4 NFL Players Who Love Golf Like We Do

September 4, 2014

It seems like it was just yesterday. With a convincing 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos, the Seattle Seahawks captured their first Super Bowl championship earlier this year. But over six months have passed already and another National Football League season is about to begin.

To celebrate another fantastic summer of golf, as well as the beginning of one of America’s favorite pastimes (football season, of course), we focus on four current NFL stars who are also avid golfers and four GolfNow courses you can play located near the NFL stars’ home stadiums.

 

Tony Romo, Quarterback, Dallas Cowboys

Whether he was dating actress and singer Jessica Simpson, or leading his beloved Dallas Cowboys to come-from-behind victories, Tony Romo has received his fair share of publicity since joining the professional football ranks in 2003. But ask any PGA TOUR member what he knows most about Romo and he’ll likely mention his golf game.

A regular participant of the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Romo is quite serious about golf, consistently maintaining a single-digit handicap. He also participated in Golf Digest’s U.S. Open Challenge in 2008, shooting an impressive 84 from the championship tees at Torrey Pines, just days before the infamous Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate playoff.

Cowboys Golf Club (Grapevine, Texas) – Renowned as the first NFL-themed golf course in the world, Cowboys Golf Club is located within minutes of the Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium. Measuring 7,017 yards from the back tees and featuring a course rating of 74.7 and a slope of 138, the par-72 course was designed to provide a challenge to golfers of all skill levels.

 

Wes Welker, Wide Receiver and Return Specialist, Denver Broncos

When you meet with world-class instructor Jim McLean (famous for teaching PGA TOUR professionals like Keegan Bradley) to receive advice, you must be serious about the game. A five-time Pro Bowler known for making NFL history as the first wide receiver to tally at least 100 receptions in five separate seasons, Wes Welker has been defying the odds since 2004, when he first joined the San Diego Chargers as an undrafted rookie.

If his football career provides any proof – two First-team All-Pro selections and three seasons as a receiving yards leader, despite his initial undrafted status – his tenacity should help him improve upon his handicap over time, which tends to range in the mid-teens.

Eagle Ranch Golf Course (Eagle, Colo.) – Overlooking the Rocky Mountains, Eagle Ranch is an Arnold Palmer Signature course featuring five sets of tees, ranging in length from 5,400 to 7,500 yards, with every type of golfer in mind. A certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, Eagle Ranch is also committed to preserving its natural surroundings, so that future generations of golfers can relish its scenic views.

 

Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback, Green Bay Packers

After being in the midst of Brett Favre’s shadow early in his career, Aaron Rodgers has since won the hearts of Packers fans around the world by capturing Super Bowl XLV and enjoying a successful and consistent career. Away from the football field, the NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP has been consistent on the golf course as well, regularly retaining a single-digit handicap.

The only NFL quarterback to have ever recorded a career passer rating above 100, Rodgers’ marketability has improved considerably since his MVP season. As a result, he has begun to participate in annually televised celebrity golf tournaments, such as the American Century Championship.

Oneida Legends, Thornberry Creek at Oneida (Oneida, Wisc.) – Located on the outskirts of Green Bay, Oneida Legends is the official golf course of the Green Bay Packers – and for good reason. With four sets of tees, measuring upwards of 6,934 yards, as well as 72 bunkers and 11 water hazards, the course it not only challenging, but picturesque as well, providing guests fantastic views of Wisconsin’s hardwoods.

 

Drew Brees, Quarterback, New Orleans Saints

Another Pro Bowl quarterback who happens to also love the game of golf, Drew Brees has been recognized with a variety of accolades in the past, including being named as the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year in 2004 and as Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2011. However, his greatest achievement remains his memorable Super Bowl victory with the New Orleans Saints in 2010. Who dat?!

Aside from his achievements on the football field, Brees has been successful on the golf course as well, consistently recording a handicap in the low single digits. Like Romo, he too participated in Golf Digest’s U.S. Open Challenge, playing at Pebble Beach a few months after he won Super Bowl XLIV.

Lakewood Golf Club (New Orleans, La.) – A former host of the PGA Tour’s New Orleans Open, Lakewood has welcomed some of the best golfers of all time, from Jack Nicklaus to Lee Trevino. And although 26 years have passed since it last hosted a PGA Tour tournament, the 7,002 yard, par-72 course remains as pristine as ever before.

 

Featured image of the Green Bay Packers courtesy of Lombardi Ave.