Wayne Gretzky addressed the viral barefoot golf photo with Travis Kelce during a recent appearance on the "New Heights" podcast, co-hosted by Kelce and his brother, Jason. The discussion took place on May 28, where Gretzky, now 64, shared his side of the story.
"You know what pissed me off about the whole thing?" Gretzky remarked. "We took the picture and everyone sent me letters and phone calls, 'what are you doing golfing in bare feet?' I wasn’t golfing. I wanted to take a picture. I wanted to do a nice thing and I’m the one taking all the heat."
The photo was snapped during a visit to a friend's home along a Tennessee golf course. In a rush to greet his wife, Janet, who was arriving with a group that included Kelce, 35, and professional golfer Dustin Johnson, Gretzky dashed outside without his shoes. He also presented Kelce with a head cover that Jason described as "the greatest head cover I have ever seen in my life."
What was intended as a simple photo opportunity quickly escalated into a social media sensation when Gretzky's daughter, Paulina, posted it on Instagram as part of a Father's Day tribute last June.
While Gretzky did not actually play a round barefoot, the concept isn't entirely outlandish. PGA Tour professional Joseph Bramlett went shoeless in 2013 while recovering from a back injury. "The reason hitting the ball barefoot has been really helpful for me is with my old swing patterns," Bramlett explained in a 2019 video on X. "If I were to swing with shoes on, I would jump off the ground, my foot would get up, I’d land on my ankle and it would hurt really bad."
Bramlett continued, "So because I don’t have the support without shoes on, it forces me to feel the ground between my feet and my toes and really grip the ground on my downswing, which in turn slows my hip turn and gets the clubs and arms working more in sync, putting less stress on my lower back."
As for Gretzky, who enjoyed a legendary 20-year career in the NHL, he offered more than just a head cover to Kelce. Before concluding the podcast, he advised the Kansas City Chiefs tight end against retirement until he feels completely ready. Kelce had openly contemplated stepping away from football after his Chiefs faced defeat against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, marking a disappointing end to one of his statistically worst seasons.
"Don’t let them take the jersey away from you until you’re absolutely ready to quit," Gretzky urged. "Make them rip it off your back."
