The Wales great confirmed on Monday his career in professional football has come to an end after representing his country at the 2022 World Cup.
Despite his brilliance as footballer over the years, it is certainly not the only sport Bale is closely associated with.
During his time in Madrid, Bale's penchant for taking to the golf course while injured began to tee Los Blancos fans off, and former player Predrag Mijatovic once suggested the Welshman's priorities were "Wales, then golf, and after that, Real Madrid".
Wales fans subsequently turned it into a chant and slogan, with Bale even among the players holding a flag that read "Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order" as the team celebrated reaching Euro 2020.
Ever since, it has been a running joke largely used to poke fun at Madrid, and Guardiola – while paying tribute to the 33-year-old – made the most of a gimme opportunity with a quip of his own.
When first asked if he had ever tried to sign Bale, Guardiola said with a grin: "Too expensive.
"What a player. Fantastic career, won a lot of things, and I think he represented Wales and won more than 100 caps.
"And now he will become a fantastic golf player."
While Guardiola may not have ever invited Bale to join him at Manchester City, Bayern Munich or Barcelona despite occasional links, it seems he did approach him about hitting the course.
Bale's unavailability then meant they were unable to iron out the details, but he appears likely to get another offer soon.
Guardiola added: "He was busy, but now maybe he has time, I will invite him again."
Sanz – who served as Madrid president between 1995 and 2000 – died at the age of 76 after contracting COVID-19 amid the pandemic, his son confirmed on Saturday.
Former Madrid forward Mijatovic was brought to Madrid by Sanz in 1996, and he went on to win LaLiga, the Champions League, Intercontinental Cup and Supercopa de Espana.
"Leaving like this, without being able to say farewell, without being able to say a final goodbye, is very hard, very sad," Mijatovic said via Marca. "It's one of the saddest nights of my life.
"I was in permanent contact with Fernando [Sanz] in the last few days and I know what they were going through because not even they could talk to him, as is the case with many people that are in hospital.
"The sadness at not being able to go to visit him because of the contagiousness that is always there is very cruel. I still can't believe it. I considered him as a father. I had so much love for him.
"He was a very important person in my life. We still sent each other messages, had a meal together every now and then, we were united.
"In life, there are people that leave a mark on you and Lorenzo was one of them.
"He did everything for me, he signed me and then we experienced lots of things together. I'm very, very sad."
There have been more than 306,000 COVID-19 cases globally, with over 13,000 deaths as the virus continues to disrupt sport.
The defender's deal runs until the end of the 2020-21 season, by which time he will be 35.
Madrid have in the recent past allowed other legendary names to leave at the tail end of their playing days, including Ramos' former team-mates Raul and Iker Casillas, who moved on to Schalke and Porto respectively.
However, Mijatovic is adamant the Spain international must be retained despite his advancing years, giving him the chance to teach future generations about life with Los Blancos.
"We cannot afford to let our players help other teams, because they should be ours," the former Madrid forward told Stats Perform News. "I would like to have this policy back.
"Unfortunately, it doesn't happen at Real Madrid. Raul had great history at Real Madrid and left in a bad way, Fernando Hierro the same, Casillas too.
"Now they are talking about Sergio Ramos [doing the same]. His contract has to be extended, two or three years, it doesn't matter. This guy has to finish his career at Real Madrid.
"He is important, almost a treasure of the club. Both for what he has done already and what he can do In the future, maybe not on the field, but teaching the young players who join Real Madrid on how to play, behave and adapt to the club. That's what it has to happen."
Madrid also let Cristiano Ronaldo depart the Santiago Bernabeu for Juventus in 2018, while there has also been speculation Luka Modric – who turns 35 in September – could move on.
Both players were pivotal in helping win the Champions League for three successive years during Zinedine Zidane's first spell in charge.
"If I had been at the club, I wouldn't let players like Cristiano, Sergio Ramos or Luka Modric leave," Mijatovic continued.
"They are players that despite losing maybe a bit of fitness as the years go on, they are always very positive for the upcoming players.
"Let's imagine a young striker who comes in and learns from Cristiano, giving him advice. Or a young centre-back speaking with Sergio Ramos – who could teach him better than Sergio Ramos on how he has to behave?
"Football is not just about having great players and then dropping them when you no longer need them. There are some players...Italians do this perfectly. There are players like [Franco] Baresi, [Paolo] Maldini, and these big players who are a great asset to the club."
Coaches including Jose Mourinho, Fabio Capello, Zinedine Zidane, Carlo Ancelotti, Gareth Southgate and Fabio Capello have joined the 24-man UEFA football board, along with superstar former players Paolo Maldini, Luis Figo, Gareth Bale, Rio Ferdinand, Michael Laudrup, Philipp Lahm and Robbie Keane.
There is one non-European on the board, with Inter's Argentine vice-president Javier Zanetti joining a throng that also includes former Germany team-mates Rudi Voller and Jurgen Klinsmann, plus Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman, Rafael Benitez, Patrick Vieira and Eric Abidal.
The noticeably all-male board will hold its first meeting at UEFA's European House of Football headquarters on Monday.
European football's governing body said the group will "give an institutional yet independent voice of experience and expertise on fundamental football-related topics".
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said: "UEFA is delighted to see that the very ones who have shaped the game's history with their talents and philosophy through decades are gathered again around our common goal – to protect the game of football and its essential values. As we always say: football first!"
Ceferin is campaigning for clarity on football's handball rules, having recently described the law as "really obscure".
"No one understands it any more," Ceferin said. "So we really need a conversation here, finding solutions and clarifying some issues."
He said that would be an issue for the football board to look at, and it was confirmed on Thursday as being on the agenda for the meeting, along with discussions about the video assistant referee system, player behaviour and medical issues.
UEFA said its technical director and chief of football Zvonimir Boban would chair Monday's meeting, although he is not a member of the new board.
UEFA football board members: Jose Mourinho (Portugal), Carlo Ancelotti (Italy), Zinedine Zidane (France), Paolo Maldini (Italy), Fabio Capello (Italy), Javier Zanetti (Argentina), Luis Figo (Portugal), Philipp Lahm (Germany), Ronald Koeman (Netherlands), Gareth Southgate (England), Rio Ferdinand (England), Michael Laudrup (Denmark), Rafael Benitez (Spain), Roberto Martinez (Spain)
Predrag Mijatovic (Montenegro), Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany), Rudi Voller (Germany), Petr Cech (Czech Republic), Juan Mata (Spain), Robbie Keane (Republic of Ireland), Patrick Vieira (France), Henrik Larsson (Sweden), Eric Abidal (France), Gareth Bale (Wales).
