From the pitch to the green: Which soccer stars play golf – and who made it professionally

Why Footballers Are Hooked on Golf

Added to this is the crucial psychological factor: golf is the ideal escape from pressure. Many pros describe the sport as a welcome break from the constant stress of professional football – a few hours where they can completely switch off. And there's a very practical reason: when traveling away and at training camps, teams spend a lot of time in hotels. Kane says that players are constantly looking for something to do there – and with the boom of YouTube golf in recent years, many pros have caught the golf bug.

How Good Are They Really? A Look at Their Handicaps

Gareth Bale – “The Golfer”

No footballer is as synonymous with golf as Gareth Bale. His passion was well-known throughout his time at Real Madrid and even earned him the nickname "The Golfer" there. The flag he famously held up after Euro qualification is notorious: "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order." – a statement that caused a minor storm in Spain.

For Bale, it's long been more than just a hobby. His handicap improved from three to four in 2020 to a two at the end of 2022 – and he is now considered a scratch golfer. He even had his own three-hole golf course built in his garden, including a replica of the famous 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass.

Harry Kane – the Power Golfer

Bayern striker Harry Kane started playing seriously at 14 and was obsessed by 18. During a football-free summer with six weeks off, he brought his handicap down from 18 to 10 – "that's when the bug really bit me." Today, he plays off a 3 handicap and is a member of Beaverbrook and Queenwood, two of England's most exclusive golf clubs.

His impressive driving distances, which he revealed for his apparel partner Reflo, are particularly striking: Kane hits his driver 301 yards – a value that would place him around 90th on the PGA Tour. His iron play is also remarkable: 6-iron 204 yards, 3-iron 247 yards. These are numbers that indicate not just a good club golfer, but almost a professional.

Incidentally, an interesting detail for anyone who enjoys spending time on the simulator or at the driving range: according to Kane, his Bayern teammate Thomas Müller is downright obsessed with golf – "probably more than me!" The golf bug is clearly making its rounds in the changing rooms.

Playing with the Greats

The seriousness with which the players approach it is evident in their playing partners. Kane played two full rounds (36 holes) with Tiger Woods in the Bahamas and described the experience as "surreal." Bale, in turn, has competed against stars like Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, and Rory McIlroy in major pro-am tournaments.

From the Pitch to the Green: Who Really Made it as a Professional?

This is where it gets exciting – because playing in pro-ams is one thing, but actually making the jump to the professional ranks is quite another. And the reality is sobering: the leap from "very good amateur" to competitive tour professional is enormous.

Gareth Bale: PGA Tour Debut, but Not Professional Status

Just one month after retiring from his football career, Bale competed in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in 2023 – an official PGA Tour event. Alongside professional partner Joseph Bramlett, he played a strong round of 65 (seven under par) and finished in a tie for 18th in the amateur standings. His highlight: a spectacular recovery shot from the cart path for a par-save. Important for context: Bale plays as an amateur in these events – he hasn't become a tour professional, but enjoys his status as an exceptionally good "professional amateur."

Peter Odemwingie: The Real Switch to PGA Professional

Perhaps the most consistent case is Peter Odemwingie. The former West Brom, Stoke, and Cardiff striker, who scored over 30 Premier League goals and played in two World Cups, actually qualified as a full PGA Professional in 2024 – six years after the end of his playing career. He discovered his love for golf during his time at Stoke City and even completed a degree in "Professional Golf Studies" at university.

Odemwingie started on the Clutch Tour (formerly the PGA EuroPro Tour), the level below the Challenge Tour, as well as on other mini-tours – the real, hard path of an aspiring professional golfer.

Jimmy Bullard & Co.: Ambitious, but Failed to Meet Reality

Former Fulham and Hull City midfielder Jimmy Bullard was already a scratch golfer at the end of his injury-plagued career and actually tried to make it as a professional. Between 2014 and 2016, he made five starts on the now-defunct EuroPro Tour – but failed to make a single cut. Today, he is more well-known than ever as a golf YouTuber. Lee Westwood, formerly world number one, even believes Bullard has what it takes to be a true professional.

A telling example was provided by former West Ham defender Julian Dicks, who competed as a professional golfer in Spain after his career – and honestly summed it up: he played scratch and shot one or two under par, but the young competitors with plus handicaps swept through the course with six or seven under par. His sober conclusion: he simply wasn't good enough.

Conclusion: A Passion That Connects

Football and golf fit together better than one might initially think: the same competitive spirit, the same obsession with precision – and for the players, the perfect balance to the pressure of professional life. While actual career changes to the top of professional golf are extremely rare and difficult (Odemwingie is the commendable exception here), one thing is clear: anyone who belongs to the world elite in football often also brings exceptional talent to the green.

And the good news for anyone inspired by Bale, Kane & Co.: you no longer need your own course in the garden or six weeks of summer break to get better. With a modern golf simulator, you can train all year round – measure driving distances, refine your swing, and build the famous consistency that Harry Kane raves about.