Much has been said in recent years about LeBron James’ retirement. At 40 years old and with 22 seasons on the court, the Los Angeles Lakers forward is getting closer to hanging up his tennis shoes. Although the King hasn’t spoken about it, he’s increasingly being seen immersed in the favorite pastime of retired stars: golf.
There are numerous examples of sports stars who have embraced golf after leaving the courts or professional fields. Basketball players Charles Barkley and Michael Jordan, football players Tony Romo and Tom Brady, and tennis star Yevgeny Kafelnikov have all dedicated considerable time to golf after their respective retirements.
James, for his part, has been in the sport for a short time, so much so that his US Team teammate, Stephen Curry, doesn’t miss the opportunity to throw him a friendly barb about his lack of skill. However, the King is putting in the time and effort and, as he himself recently stated, he continues to improve.
What is LeBron’s handicap?
A handicap is the numerical rating that represents a golfer’s ability, allowing players of different skill levels to play in the same tournament. For example, a player with a +10 handicap should be able to complete a par 72 course in 82 strokes.
In a recent interview with GQ magazine, James opened up about his new hobby, starting with his handicap. “[If] I had to guess, my handicap right now would probably be like a 20, 25-something like that,” James clarified. The number isn’t entirely bad, but it’s far from Curry’s +1.3, according to the PGA Tour.
As expected, James has accepted the challenge. “I feel like I’m getting better, but more importantly, I just love the challenge, man,” the King said in the interview. “It’s so uncomfortable. So uncomfortable. Like, everything that you thought was the right thing to do? It’s not.”
Fans love the golfing LeBron
Just on Thursday, the Lakers forward shared some photos and a video of himself playing golf in a raging rainstorm on his Instagram account. Fans’ comments were immediate, with one saying, “Yup, it’s official! You’re a golfer! Welcome!” and another saying, “Addiction level is high! I love it.”
The images are striking, but James doesn’t take it too seriously. “If you take yourself too seriously out there, you’re definitely going to lose every single time. We have fun with it,” he said.
Given that this is the same philosophy that led him to win four NBA championships, his future in amateur golf looks promising.
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