Andriy Shevchenko & Footballers on Fairways

As if it weren’t enough for Andriy Shevchenko to be one of the most talented footballers of the modern era, a player who was once named European Footballer of the Year; it seems he is a dab hand with the old hickory in his hands as well!

Shevchenko, who owns a home in the exclusive Wentworth Estate and is a member of Wentworth Golf Club, will make his debut on the Challenge Tour this week, at the Kharkov Superior Cup, which takes place in his native Ukraine.

Although Shevchenko plays to a tidy handicap of 2 at Wentworth, it was by special invitation that he gained his place in the field in Ukraine this week. The ex-AC Milan and Chelsea striker was invited to the event by the President of the Superior Golf & Spa Resort and will face off against the likes of former Ryder Cup star Oliver Wilson and three-time Tour winner Nick Dougherty.

[youtube width=”600″ height=”338″ video_id=”VS_H-DoBgDo”]

Of course, Shevchenko hitting the fairways with the golfing elite this week isn’t the only link football has had to golf over the years.  We all know footballers like to play during their time away from the training ground so we wondered who else in the professional football world was handy with a mashie niblick in their hands. Here’s our list of footballers who play golf…

The Match of the Day presenters…

Apparently securing a job in Match of the Day isn’t just about being a well known retired footballer. With three of the current presenters playing of single figures, golfing ability seems to come into the picture as well.

Alan Hansen

In 1972, Hansen was first reserve for the Scottish Boys team and has been as low as 1.7 which, let’s face it, it a lot better than most golfers will ever be!

A regular at Hillside – the course with “the best back nine in Britain” according to Greg Norman – and a familiar face at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championships, Hansen now plays off three and says his favourite golf holiday destination is Pebble Beach.

Gary Lineker

A member of Sunningdale with a handicap of 5, Mr Walkers Crisps is a classy golfer. Lineker has confessed to having a solid short game – reminiscent of his football career…always good from 2 yards out – and little to no natural ability that is combated by lots of lessons.

With rounds at Augusta National, Pinehurst and Cypress Point under his belt, Lineker might not have the best handicap among the footballers, but his golf bucketlist seems to have plenty of ticks on it!

Alan Shearer

Like Messrs Hansen and Lineker, Alan Shearer also boasts an impressive handicap. Playing off 6, it appears the Geordie hero is almost as lethal with a 7 iron in his hand as he was in front of goal.

Jimmy Bullard

With a reported handicap of either scratch or +1 – he can’t remember which – at the exclusive Wisley Golf Club in Surrey, Jimmy Bullard is clearly a handy golfer. In fact, Bullard has even tried to launch a career on the fairways – similarly former world number one tennis player Yevgeny Kafelnikov has done so as well – by attempting to qualify for the PGA EuroPro Tour.

Currently with £0 in winnings to his name, it seems as good a golfer as Jimmy might be, he might just fall short when it comes to mixing it with the big boys on tour!

Jamie Redknapp

Since retiring early at the age of 31 Redknapp says golf has filled a big void in his life and the League Of Their Own star must spend plenty of time on the course as he plays off a tidy 7 handicap.

Redknapp is also a regular at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and says making the cut with Luke Donald and playing at St Andrews on the final day of the tournament with Rory McIlroy, his father and Donald was one of the best sporting days of his life.

Carlos Tevez

During a self-imposed exile from Manchester City, Carlos Tevez played plenty of golf and while he can’t boast to have a handicap like that of Messrs Hansen, Lineker and Shevchenko, he did caddy for Andres Romero at the 2012 Open Championship!

We wonder if he collected his 10% caddie’s fee from Romero!?

Craig Bellamy

Ok so Craig Bellamy might not be an avid golfer but while at a Liverpool FC training camp in Portugal, the fiery Welshman reportedly hit Jon Arne Riise with a golf club. Whether he did or not is unknown but after scoring against Barcelona he just couldn’t resist swinging an imaginary golf club in celebration…looked like he had an OK swing as well!

Mark Bright

Former Sheffield Wednesday and Crystal Palace star striker Mark Bright is quite the handy player on the fairways.