Gareth Bale, the Welsh football legend, has a golf handicap of zero, making him a scratch golfer and better than US President Donald Trump, who reportedly plays off 2.8.
Trump recently won the Senior and Super Senior Men's Club Championship at his Bedminster golf course in New Jersey. The 80-year-old said he posted a two-under 70 to win in both categories, reportedly his 43rd club championship across his own courses.
Bale's golfing credentials
Bale, who retired from football in 2023, competed at the Reignwood Icons of Football golf tournament in Thailand in January, where his handicap was listed as zero. The former Real Madrid star, who earned 111 caps for Wales, spoke about his love for golf in an interview with Sky Sports in May 2024.
"Obviously, golf is one of the most frustrating sports mentally but for me, because there's so much pressure in football and people are constantly on top of you there's scrutiny and media and stuff," he said. "I always used it as: You have four and a half hours, whether you're with friends or on your own, just to get away from life and all the pressures of football and just have this battle with the golf course and golf ball."
He added: "It [love of golf] actually started quite late for me to be honest. We were at Tottenham at the time and there was quite a few of the boys playing golf. It's kind of a tradition in British football - a lot of the boys play."
Celebrity golfers compared
Bale's handicap puts him ahead of other celebrity golfers, including England striker Harry Kane, who plays off two, Spider-Man actor Tom Holland (three), and singer Justin Timberlake (four).
Trump's golf controversies
Trump's passion for golf has been a feature of his presidencies but has not been without controversy. In January 2023, he declared himself the winner of a senior golf championship at his course in West Palm Beach, Florida, despite missing half the tournament to attend a funeral 600 miles away.
Former pro Gary Player once hinted that Trump's handicap "may be a bit generous", and ex-Sports Illustrated writer Michael Bamberger noted the president's score didn't quite match his skills. American sports writer Rick Reilly's book, Commander in Cheat, also suggests Trump has been known to bend the rules.
After his latest victory, Trump took to Truth Social on Sunday to taunt his rivals. He wrote: "The Winning Shot in the Bedminster Club Championship! Thank you very much to all of those who participated. I won with a score of 70, and am so honored in that, unlike the rest of the field, I'm given very little time to practice, because I'm focused on many other things. It's called TALENT, and I have it, and they don't!"
