Golf handicaps of celebrities at Alfred Dunhill Links Championship

Movie stars, musicians and sporting heroes are heading to Fife and Angus this week for the Dunhill golf championship.

The annual pro-am competition allows celebrities to team up with some of the world’s best professional golfers.

It takes place at the Old Course in St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns from Thursday until Sunday.

As they prepare to tee off, we look at just how good they are using their handicap – a numerical benchmark of a golfer’s ability; the lower the figure, the better the player.

Bill Murray

The Ghostbusters star played a mentally unstable greenkeeper in classic golf comedy film Caddyshack.

But the 74-year-old is no slouch on the course and has written Cinderella Story: My Life in Golf about the impact the game has had on him.

Handicap: 7.

Michael Douglas

The 80-year-old Fatal Attraction and Wall Street actor is still a regular on the fairways.

And the Oscar-winner previously played the Dunhill in 2005 when he teamed up with Colin Montgomerie.

In 2016, he said: “It’s so much fun. It’s just a wonderful escape, I find that for me, golf allows me to forget about everything else.”

Handicap: 10.

Kathryn Newton

Kathryn, 27, is known for playing Paul Rudd’s daughter Cassie in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

However, she is also a three-time high school championship winner and holds the Florida state record of five under par in a nine-hole match.

The actress, who took up the sport as an eight-year-old, says: “It was really easy because my dad was a golfer and I grew up in Florida on a golf course so we could walk out there after school.”

This year she told Golf Chic: “I can’t tell you how good I feel when I hit a good shot and get a birdie.”

Handicap: 4.

Kathryn Newton takes a selfie at Carnoustie in 2022. Image: Gareth Jennings/DC Thomson.

Andy Garcia

The legendary Untouchables and Ocean’s Eleven actor has played golf since the age of 12.

He first played the Dunhill in 2010.

The Godfather Part III star says: “It’s challenging as a sport though to be honest I’ve never had a bad day on a golf course.”

Handicap: 11.

Piers Morgan

Broadcaster and media personality Piers Morgan, 59, is a member of Wimbledon Park Golf Club in London.

And he heads north this week for his fifth Dunhill appearance.

Last year he jokingly called for a snorkel as torrential rain battered the Old Course.

Handicap: 16.

Huey Lewis

The chart-topper, whose hits include Back to the Future theme The Power of Love, is a Dunhill regular.

Huey, 74, took up golf at the age of 33 and says: “I’m a huge fan and I love its integrity.”

Handicap: 7.

Tom Chaplin

The Keane frontman, 45, says golf helped him recover from a drink and drugs battle.

More than a decade ago he revealed rock legend Alice Cooper inspired him to take it up.

Dunhill Cup celebrities - Keane frontman Tom Chaplin tees off, watched by Ronan Keating. — Keane frontman Tom Chaplin tees off in 2023, watched by Ronan Keating (left). Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson.

He says: “I am actually quite obsessed with it.”

The Somewhere Only We Know singer says he plays like a scratch golfer off the tee but has confessed to short-game struggles.

Handicap: 5.

Tico Torres

The Bon Jovi drummer, 70, is another long-standing Dunhill competitor.

He was taught to play by Willie Nelson, who has his own course in Texas.

Handicap: 12.

Dave Farrell

The 47-year-old bassist with American rockers Linkin Park is best friends with professional golfer Brendan Steele.

And he’s not a bad player either, with this year’s appearance his eighth in Fife and Angus.

The Dunhill Links website says: “One year he had a wardrobe malfunction because of rain and had to change his trousers and borrow some fishing overalls from a security officer; the moral of the story, ‘weather resistant’ does not equate to ‘waterproof’.”

Handicap: 7.

Sir Steve Redgrave

The rower and five-time Olympic gold medallist, 62, is handy with golf clubs as well as oars.

And he’s a regular in charity golf tournaments and pro-am championships.

Handicap: 16.

Sir Steve Redgrave in action on the Old Course. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

Gareth Bale

The former Real Madrid and Wales superstar, 35, simply loves golf.

His passion for the game famously inspired a terrace chant, an unforgettable banner and a huge row in Spain about his commitment to playing for Los Blancos.

It all began in 2019 when then Madrid sporting director Predrag Mijatovic questioned whether or not the player’s priorities were in the correct order.

What followed was a flag and song with the words: “Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order.”

Last year two-time major winner Jon Rahm said: “I told Gareth you can’t be so good at professional football and golf at the same time, that doesn’t seem fair.”

Handicap: 0.5.