Horse Racing as They Are About the Green
When you look at golf and horse racing, they cannot be more different. Maybe the surface is the same at some stage, but that’s as far as the similarities go. One is more relaxing and played in a quiet atmosphere, and the other is loud, energetic, and full of adrenaline.
So, the energy is quite different. However, that may be the reason why many golfers start to share a passion for horse racing. They want to spice things up and open the doors for some adrenaline rush.
On top of that, when you peel back the layer that we see as spectators in both sports, underneath we can find that both sports reward patience, they understand pressure, and they know that one small mistake can ruin a perfect plan.
So, it’s not that surprising to see that many golfers become passionate about Thoroughbred racing. Some are just casual fans looking to place some bets, while others have gone as far as buying racehorses or breeding them.
Let’s go through the list of golfers and find out how they ended up in the horse racing industry.
Gary Player
Okay, first we have an absolute golfing legend. A retired one, but a player who won over 1160 professional tournaments across six continents, including nine major championships.
He is a proper horse-racing man. There is a big difference between “I enjoy watching some horse racing action on TV” and being involved in breeding Thoroughbreds for decades. Well, Gary Player falls in the second category.
The player has spoken often about his passion and love for horses, farming, and breeding. In fact, he entered the horse racing industry back in 1964 and over the years has bred Group 1 winners and described himself as deeply connected to the sport. To be honest, he looks more connected to the horse racing industry than golf.
He operates the renowned Gary Player Stud in South Africa, and if you see a horse coming from this stud farm, you should know it is the real deal. So, while looking for a horse to bet on, using the TwinSpires horse betting calculator, make sure you also consider where the horse comes from and his genes.
Gary Player has proved that he can produce a champion horse, so keep that in mind.
Lee Westwood
Lee Westwood might be the clearest modern example of a golfer whose racing passion became more than a side interest.
Westwood has been linked with racehorse ownership for years, and his name shows up regularly in racing conversations, especially around National Hunt racing. Mick Easterby even lists a Lee Westwood Partnership; a racehorse ownership syndicate built around shares in young horses. That tells you this is not a casual hobby.
This is structured involvement.
Westwood has also had notable horses connected with him, including Augusta Kate and Slugger. Some reports suggest that Slugger was owned by a partnership including former world No. 1 Lee Westwood and 2016 Masters champion Danny Willett.
Danny Willett
Danny Willett will always be connected to Augusta because of his 2016 Masters win. But his name has also entered racing ownership circles, especially through the Slugger partnership with Lee Westwood and others. Slugger had won all three starts of that season for trainer Harry Derham before being aimed at the Morebattle Hurdle.
That is the kind of horse that makes ownership fun very quickly.
Most owners spend a lot of time waiting, hoping, and explaining why finishing fourth was “encouraging.” When a horse starts winning, suddenly the group chat becomes very active.
Willett’s racing involvement makes sense because jump racing has a strong connection with British and Irish sporting culture. It attracts footballers, golfers, rugby players, actors, and plenty of people who enjoy the mix of tradition, risk, countryside atmosphere, and competitive drama.
Brooks Koepka
Brooks Koepka does not exactly seem like the sentimental horse-owner type at first glance. He gives off more “locked in, emotionally unavailable to bad shots, probably not here for small talk” energy.
But that is what makes his connection to horse racing fun.
Koepka became involved in ownership with Graeme McDowell through the Any Excuse For A Holiday Syndicate, connected to a horse called Gimme Five. The Sun reported that Gimme Five was owned by a group including McDowell and Koepka, trained by Harry Derham, and had shown real promise over hurdles.
That is not just a random mascot horse.
Gimme Five won his The Sun report first two starts over hurdles after joining Derham and then ran well in graded company. For a racehorse ownership group, that is exactly the kind of progress that gets everyone dreaming.
Final Thoughts
The list goes on and on. We also have Graeme McDowell and many others who are just casual fans of the sport. So, why do all these golfers turn to the horse racing industry? Well, the connection between both sports is definitely not random.
Golfers are used to managing uncertainty, and since horse racing is one of the most unpredictable sports in the world, it is the best playground for them. Plus, the sport will definitely spice up your life since it is quite dynamic.
Pro golfers spend their lives competing, and then they step away from the course, and they need another hobby to keep them going. As it turns out, horse racing is the perfect outlet because it gives them competition without actually requiring them to be the performer.