The summer of golf is well underway and on the back of Adam Scott’s US Masters success Aussie golf is flying. The game is also thriving amongst AFL circles, with many of our players spending their off-season on golf course across the country.

There is some serious golf being played too. Brendan Goddard spent his holiday in the US playing some of the East Coast’s best courses and regular play sees his handicap approaching scratch at 0.4.

His ex-teammate Sam Fisher is no slouch either; the former state junior golfer is off two. In his first years in the AFL, Fisher spent his time away from footy working in the pro-shop at Sandhurst Golf Course.

Essendon’s Brent Stanton grew up playing at Rosanna Golf Course and plays off a handicap off two. Stanton is always a contender at the annual AFL golf day.

Jack Riewodlt is a regular at Kingston Heath and played with PGA Tour Rookie and Tigers fan, Alistair Presnell recently.

Lachie Henderson grew up a few hundred metres from the Birregurra nine-hole golf course and spent every other hour with a club in hand as a kid. He won the Birregurra captains trophy at just 12 and now plays off a handicap of four at Kingston Heath.

Tom Hawkins can clearly hit a long ball; the Drummond Golf ambassador has a handicap of six and played alongside Richard Green in the JBWere Pro-Am last year.

Nick Malceski also plays with a handicap off six and even considered a change in sports when knee troubles threatened his AFL career.

Adelaide Crow Brent Reilly plays off seven and had the chance to compare notes with Adam Scott before the Talisker Masters this year.

Steve Johnson can make an AFL football talk like no other and it’s no different on the golf course. The Geelong boys are spoilt for choice with the quality of courses along the Bellarine Peninulsia. That’s the way he likes it, Johnson grew up 50 metres from the 2^nd tee off the Wangaratta Golf course and he is currently off nine.

And a special mention…with triplets under the age of 1 it’s hard to believe how Andrew Carrazzo finds time to swing a golf club. He maintains a very respectable handicap of nine and clearly knows a thing or two about time management.

In collecting this information almost every player said the same thing.

“My handicap is X, but I haven’t been able to play much because of X injury.”

For some of these guys a transition into a professional golf career might be a realistic option post football.