Top Athletes Who Enjoy a Round of Golf

CREDIT: All-Pro Reels, Patrick Mahomes (51608431671), CC BY-SA 2.0

There is nothing better than a relaxing round of golf on a warm day.

Strolling around one of the beautiful golf courses in the United States, or even traveling the world looking for 18-holes, golf is a great social pastime. Sure, it gets competitive at the top end, with tournaments taking place with millions of dollars at stake, but it is also something the average Joe can enjoy with a few friends.

There’s rarely such a thing as a friendly round of golf, in as much as there’s always a bit of competition. Whether you’re trying to beat your buddy from the accounts department or watching Jon Rahm attempt to defend his 2021 US Open title at The Country Club, golf is a great leveler. Unless you happen to be playing a round with Rahm, in that instance, it might not feel so great!

You might not get to play a round with a top professional, but some amateurs do. Those amateurs are other sports stars who enjoy golf, either playing in celebrity tournaments or getting a few pointers from their professional friends. In fact, golf is popular across many other sports, with some huge names liking nothing more than getting out for 18 holes.

Here, we present some huge US sports personalities who like to step out on the fairway.

Michael Jordan

CREDIT: Gapvenezia, Cazzaro Jordan, CC BY-SA 3.0

Michael Jordan wasn’t just any old basketball player; he was one of the most famous in the world. His name is still synonymous with the court, many years after he shot his last hoop. He lends his name to signature sneakers which have become popular worldwide, and he also likes a round of golf.

Jordan is something of a dab hand with a putter. Essentially Sports reveals he has a handicap of 1.3, better than many celeb golfers. He’s been playing for almost 30 years and has shared a course with Tiger Woods on the charity circuit.

Patrick Mahomes

CREDIT: All-Pro Reels, Patrick Mahomes (51608431671), CC BY-SA 2.0

Patrick Mahomes is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL today, a four-time Pro Bowl star with a Super Bowl MVP to his name. His team, Kansas City Chiefs, are among the favorites with Ladbrokes for Super Bowl LVII, and at just 26-years-old, Mahomes still has a significant portion of his career ahead of him. If they don't add to that tally this season, another is sure to come at some point.

He escapes the pressure of football by gathering his clubs for a round of golf. He’s played in the American Century Championship since 2020 and appeared in the 2022 edition of The Match alongside Josh Allen.

Justin Verlander

CREDIT:  SD Dirk on Flickr, Justin Verlander 2008, CC BY 2.0

Verlander is an eight-time All-Star and 2017 World Series champion. The 39-year-old spent much of his career with Detroit Tigers but moved to Houston Astros in 2017. As recently as June 7, he became the career active strikeout leader after striking out 12 hitters over seven innings pitched in a victory over the Mariners.

He also likes to strike a golf ball, although he’s not quite as confident. He said in an interview he was happy pitching in front of 10,000 but felt butterflies hitting a drive in front of five people. Despite those nerves, he’s been playing golf since he was a youth, and he has a handicap of four.