Gareth Bale's golf adventures - Rory McIlroy friendship, scratch handicap, dog incident
Gareth Bale has enjoyed a fruitful 22 months in another sport following his retirement from professional football in January 2023
Gareth Bale, who retired from professional football in January 2023, has since thrived in the world of golf over the last two years. As his football career wound down, Bale's enthusiasm for golf grew, leading him to regularly participate in Pro-Am events and cultivate friendships with golf professionals such as Rory McIlroy.
Despite opting to continue playing sports rather than stepping into coaching or punditry, Bale is set to make an appearance on TNT Sports during the Champions League game between Liverpool and Real Madrid. Given his memorable performance in the 2018 final between the two teams, where he scored twice including a magnificent overhead kick, this match will be particularly special for him.
While he'll be focused on football come Wednesday night, it's expected he'll soon switch back to golf. The ECHO has taken a look at some of Gareth Bale's most significant and amusing moments in golf thus far, especially highlighting his friendship with McIlroy.
Rory McIlroy friendship
The duo partnered together at the BMW PGA Championship in September, exemplifying their camaraderie. Recalling his experience at the event, Bale said to football.london: "It was a scramble format, so I didn't have a real score. I was taking shots after Rory's drives so my shots were always from the middle of the fairway. Talk about pressure."
Rory McIlroy has been open about his thoughts on footballers who take to golf. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast earlier in the year, he remarked: "I've played with Teddy Sheringham – good player. Gareth Bale – he has the potential to get to scratch [a handicap of zero]."
"The way he hits the ball he could be a scratch player, but he's only played for the last few years. There is a difference between being able to hit the golf ball well and getting yourself around the golf course and managing your game – that's the part he's [Bale] is learning now."
Scratch handicap
A scratch handicap indicates a golfer capable of playing at or below par on any course. McIlroy's observation on Bale's potential from nearly a year ago seems increasingly accurate. At September's Pro-Am, Bale had a 0.5 handicap, but rumours suggest he might now be at scratch, indicating expert level play.
Dog incident
Despite his seriousness towards reaching a scratch handicap status, Bale's golf experiences aren't without humorous incidents, such as a playful dog interrupting his perfect chip shot at a celebrity Pro-Am event in Scotland by taking off with the ball.
While efforts were made to resume the action, Bale observed with a grin on his face. The situation was eventually resolved and, in accordance with golf rules, Bale was permitted to return his ball to its original position before the dog's interruption.