Sports Stars Hooked on Golf: "It Could Be This Fun~"

Veil Golf Range Opens, Controversy Over Seth Fedez's Round During Injury, Smoltz and Romo Recognized as 'Undisputed Masters'

Gareth Bale is a well-known golf enthusiast in the football world who practices his swing even during training sessions with the Wales national football team.

[Asia Economy Reporter Noo Rae] Golf is addictive.

Once you find it fun, it’s hard to get out easily. Stepping on the green grass and making a powerful shot is the unique charm of golf. Sometimes, when you make a shot similar to that of a professional player, your shoulders puff up with pride. When a long putt is sucked into the hole cup, it’s thrilling. Athletes from other sports dominating the world are no exception. They boast skills that rival professional golfers based on their unique athletic abilities. This is the story of sports stars addicted to golf.

Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), the 'superstar' of Spain’s professional soccer La Liga, is a representative example. These days, he is more in the spotlight for golf than his main job, soccer. His personal best is 67 strokes. He built three holes modeled after famous golf courses in his backyard. Recently, he opened a golf practice facility in his hometown, Cardiff City, Wales. He opened a restaurant alongside a mini golf course with a par 59 scale. He carried out this large-scale project in partnership with local businesses.

"My love for golf is no longer a secret," Bale said, explaining "the reason for planning this business" was "to create a place where people can enjoy themselves." On the 23rd, Bale posted a fun video on his Instagram. Amid the 'Stay at Home Challenge' where soccer stars practiced juggling with toilet paper rolls at home due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), he chose golf instead of soccer.

He placed a toilet paper roll leaning diagonally in front of his golf bag and attempted a chip shot with a golf club, accurately placing the golf ball inside the toilet paper core. He tagged Tiger Woods (USA), Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Sergio Garcia (Spain), and others, asking them to join the challenge. Yoenis Cespedes (New York Mets), a powerful hitter in Major League Baseball (MLB), is also a 'golf fanatic' not inferior to Bale. His love for golf has even caused some controversy.

Yoenis Cespedes is participating in a 2016 golf clinic event, swinging with young prospects. Photo by Yoenis Cespedes Twitter

After defecting from Cuba in 2011, he started golf and despite never having taken a lesson, he usually scores in the mid-70s. Even on days when there is a Major League game in the evening, he goes out to the course early in the morning. In the 2015 postseason Championship Series, he was replaced due to shoulder pain, but it was revealed that he played golf that day as well, putting him in trouble. Cespedes said, "Playing golf before baseball is my routine," and "Golf has nothing to do with injuries."

Some players with outstanding skills even participate in professional tournaments. MLB legend John Smoltz and former Dallas NFL quarterback Tony Romo (both USA) are examples. After retiring, Smoltz consistently appeared on the field, including participating in the PGA Web.com (2nd tier) Tour in 2011. Although he was unfortunately 'cut off' at the 2018 US Senior Open Championship, he qualified for the main stage on his own and made the 'professional golfers' nervous.

Romo’s official handicap is 3.3, which is at the PGA Tour player level. He has also participated in the US Open qualifiers. He expressed his affection by saying, "My top interests are football and family, and next is golf." Former home run king Mark McGwire, NBA 'superstar' Stephen Curry, 'basketball king' Michael Jordan, 'swimming king' Michael Phelps, NFL’s greatest wide receiver Jerry Rice (all USA), and tennis world No. 2 Rafael Nadal (Spain) are also 'golf maniacs.'

John Smoltz is a golf enthusiast with player-level skills.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.