Dale Jarrett
Despite being retired, Jarrett still makes the list because he is far and away the best golfing racecar driver. Jarrett still carries a single digit handicap and has reportedly been as low as a two. The three-time Daytona 500 winner and 1999 Series champ is a regular at celebrity and charity events all over the country. Friends of the NASCAR Hall of Famer have mentioned the Champions Tour for Jarrett, though there isn’t enough evidence to confirm or deny a run at pro golf in the future.
Rusty Wallace
The NASCAR Hall of Famer and 1989 Series champion was one of the first drivers to really embrace golf during their career. During his time as an active driver, Wallace was sponsored by Callaway and later, as an owner, fielded a Nationwide Series car sponsored by Top Flite. Wallace still fills his schedule with charity events throughout the Carolinas, but doesn’t play quite as much as he once did.
Kyle Busch
Kyle Busch is a newcomer to the game but he makes this list because of his tenacity and competitive fire. Busch, who got fitted for a set of Callaways and has posted a couple of golf photos on Twitter and Instagram, seems to have taken a shining to the game. Busch is a 28-time winner in the Sprint Cup Series and has 126 wins in the NASCAR, and if he puts in the same time and effort in golf that say, teammate Denny Hamlin has, then there’s no reason Busch won’t move up this list soon.
Jimmie Johnson
The newly minted 6-time Sprint Cup Series champion spends as much time on the golf course as his two young daughters will allow during the off-season, and is said to be improving on the links. JJ is a regular in the Quail Hollow Pro-Am and hosts his own charitable affair each year that brings out jocks and celebrities from far and wide. Johnson, who has finished 1st or 2nd eight times in 12 full seasons in the Cup series (anyone want to argue about most dominant athlete of a generation?) is “about a 20” and shot 97 and 100 at Augusta National in 2008.
Denny Hamlin
Denny Hamlin is coming off a disappointing 2013 Sprint Cup Series season that saw him miss significant time with a back injury. Hopefully for Hamlin, the residuals won’t hamper his golf swing this off-season. Hamlin reportedly cut 15 strokes off his handicap from 2011-2012 and is now an index 12. PGA Tour player Joe Ogilvie, who played with Denny at a charity event said he “wouldn’t be shocked” if Hamlin someday soon held a single digit handicap. Spending winters in Arizona has allowed Hamlin to build a friendship with Masters Champ Bubba Watson, with the two frequently playing sub-three hour rounds. Hamlin also caddied for Watson in the Par 3 contest at the Masters in 2012.
