‘As an athlete, you push yourself to limits you never thought were possible‘ – Michael Phelps. And that’s exactly what he’s done throughout his career. While we all know him for dominating the pool, with a record-breaking 28 Olympic medals, including 23 golds, Phelps is much more than just a swimmer. He is a family man who enjoys exploring sports such as golf, baseball, and lacrosse. Having concluded his swimming career in 2016 with five gold medals and a silver at the Rio Games, he has been enthusiastically pursuing interests, continuously pushing himself to embrace fresh challenges. Currently, he is delving into his new “obsessed” passion, with great excitement.

Back in 2022, Michael Phelps opened up about his love for sports beyond swimming, admitting, “If I could choose anything, I would want to be a golfer.” This game is more than just a passing interest — it’s become a true passion. For Phelps, golf has evolved from a hobby to what he calls an obsession. “I’m just obsessed. I got my wife obsessed too, which is nice so we get to get out and play a (Jon) Rahm and he gives me a ton of shots, but I still compete. That’s one of the things I love about golf,” said Phelps. As the 39-year-old continues to pursue his latest passion, it’s clear that his competitive spirit remains as strong as ever. But when will he play?

Phelps is gearing up to showcase his skills in The Match: Superstars, a celebrity golf tournament set to air on TNT from November 21 to 22. The event will also be shown live on Max. However, it will also include a star-studded lineup of athletes and entertainers like Wayne Gretzky and baseball legend Ken Griffey Jr., alongside Dream Team member Charles Barkley and NBA All-Star Blake Griffin, who will all be vying for victory. Celebrities such as Bill Murray and Mark Wahlberg, along with comedian Nate Bargatze, are set to join in the fun and competitive activity.

The competition is set up in a team format where Phelps teams up with Wahlberg to face Bargatze and Griffin in the first round of matches. Team pairings also include Murray and Gretzky going against Barkley and Griffey. Once the first round is done, the tournament will move on to the semifinals and, ultimately, a final showdown where the victorious team will secure $1 million for charity. But at the same time, Phelps has revealed that if he had to choose a sport he’s truly good at, other than swimming, it wouldn’t be golf. In fact, it’s something quite different.

From hating water to breaking records, Michael Phelps’ shocking childhood story

Michael Phelps didn’t always dream of being a swimmer. As a kid, he was actually really into baseball and lacrosse. He loved playing catcher and used to constantly throw off his helmet—so much so that he’d end up breaking it all the time. “I was always throwing the mask off,” said Phelps. When it came to lacrosse, he played the long stick middie position, one of the most important roles on the field. He covered the best offensive players and played strong defense. In fact, his coach had to step in when Phelps was 11, telling him to focus on swimming instead of juggling multiple sports.

When he was younger, Phelps didn’t take to swimming naturally, he used to dislike getting his face wet and all that jazz! His mom, Debbie, then had this genius idea to introduce him to the backstroke. That’s when his passion for swimming really took off! On top of that challenge with swimming, Phelps also had to deal with ADHD, which made it hard for him to focus in school. Debbie collaborated with his teachers to create strategies that worked for him! She even went as far as hiring a tutor who incorporated swimming-themed math problems into his sessions, which not only kept him engaged but also instilled in him the discipline that would eventually shape his future career path.

Throughout everything they went through together, Debbie always supported Phelps wholeheartedly. She instilled in him the importance of play during a significant moment when he tossed his goggles in frustration after finishing second. Her gesture of forming a “C” with her hand to help him regain composure made an impact on both of them! Even though his remarkable swimming career came to an end in 2016, Phelps hasn’t slowed down. He’s now dedicated to working through his foundation. Whatever lies ahead for Phelps is sure to be extraordinary.