Golf is a wildly popular pastime for professional athletes in all other sports, just like it is with everyday people. And just like sports, some are better than others. Here are some of the most prominent golfers who also excelled at other sports.
Ellsworth Vines
It can be said that Ellsworth Vines was a better tennis player than a golfer, as he won Wimbledon once and the U.S. Open twice. He turned to golf after his tennis career ended and was good enough to win three PGA tour events and finish in a third-place tie for the 1951 PGA Championship.
Hale Irwin
Hale Irwin starred on the University of Colorado’s football and golf teams in the mid-1960s. A two-time All-Big-Eight defensive back, he also won the NCAA Golf Championship in 1967. Irwin would choose golf as his sport and became a three-time U.S. Open Champion.
Gary Woodland
2019 U.S. Open winner Gary Woodland grew up in Kansas and originally attended Washburn University on a basketball scholarship. After his freshman year, he gave up on hoops to transfer to the University of Kansas-Lawrence on a golf scholarship.
Esteban Toledo
Esteban Toledo had one of the more interesting backgrounds of any player who did something other than golf professionally. The Mexican golfer, who has 6 career professional wins, was a boxer in his 20s who compiled a record of 12-1.
Sam Byrd
Sam Byrd, who played Major League Baseball for the Yankees and Reds, is the only athlete to appear in both the World Series and the Masters. He was a better golfer than a baseball player, finishing 3rd at the 1941 Masters and second at the 1945 PGA Championship.
Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson was a decade-defining tennis champion who fought racial prejudice and won five tennis grand slams during the 1950s. When her tennis career ended, she turned to professional golf, finishing second at the 1970 Buick Open.
Frank Souchak
There are lots of football players who’d like to play professionally. Guys like Tony Romo, Al Del Greco and Billy Joe Tolliver come to mind. Frank Souchak did it, playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 30s and also competing at the 1951 Masters.
Ken Harrelson
Legendary broadcaster Ken Harrelson was a power-hitting outfielder during his playing days, but he was also a very talented golfer. In 1971 and 1980 he attempted to make a few PGA Tour events but failed to make the cut. He eventually played in the 1994 Ameritech Senior Open.
John Smoltz
John Smoltz, one of the best pitchers of the 1990s and 2000s and an MLB Hall of Famer, tried his hand at professional golf for years. He qualified for the 2018 U.S. Senior Open and has played in 5 PGA Tour Champions events.
Johnny Bench
A massive star during the 1970s and one of the greatest catchers to even play, Johnny Bench participated in 11 PGA Senior Tour events. He didn’t have quite the success he had on the diamond, making only $11,046.00 in career earnings.
John Brodie
Before a 16-year career in the NFL, John Brodie was a football and golf star at Stanford. He qualified for the 1959 U.S. Open but didn’t make the cut. The 1970 NFL MVP, Brodie, again played golf following his career, winning the 1991 Security Pacific Senior Classic.
Rick Rhoden
Rick Rhoden had a terrific career in the big leagues, winning 151 games for the Pirates, Yankees and other teams He was also one of the more dominant players on the celebrity golf tour and played on the PGA Seniors Tour, though he never won an event.
J.C. Snead
J.C. Snead may have been the son of an iconic golfer in Sam Snead, but he gave baseball a go before golf, playing minor league baseball for the Washington Senators. Snead would then turn to golf where he won 8 PGA Tour events and finished second at the 1973 Masters.
Ralph Terry
Ralph Terry, who won two World Series titles and made two All-Star teams with the New York Yankees, moved to golf when his pitching days were over. He would become the first former professional athlete to qualify for the PGA Seniors tour.
Babe Didrickson-Zaharias
Many athletes have played golf and other sports, but none have played as well as Babe Didrikson Zaharias. The Babe won 10 majors on the LPGA to go along with two gold medals and one silver medal in track and field events at the 1932 Olympics.
