30 Male and Female Celebrities Who Love to Golf — With Real Handicaps

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood, sport, and music are celebrities who love to golf — and a few of them are genuinely better than your average club member. Michael Jordan plays off a 1.9 handicap. Steph Curry is down to 1.3. Tony Romo actually played a PGA Tour event. And Alice Cooper? A two handicap. In this guide you’ll get the full list of male and female celebrities who love golf, their real handicap numbers, the tournaments you can watch them play, and a few stories that will make you see these stars very differently.

Top Celebrity Golfer Handicaps at a Glance

Male Celebrities Who Love to Golf — And How Good They Really Are

1. Tony Romo — The Best Celebrity Golfer on the Planet

If you’ve only seen Tony Romo calling NFL games on CBS, you’re missing the real story. Tiger Woods once named Romo one of the two best celebrity golfers he’d ever played with. Romo carries a +1.6 handicap — meaning he averages 1.6 under par per round. He has won the American Century Championship celebrity tournament multiple times and entered PGA Tour Q-School pre-qualifying in 2024, aiming to earn a tour card. He’s not a hobbyist. He’s a serious golfer who happens to also be famous.

2. Michael Jordan — Competing Every Single Day

Michael Jordan’s competitiveness didn’t stop when he retired from basketball. Jordan plays golf almost daily and holds a handicap of 1.9. He owns his own private course, Grove XXIII in Florida, and even won his club’s members tournament in 2021 alongside Keegan Bradley. Friends who’ve played with him say the trash talk never stops, even on tap-in putts.

3. Steph Curry — From NBA Courts to Golf Courses

Steph Curry treats golf with the same dedication he brings to basketball. Curry carries a near-scratch 1.3 handicap and claimed the 2023 American Century Championship. He’s also used his platform to push for more diversity in golf, launching a foundation aimed at making the sport more accessible. If you watch him on the course, you’ll understand why — his short game is almost as ridiculous as his three-point range.

4. Alice Cooper — Rock’s Greatest Golfer

Alice Cooper may shock audiences with theatrical stage shows, but on the golf course he’s all business. Cooper has worked his handicap down to two over time, making him one of the most skilled golfers in celebrity circles. He has spoken publicly about how golf helped him through his recovery from alcohol addiction, and wrote an entire book about it called Golf Monster. He competes in celebrity pro-ams regularly — and unlike some famous names, he’s actually a threat to post a good score.

5. Justin Timberlake — Singer, Host, Golfer

Justin Timberlake is a passionate golfer with a single-digit handicap who has played in multiple Pro-Am tournaments, including the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He once owned a golf course in Memphis, Tennessee, and has actively supported golf-related charities to make the sport more accessible to younger generations. He also hosts the Shriners Children’s Open in Las Vegas through the PGA Tour, where he helps raise money for children’s hospitals.

6. Samuel L. Jackson — Golf Is Written Into His Contracts

Samuel L. Jackson isn’t just a casual player. In 2013 he revealed he has a clause in his contracts stating filmmakers must allow him to play golf at least twice a week. He carries a handicap of 6.9 and participates regularly in charity events and pro-ams. When things go wrong on the course, his reactions are about what you’d expect from the man who delivered some of cinema’s most memorable lines.

7. Mark Wahlberg — Plays Before the Camera Even Rolls

Mark Wahlberg is one of the most committed celebrity golfers in Hollywood. He plays regularly in celebrity tournaments such as the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and carries a handicap of around 8. He’s known to fit in a round before early morning film calls — which, given his 4am wake-up schedule, is genuinely impressive. His dedication to the sport was even written into Entourage, the TV series loosely based on his life.

8. Tom Brady — Seven Rings, Eight Handicap

Tom Brady won seven Super Bowls and is arguably the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He’s also an avid golfer with an 8 handicap who plays regularly and participates in televised golf challenges, including the 2024 Pebble Beach Pro-Am where he was paired with Keegan Bradley. The Match events have become a regular slot on the TV calendar, and Brady is always competitive.

9. Bill Murray — The Most Entertaining Man on Any Course

Bill Murray isn’t just playing a character on the golf course — he genuinely loves the game. He hosts the annual Murray Bros. Caddyshack Charity Golf Tournament in Florida, raising money for good causes while entertaining everyone around him. Friends say he wears mismatched socks, tells jokes between shots, and makes every round feel like a highlight reel. His handicap isn’t scratch, but his company is worth every shot.

10. Larry David — Golf’s Most Anxious Player

Larry David carries a handicap of around 20, but golf has become such a central part of his life that multiple episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm are built entirely around the game — from stealing a 5-wood back from a coffin to arguing about missed forecasts that left his course empty. He may not be threatening par, but he’s more invested in the sport than most people you’ll meet at your local club.

11. Andy Murray — From Wimbledon to the Fairway

Sir Andy Murray achieved a 2 handicap despite playing regular golf for barely a year following his tennis retirement — a reflection of the hand-eye coordination, mental toughness, and work ethic that made him a three-time Grand Slam champion. He competed at the 2025 BMW PGA Pro-Am at Wentworth, playing alongside some of Europe’s best tour players.

12. Gareth Bale — The Scratch Golfer Who Once Played Football

Gareth Bale was one of the best footballers on the planet for over a decade, but anyone who followed his career closely knows golf was always the other love of his life. Bale competes as a scratch golfer at events like the BMW PGA Pro-Am at Wentworth. He has played the Sunningdale Foursomes, driven through the green at a 330-yard par-4, and is widely considered the most naturally talented footballer-turned-golfer the sport has seen.

Female Celebrities Who Love Golf — You’ll Be Surprised

Golf is no longer — and frankly never was — just a men’s game. These women are proof that some of the sharpest golfers in celebrity circles happen to also be actresses, musicians, and former secretaries of state.

13. Catherine Zeta-Jones — Golf’s Power Couple, But She Wears the Trousers

Catherine Zeta-Jones considers playing in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship for the first time in 2023 “a dream come true.” She plays regularly alongside husband Michael Douglas and has made no secret of the fact that she’s the better golfer of the two. The running joke — confirmed by both of them in interviews — is that Douglas has to drop his trousers every time he ducks a shot and can’t get past the ladies’ tees. She’s competed in multiple celebrity golf events and is one of the most prominent female faces in the celebrity golf world.

14. Condoleezza Rice — Augusta Member and Lifelong Golfer

Condoleezza Rice, who served as US Secretary of State under President George W. Bush, took up golf in early adulthood and continued playing throughout her career. She served on the board of the United States Golf Association and was one of the first two women to become members of Augusta National Golf Club. For context, Augusta membership is arguably the most exclusive in all of golf. This is not a casual player — this is someone who changed the history of the game.

15. Kathryn Newton — The Actress Who Out-Scores the Pros

Actress Kathryn Newton is, by the assessment of most who’ve played alongside her, the best female celebrity golfer going right now. She is a regular at The Open and the Evian Championship, where she mixes with the players and sometimes out-scores them in pro-ams. She’s been golfing since childhood and is genuinely competitive at a level that embarrasses a lot of the male celebrities on this list.

16. Jessica Alba — Pro-Am Regular and Business Owner

Jessica Alba has been playing golf for years and takes the sport seriously. She has played in various celebrity tournaments around the world, including the Mission Hills World Celebrity Pro-Am in China, where she was paired with John Daly. Given that she also built a billion-dollar company in The Honest Company, her ability to compete in a pro-am while running a business empire is exactly the kind of thing that makes you rethink your excuses for not practising your short game.

17. Nicole Kidman — The Hollywood Star Who Plays for Real

The celebrity golf scene now includes serious competitors like Nicole Kidman, who showcases legitimate golf skills at high-profile events. She played in the Mission Hills World Celebrity Pro-Am in China and has spoken about her love of the game in interviews. She’s not there for the photos — she’s there to play.

Top Celebrity Golf Tournaments You Can Actually Watch in 2025 and 2026

One of the best things about celebrity golf is that fans can watch — and sometimes even attend — the same events. Here are the biggest ones on the calendar.

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Held every February at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, this is the most iconic celebrity golf event in the world. The 2026 edition featured 80 celebrities, star athletes, and business executives competing alongside PGA Tour professionals including Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. It’s one of the few places where you can watch a Hollywood actor and the world’s best golfer tee off in the same group.

American Century Championship — Lake Tahoe Held every summer at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Nevada, this is where the competitive celebrity golfers go to win. Tony Romo has won it multiple times. Steph Curry claimed the title in 2023. It’s a genuine competition with a genuine champion — not just a fun day out.

BMW PGA Pro-Am — Wentworth The 2025 BMW PGA Pro-Am at Wentworth featured sporting legends Andy Murray (handicap 2), Gareth Bale (scratch), and Lando Norris (handicap 8), playing alongside defending champion Billy Horschel. It’s one of the most competitive celebrity pro-ams in European golf.

The 2025 Ryder Cup Celebrity Match — Bethpage Black A celebrity golf match took place at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, featuring Brooklyn Beckham, Catherine Zeta-Jones, John McEnroe, and Harry Potter actors Tom Felton and Oliver Phelps competing in a Two-Person Scramble format. It was one of the highlights of Ryder Cup week and showed just how far celebrity golf has come as a spectator event.

Frequently Asked Questions About Celebrity Golfers

Which Celebrity Golfer Inspires You Most?

From Michael Jordan grinding out rounds on his private course in Florida to Condoleezza Rice becoming one of the first women through Augusta’s doors, the celebrities who love to golf share one thing — they treat the game seriously. They practice, they compete, and they use golf the same way you do: as an escape, a challenge, and one of the best things in life.

If you want to bring your own game closer to the standard these stars have reached, Madknows has everything you need. Check out our guide to lowering your handicap, read up on the best golf courses in the US, or head to our beginner’s guide to golf if you’re just getting started. Whatever your level, the fairway is waiting.