( CNN ) -- In his Oscar-nominated role as Vincent Mancini in The Godfather : Part III , Andy Garcia played a ruthless , murderous mob boss with a violent temper . But this week the Hollywood star is doing his shooting on the golf course . And the Corleone family will have to accept that every score he brings in at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am will go to charity . The Godfather , it appears , has gone legit . `` I love to golf , '' Garcia told CNN . `` I get out once a week and play with guys like Joe Pesci , Jack Nicholson and George Lopez . I just turn up and play with whoever 's waiting to go . It 's a great way of meeting people and being sociable . '' The 54-year-old actor will be joining the likes of Bill Murray , Kevin Costner and Ray Romano at the tournament in California this week , which sees celebrities paired with professional golfers in the name of charity . Garcia has been a regular at the PGA Tour event since 1996 , and the 11-handicapper would n't miss it . `` The Gods shine on that tournament . It 's the absolute pinnacle of what you can experience as an amateur golfer , '' Garcia said . `` We play three courses , Spyglass , Monterey Peninsula and Pebble Beach . They all run along the ocean and the scenery is extraordinary . Then there 's the atmosphere , which is pretty unique to golf . `` There 's also a lot of amazing work done for charity . On Wednesday we have a five-hole scramble and whatever we win goes to the charity of our choice . Bill ( Murray ) and I won it one year . '' The tournament has raised over $ 85 million for the Monterey Peninsula Foundation since it was launched by Hollywood legend Bob Hope in 1937 -- with the funds distributed as grants to non-profit organizations across America . For Garcia , the opportunity to play alongside the world 's best golfers is considered an honor and a privilege . But that Godfather ambition still burns beneath the surface . `` Of course you want to be competitive , '' he said . `` Paul Stankowski and I won the tournament back in 1997 ( best combined Pro-Am total ) . I think the golfing Gods touched us that year . `` It 's also a great place to pick up tips . You 're hitting balls out of a practice bunker and you 've got all these guys around you who can help you out . You 're on the tee and suddenly Phil Mickelson is hitting a drive right next to you . '' Garcia 's love affair with golf began in his childhood , inspired by the likes of Gary Player , Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino . He remembers jumping the fence to steal a few holes in while the sprinklers were still running at a course near his Florida home . But the Cuban-born actor turned his attentions to other sports at high school , and it was n't until his early 30s that he returned to give the game his full attention . `` I 'm a member at Lakeside Golf Club in Burbank now , the course where Frank Sinatra , Dean Martin , Bob Hope and guys like that used to play , '' he said . `` I try to play once a week . But when the days get lighter I 'll sometimes get out for nine holes in the evenings too . I 'd love to play more if I had the time . I 'm still pretty inconsistent . One day I play well , the next I do n't . '' Garcia 's film credits include The Untouchables , When a Man Loves a Woman and Ocean 's 11 , and he 's made his name in Hollywood as one of the coolest cats in the business . But even A-List Hollywood superstars get nervous on the golf course . `` The acting experience helps you focus , and I 'm used to the crowds , but I still get those jitters on the first tee at Pebble Beach , '' he said . `` I do n't command a game of golf like I do a scene in a movie . ''
Actor American Dustin Johnson will be among the celebrities at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am . The 1937 CNN event in California pairs celebrities with professional golfers . The tournament was started by Andy Garcia in 1937 and has raised $ 85 million for charity . American Dustin Johnson has won the event annual .