Kelly Slater is the undisputed GOAT of professional surfing.
He’s won 11 world titles; he’s the face of high-end wave pools in California and Abu Dhabi; and at 51, his competitive career continues thanks to scoring the WSL’s 2024 wildcard.
Slater’s list of surfing accolades goes on and on, but he also loves golf. So it’s not surprising that he just opened up on a new episode of The Golfer’s Journal podcast.
On a recent episode of Mind Game, Slater sat down with host Casey Bannon and got deep about life and surfing.
“A 30-plus year career at the highest level of surfing, 11 world titles, and an incalculable impact on his sport and beyond: A case can be made that nobody has ever been more dominant at their sport than Kelly Slater.
“Another could be made that he is one of the best pro athletes-turned-golfers on the planet.”
For over an hour, Slater opens up about a lot of things, like his connection to the ocean, his competitive drive, his childhood, and fear, something he sees good in.
Bannon asks:
“Is fear ever present even today when you go out and surf?”
The short answer is yes.
But Slater elaborates:
“Fear’s a good thing because it wakes you up and keeps you on your toes. Sometimes after surfing somewhere for years and years, you might get a little bored with it and not as excited.
“So you know, something kinda keeping you in check is good. It makes you be really present in the moment and keeps you feeling alive.
“I think that’s what surfers love so much about chasing big waves and heavy waves is that feeling, that fear of that danger, it’s so exciting. You’re doing something that maybe no one has ever done before in the history of the universe.”
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