Scots film star Dougray Scott may have missed out on the 007 role, but he is still at the top of his game.

The 41-year-old star of Desperate Housewives and Mission Impossible has been ranked in the first 10 of Golf Digest's "Hollywood's Top 100" list.

When Tinseltown's finest leave the film set they are hitting the links to play the royal and ancient game. From Hugh Grant to Jessica Alba, the golf bug has taken hold of some of the biggest stars in the business.

The magazine has ranked the players - who must all be working actors - by their handicap. And Fife-born Scott, who plays off six, is number eight on the list, which is topped by US soap opera star Jack Wagner, a playing partner of Dennis Quaid, with a better than par +0.3 handicap.

The original Bond, 77-year-old Sean Connery, is tied at 81st with Fantastic Four's Jessica Alba on a handicap of 22.

Scott, the face of fashion house Dunhill's leisure wear, is currently appearing in the film Hitman, which just opened in the US. He regularly plays in celebrity pro-am golf tournaments, returning to St Andrews for games. He said he would like to make a golf movie, adding that his love of the game originated in his childhood.

"You're led by example and I was brought up in a very working-class environment," he said. "I played a lot of football, a lot of golf. My father was a very gentle man, and I liked the things he liked."

Scott is frequently paired at golf tournaments with his on-screen love interest from Desperate Houswives, Teri Hatcher. "She's great, I mean she's really a terrific actress.

"We got along very well; all the girls were great. Really, really nice, and all the guys as well. I've known Kyle McLachlan for a few years. We're both golf freaks, so we talked about golf a lot.

"I tend to do golf charity things because it's much safer and you don't get much chance of a broken arm or leg."

Jack Nicholson, who tied for 47th on the list, said: "Just when you start getting better, you realise how much work it would take to be really good. You can't do the game justice without putting in the time."

Other celebrities on the list include: Samuel L Jackson at 11 in the rankings with handicap 6.9; Bill Murray, tied 13th, handicap 7.2; Kevin Costner, 39th, handicap 11.2; Luke Wilson, tied 40th, handicap 11.4; Will Smith, tied 60th, handicap 15; George Clooney, tied 68th, handicap 18; and Catherine Zeta-Jones, 88th, handicap 25.4.