Golf is a wonderful sport, is it not? To this question no doubt many of you will respond, “No, it’s shit.” But hitting a ball into a hole with a stick is not “shit”, as you so eloquently put it — it is a noble and high-minded pursuit, and those who dedicate themselves to its perfection are worthy at the very least of your curiosity, in the event that your understanding and respect are not forthcoming.

Surfing’s foremost exponent of hitting a ball into a hole with a stick — surfing’s foremost exponent of riding a wave on a plank into the beach, for that matter — paired up with German pro golfer Marcel Siem for the recent AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, where the duo turned in a highly respectable fourth place. The pair finished on a combined score of 37 under par after posting rounds of 60, 65, 61 and 64, with Slater making it into the list of the top 5 shots of the event (see below).

156 teams, each comprised of one pro and one amateur golfer, entered the event, and were whittled down to 25 for the final day’s play. A pair’s combined score takes into account the amateur’s handicap — just 3 in Slater’s case, one of the lowest out of all the amateurs competing. Other celebrities taking part included former winner Bill Murray, Huey Lewis, Condoleezza Rice and Andy Garcia.