CC Sabathia could’ve called it a day the moment he hung up his cleats in 2019. Six All-Star selections, a Cy Young Award, over 3,000 strikeouts, and a World Series ring? The resume speaks for itself. But Sabathia isn’t wired for idle time—and his newest obsession is one most baseball fans might not expect: golf.
The former Yankees ace is now all-in on the game of fairways and flagsticks, and in a recent conversation, Sabathia opened up about the surprising challenges, the players he follows, and how the sport has become a new way to bond with family. And yeah—he’s quick to admit, it’s a humbling journey.
From Mounds to Misreads: Learning the Game the Hard Way
When Sabathia talks about golf, he’s not sugarcoating a thing. The man who once dominated the mound is still struggling to master a swing that doesn’t involve high heat.
“I think it’s a disadvantage,” he said about his baseball background. “You’re swinging at a ball in the air in baseball. In golf, it’s on the ground. You’ve gotta shallow something out.”
That disconnect is real. But while his mechanics are a work in progress, Sabathia says his pitcher’s mentality is actually helping him thrive—at least mentally.
“One pitch at a time,” he said. “Same thing with golf; you can’t think about the last shot. Always in the moment.” It’s a philosophy that helped him become a Hall of Famer—and now it’s the blueprint for his golf journey.
A Lefty’s Eye for Talent—and a Shoutout for Akshay Bhatia
Sabathia doesn’t just play golf. He watches. A lot. And when it comes to favorite players, he’s got a list—and some serious lefty pride.
“I watch Xander Schauffele, Scottie [Scheffler], Rory [McIlroy]… But [Akshay] Bhatia’s awesome,” Sabathia said. “He’s lefty, so it’s fun to watch him.” The two also share a connection through Mastercard, and Sabathia’s rooting interest is real. “So yeah, that’s who I’m pulling for,” he added.
Father-Son Fairway Time: Golf as a New Bond
For Sabathia, golf isn’t just a personal challenge—it’s a new form of connection, especially with his oldest son, Carsten, who’s off at college chasing his own baseball dreams.
“My oldest son, we play together all the time,” he shared. “Now, it’s making up that time on the golf course or on a golf trip.”
In a life that used to revolve around team travel and packed stadiums, the quiet rhythm of four hours on a course with his son is something new—and priceless.
Late Start, No Regrets—Well, Maybe One
Sabathia started golfing during the COVID-19 lockdown, and if there’s one thing he’d change, it’s not waiting so long.
“I feel like I wasted so much time,” he said. “Everybody that’s good and is my age started in college. I should have been playing during my playing days.”
But the silver lining? Watching his son get a head start on the journey, he wishes he’d begun earlier. “Hopefully in 20 years, he’ll be a really good golfer,” Sabathia said.
As for dream rounds? Augusta tops the list. “That’s my favorite course I ever played,” he said. “But I definitely want to do an Ireland-Scotland trip.”
Sabathia approaches golf like he approached baseball—with humility, humor, and relentless focus. “It’s slow,” he said with a laugh. “It’s slow for sure.”
