it's real timing." Always working on his swing, his last known handicap was 18.
Don't Judge Charles Barkley By His Swing
If you were to watch Charles Barkley play golf, and judge him solely based on his swing, you'd think he was terrible. There's hidden beauty in that swing, though, and Chuck is a much better golfer than people give him credit for.
Unfortunately, we don't know his handicap. We do know that he takes golf seriously enough that he once broke his club taking a shot. The moment was even broadcast on television during one of his appearances for the NBA on TNT.
Michael Phelps Is A Golf Cover Boy
With so much accomplished at such a young age as a swimmer, it's no wonder Michael Phelps has found so much free time recently to become a master celebrity golfer. He's become so famous for his time on the links that he's even had his own Golf Channel show.
And did we forget to mention he made the cover of Golf Digest, too? Jordan Spieth better start watching his back on the 18th hole... Michael Phelps might be lurking right behind him waiting to sink a birdie!
Justin Bieber Can Thank Golf For His Career
Growing up in Canada, all Justin Bieber wanted to do was play golf. When he was turned away because he didn't have enough money for the course, he took his guitar to the streets.
All Bieber needed was $20 to get onto the green. Instead, he ended up with $200 and a new career path. Without golf, it's possible that Biebermania may never have been born. We wonder where his alternative career might have taken him.
Cameron Diaz Has Custom Clubs
While we can't use Cameron Diaz's exact words to describe her love of golf, we can tell you that she has custom fitted clubs. The actress, best known for he comedic chops, takes her love of the game as dramatically as possible.
Diaz first learned how to play golf on the set of There's Something About Mary, which also happens to be the movie that made America learn about her. Since then, she's reported her handicap to be around 36.
Condoleeza Rice Found Her Passion Later In Life
Condoleeza Rice lived a busy life before discovering her passion for golf. As the Secretary of State for President Bush, she simply didn't have time for leisure. Once she turned 50 and had more free time though, that all changed.
Rice started playing golf and fell in love with the game. Today, she has a reported handicap of 14 and says putting and driving are her strengths, while irons and wedges give her trouble. She was one of the first women to earn a membership to Augusta National Golf Course in 2012.
Jack Wagner Is More Than Just A Soap Star
Jack Wagner might be most famous for his role on General Hospital, but he is just as dramatic on the links. While he's been a staple on daytime television since 1985, he also has another saucy secret.
Wagner is a member of the prestigious Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles. He is often spotted there, and is known to have a +0.3 handicap. Next time you see in person, you might not want to challenge him to 18 holes.
Vince Gill Has Golfed Since He Was 10
As a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, not many people know that Vince Gill has been golfing since he was 10 years old. In fact, before becoming a country music icon, Gill considered a career in golf.
Of course, we're happy he chose the path he did. What would our lives be like without his iconic music playing from our speakers? As much as we'd like to play a round with Gill, we're just as happy seeing him in concert!
Steve Azar Has A 0.9 Handicap
When Steve Azar is not touring, he spends his time playing golf. He currently has a 0.9 handicap, and is working to improve it whenever he is on the links. Azar also spends his time golfing to raise money for charity.
Golfing for a good cause allows him to do something he is passionate about while also giving back to those in need. His golf game is so good, Golf Digest listed him as one of the top 100 musicians who play.
Mario Batali Is A Golf Channel Regular
Mario Batali may have left the public eye a few years ago, but that hasn't stopped the Iron Chef from working on his golf game. At the peak of his popularity, Batali even made appearances on the Golf Channel.
Batali's love of golf is so large, he has even suggested the best food to pair with a day on the links. One of those dishes, a small onion sandwich, has been served at the Masters!
Anne Murray Could Go Pro If She Wanted
Like Vince Gill, we don't know where we'd be without the amazing music of Anne Murray. Luckily, she never seriously considered a career in golf, she just dreamed about it.
According to Golf for Women, "She used to dream of being a pro golfer and scored an ace at Turning Stone Resort & Casino near Utica, N.Y. " With an 11 handicap, she is also ranked as the best female celebrity golfer in the world.
Angie Everhart Finds Peace On The Links
Angie Everhart started golfing at five years old and never stopped. We understand -- when you're in the public eye as much as the model and actress is, sometimes you need to be able to escape and find a more calming activity.
Currently, Everhart is noted as having a 27 handicap. Because of her notoriety on the links, she has been a featured guest several times for the Golf Network. It's "fair" to say as a model, actress, and golfer, she is a true triple threat.
Lucas Black Is Ranked Second In The World
Lucas Black became famous for his breakout role in the sports film Friday Night Lights. Since then he has become a massive star. He was featured on NCIS: New Orleans for years and is set to appear in the ninth Fast and Furious film.
As his career has ascended, so has his golf game. According to Golf Digest, Black's handicap of 2.3 makes him the second-best male celebrity golfer in the world.
Chris O'Donnell Is Batman On The Links
Starring as Robin in Batman Forever in 1995 proved to be a breakout role for Chris O'Donnell. While he might play second fiddle on the big screen, he is Batman on the links.
O'Donnell has a handicap of 5.2 and can often be found playing for charity to help give back. It helps that he has plenty of time to work on his game when NCIS: Los Angeles isn't filming.
Kevin Sorbo Is A Master Golfer
Kevin Sorbo achieved fame in the '90s playing Hercules. While his career might have died down in more recent years, the power of his golf game has only grown. He currently has a 7.2 handicap and is listed at the 13th best male celebrity golfer in the world.
Of course, if you can't find him on the links, you can always catch him on TV. Hercules is still shown regularly in syndication.
Matthew McConaughey Has Scored Four Aces
Here's one activity you'll see Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey putting on a shirt for: playing a round of golf. The Dazed and Confused star played on his golf team in high school and still enjoys the sport to this day.
With an 8.6 handicap, McConaughey claims he has scored four aces in his lifetime. "[Golf] can't be mastered, he said in an interview. "It's the toughest and most intriguing and difficult yet inspiring [game]."
Catherine Zeta-Jones Has Played In Pro Ams All Around The World
Oscar-winning actress Catherine Zeta-Jones is quite the competitor when it comes to her golf game. "It's not just my husband [Michael Douglas], it is any man I play," she said in an interview. “There has been an issue with paparazzi so I make him go into the bushes. A deal is a deal.”
The Welsh beauty, who's starred in films such as The Mask of Zorro, No Reservations, and Entrapment, plays off a 24 handicap. She's pictured here at the Mission Hills Star Trophy in China in 2010.
Carson Daly Once Competed Against Tiger Woods
Apparently, Carson Daly hasn't always had "television host" on his list of career goals. The Today Show host and former MTV veejay grew up playing golf in Southern California. He even played for Loyola Marymount University, and once competed against Tiger Woods in a junior-level tournament during the 1990s. He has a 7.8 handicap.
"I wanted to be a professional golfer until I was 18," Daly once told NBC. Here he is teeing off on the 12th hole of the 2013 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
Minka Kelly Grew Up Watching Golf
American actress and model Minka Kelly might be more well-known for her roles in Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, Charlie's Angels, Almost Human, and Titans than she is for her athleticism. But her talent extends beyond the small screen and onto the golf course.
She participated in the 2012 World Celebrity Pro-Am and was humble about her abilities on the green. "I'm learning," she told reporters. "It's not easy." She grew up watching Masters tournaments and named Ian Woosnam her favorite pro.
Colt Ford Was Listed In The Top Ten At The 2015 Pebble Beach Pro-Am
Colt Ford is known to many people for his voice, but some of his fans might not be aware that he's also a pretty good golfer. The rap/country singer even toyed with the idea of playing professional golf on the mini-tours in the '90s.
Ford qualified for a Web.com Tour event but ended up missing the weekend cut by two shots. After teaching pro at several clubs in Georgia he decided to pursue a music career.
High Grant Is Obsessed With Golf
Ranked as the 16th-best male celebrity golfer in the world, Hugh Grant is absolutely obsessed with the sport. The eclectic actor can often be seen putting on a display at Dunhill Links in Scotland.
Outside of golf, Grant has had a bit of a career resurgence in recent years. A leading man in romantic comedies in the '90s, he's now a respected character who gets to show off his range in a variety of roles.
Kurt Russell Is Ranked 21st In The World
Continuing to go down Golf Digest's rankings leads us to Kurt Russell. His 8.2 handicap is enough to rank him 21st. His love of golf, of course, is second to love of acting.
Russell has had a long career in Hollywood, and is still highly sought after as an action star. When The Fast and the Furious franchise wanted to beef up its cast, it turned to Russell, who plays a character named "Mr. Nobody."
Haley Joel Osment Sees Golf Balls
Boasting a 9.6 handicap ranks Haley Joel Osment 30th overall against his male celebrity peers. He can be spotted often working on his game to improve his ranking at Oakmont Country Club in Glendale, California.
Osment originally broke into the public eye when he "saw dead people" in The Sixth Sense. The role of Cole Sear earned him an Oscar nomination among other accolades. Today, Osment takes mostly smaller roles as comedic relief.
Bruce Greenwood Plays All The Golf He Wants
Bruce Greenwood has been acting in Hollywood a long time. Most modern audiences probably know him as Captain Christopher Pike in Star Trek (2009), while older audiences would know him from St. Elsewhere.
With so many years of acting under his belt, Greenwood can take fewer roles today and focus more on his driving game. He may be ranked 36 by Golf Digest, but he's number one in our hearts.
Ray Romano Even Looks Like A Golfer
Of all the celebrities on this list, perhaps none look like they were born to golf more than Ray Romano. The former Everbody Love Raymond star turned dramatic actor has been golfing a long time and sports a handicap of 11.6.
If Romano didn't stay as busy as he does with all his movie projects, we imagine he could easily improve that number. Just look at him, golf is clearly in his DNA!
