"One thing that's different for me is wind" - Michael Phelps on bringing his swimming expertise to the golf course
Michael Phelps is one of the most famous swimmers with a massive fan base. He has achieved several laurels in swimming, which are sometimes considered impossible when his Olympic medal records are taken into account.
The Flying Fish retired post the 2016 Rio Olympics and since then has been having a good time off the pool, such as concentrating on his own swimwear brand, working as a mental health advocate, and playing golf often.
Last week on November 15, 2022, Michael Phelps was at the Topgolf Scottsdale cocktail party sponsored by 8AM Golf - GOLF's parent company. During his time there, the GOAT swimmer participated in an interaction with Subpar co-hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stolz.
Michael Phelps was joined by Tim Clark, Jim 'Bones' Mackay, and Parker McLachlin during the interaction. During the interaction, it was mentioned that the hardest part of golf is that the object is just sitting there, whereas in swimming it is about reacting.
The Baltimore Bullet said,
"Yeah, but the temperature of the pool is exactly the same. the depth is exactly the same. The length of all, the width of the lane line are exactly the same. My competitors are pretty much exactly the same. I get what you're saying, like a golf course like the one thing that's different for me is wind, right?"
The ace swimmer replied that the temperature of the pool, depth, length, and width of the lane line are all the same. He claimed that even his competitors are the same. He said the one thing that is different for him on the golf course is the wind.
The GOAT Olympian further said,
"And that's the one thing for me that's hard to adjust to, right? Like downwind I feel like I've figured that part out. But into the wind, it's just difficult."
Michael Phelps speaks about applying the same thought process for swimming and golf
Earlier during the interaction, Colt Knost asked Michael Phelps to give everyone an idea of what goes on in his head when he is on the starting block of a swimming event. The champion swimmer replied,
"Zero".
He said he has zero thoughts going on in his head when he stands on the starting block of a swim event. Colt then added to the question by asking what if he was standing on the "T". Michael said,
"It depends on where I am where I'm playing."
The GOAT Olympian said it depends on where he is and the location in which he is playing.
Michael Phelps stated that he honestly hopes that he has worked through enough things in the range that he can control the ball's flight and set up the perfect way. He feels setting up is a train wreck for him.
"Back to what I said, 'not think'. because the more I just do, the more I'm able to learn. And that's how I was in the swimming pool. And naturally, I've had better success on the golf course because I don't think. I just do. Right? You're athletic, you just do."
The Baltimore-born swimmer said he learns more by just doing the work. He follows the same in the swimming pool. Phelps stated that he naturally had better success on the golf course because he doesn't think and just gets the job done.
Michael Phelps isn't new to golf and it is almost like a second sport for him. He is so good at golf that he can even compete as a professional golfer because he has retired from swimming.