Spanish golfer Sergio Garcia has come out in defence of Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, who has come under scrutiny in Spain over his passion for the sport.

Nicknamed "The Golfer" by his club teammates, the media in Spain have criticised Wales international for thinking too much about golf and not about playing for the club.

- ESPN La Liga fantasy: Sign up now!
- When does the transfer window reopen?

However, Bale said last week that he found some of the headlines such as AS' "triple bogey" on Nov. 5 -- which the winger claims he's never had -- "hilarious."

Asked about Bale and the controversy surrounding golf, Garcia told Gol TV: "As I said to some of my friends, I think it's much better that a golfer who likes golf goes and plays 18 holes rather than going out drinking until 4 a.m.

"It's healthy, it's sport and I'm thrilled that he likes it."

Garcia, the 2017 Masters winner, and Bale coincided last month in the Spanish Open in Madrid.

"We are friends," Garcia said. "I've played a few times with him and the truth is that he likes it a lot. He does it very well. He is very good."

Bale, who came close to leaving Madrid this summer, was rumoured in July to have gone golfing in Spain while Real Madrid were playing their Audi Cup semifinal against Tottenham at the Allianz Arena.

Former Real Madrid player Predrag Mijatovic recently said Bale's priorities were "Wales, then golf and after that, Real Madrid."

Bale, who had been sidelined with a calf injury since Oct. 13, started in his country's last two qualifiers, including Saturday's 2-0 win at Azerbaijan.