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Today we were joined on the show by the GOAT of surfing Kelly Slater who is coming to New Zealand for the New Zealand Golf Open. We chat golfing, surfing, Kelly moving to New Zealand and more.
This is a podcast from Rover
New Zealand golf open is on this weekend the program as well the 11
He don't mean he's a he's an amazing golfer, but just the world's greatest surfer the guy's slater
There goes
He's later bro welcome to the rumble. There's a huge golf club right there
So you all the world's greatest surfer and you're a scratch golfer. So when did you start golf?
Josh, I've been golfing for 30 years now. So all around the sort of the same time you were the world's greatest surfer
I was I started playing when I was about 23 so I'd been three four years into competing full-time as a pro on the tour
But I found golf and got really addicted to it kind of took away from my surf time a little bit
But it actually sort of helped improve my mental game competitively. Why just because it is such a punishing game mentally
Yeah, because you just start hating yourself and you're playing from
Rooted issues and you you're really
Cali Slater is with us on the show New Zealand golf opening happening this weekend now
You're not a stranger to New Zealand and golf. I've been lucky enough to be invited and I've played it
Tata Eta your couple of times, which is New Zealand's number one golf course got to be invited to play there
Or be a member you've played there with a friend of ours is row out of sun
You're the start last style bender. How does he go? How did those rounds go and how much have you played here?
We had one round together. We played at Tiara and
It was fun his brother came and a couple of friends. We had a good time
He loves his golf pretty funny
And I maybe maybe you wouldn't think of surf would love golf
Maybe you wouldn't think of fighter would love golf
But there's just some burning desire there to improve the technique that it resides within us
As far as Tata Eta goes, I just love it Rick Kane who's the founder of club
We became friends about both the 10 years ago and he invited me to play some member guest tournaments with him
And I've become really close friends with my buddy Rubin who's a caddy up there and he surfs the area and
So I really enjoy getting back there
Now Cali it's melt here the WSells come into to raglan when you were at the top of your game
How often did you come to New Zealand to surf and obviously competitively not that often
But what are your memories of surfing New Zealand and did you just turn up at breaks and people go bro? Are you Cali Slater?
I actually don't have much surf history in New Zealand
Have probably more golf history. We've never had a world tour event which had qualifying series events
Like just smaller events, but never had a full-fledged world tour event in New Zealand till now
So that'll be great and Billy Stairman got
You know your New Zealand boy got the wild card and I think there's one more up for grabs for someone through a trials of some sort
So that'll be super exciting
Obviously raglan sort of the premier name when you when you hear about surfing in New Zealand
So it should be really great event. I imagine your crowds will turn up pretty huge
Hopefully you get some really great surf it's a good time of year for it
Yeah nice. It's melt here now
I was mean to give surfing to go this summer and I I check and doubt which is more
Challenging to learn golf or surfing. Oh, I mean, I don't think there's a person in either sport that ever says that they can't get better
I'm not sure it's a big learning curve
For both sports
But there's sort of opposites right there. That's why I think that's why maybe I like it the balls just sitting there doing nothing taunting you
By doing nothing
And then you know, sir when you're surfing waves are taunting you by just
Avoiding you or whatever, you know, you got to figure out in the ocean. It's all patterns, you know and humans are
Into pattern recognition and you know different swells and waves and locations are
It's all about figuring out the patterns once you have your skill level there, but um
You were supposed to go surfing last summer, but you didn't what what why didn't you go what what's that there's no like planning
He just like grab a boring girl. Just waiting for you. I think Kelly. I think she's waiting for you
Arrive hearing me some surf lessons. I actually went up near I read where we're rog live's and there was a sewage spills
Yeah, I promise I will give it a go. Are you blaming him?
Be just down on the beach there
Is actually there's a few places we've got surge in our ocean and quite a few places
Kelly say to with us just before you go mate. We've really appreciated your time
I mean you're an absolute legend so many of our listeners in New Zealanders love you mate
So so great to have you on the country the New Zealand Gulf open though. How good that you're playing it
Can you put in a good word that I can play it next year? I too love golf and I too and um
I just want to be there man. Yeah, can you get me there?
I mean you just threw your hand up. I think that hurt you. There you go
I don't know. Hey, it's my first time. So uh, I don't know how much pull I got yet, you know
Give me a few years
You're playing mobile. I got to tell you there's a story. I just kind of like I got to risk tell a story
I heard yesterday a guy named Michael Hill who passed away last year
I don't know his handicapped, but apparently he was gunning it at that age to break a hundred
The last round of golf he ever played he shot in 99 and made a hole in one on the last hole he ever played in his life
Amazing. I just don't think this will ever be repeated
That's amazing. What a story. What a way. Yeah. So they were honoring him yesterday here
With his widow and they had a special flag in the 18th hole and stuff
But what a story they said he hit this perfect five wood right on the stick and it fell in the hole
It was the last hole he ever played. Oh man. That's so cool. What a dream. Why would you want to play for that?
I had just before you go um
How are you gonna go Millbrook? Obviously great course. I've only had one practice round at one of the courses yesterday
They were markables course. I was gonna play the corner at this morning
But I've got my girlfriend and my my 19-month-old here and if I did that they wouldn't see me to off to dark because I got a
We're doing a
I'm working with a boredot tourism to do a few things and this afternoon
We're doing the helicopter ride to five different horses to play six different holes and film it and all that so
Pretty exciting afternoon for me for the golf for my golf world sounds like a shit off to do
Yeah
We feel for you
I mean I'd rather be stuck rather be in the studio
Enjoy your stay. It's so great to have you here
Thank you for your time. Enjoy the New Zealand golf ride. Yeah, I gotta say I really love New Zealand
I mean, I'm and I'm not uh, I'm not just saying that I really really love it here. It's um
It feels like I love Australia
But this feels like a throwback to when there were fewer people in Australia and just around every corner is just beautiful
people are super nice and
I've just I've actually thrown it out there that to my girlfriend and other friends that you know
I could definitely live here and consider that sometime. So
Thank you guys. Everybody's been great New Zealand and I love coming down here. Thank you
And thanks so much for your time. Go well. Thanks guys rova music radio podcasts
The Morning Rumble
