Ben Griffin reminisces the scene as if it were yesterday. It’s the 2011 North Carolina 4A state championship golf. Griffin, a freshman at 4’11”, is up against Andrew Decker, a senior, in a playoff at Pinehurst No. 6. Griffin approaches the par-4 18th hole and finds a greenside bunker. He catches it thinly and the ball sails past the green. Griffin scores his par chip as Decker faces a 15-footer. Decker misses and the state champion is now Griffin. Griffin stated, “I had never played before cameras or anything, but there are all these news channels filming, 200 people viewing,” Griffin. Griffin said that all high school teams, parents, and coaches are watching. “I picked the line, hit it, it bounced straight, and went right in to the middle. It was amazing. It was crazy. “I had seen so many Tiger films and all those people who were so calm and collected in these moments, but I knew I was shaking. I was shaking, and I hit it. I tried to keep my fierce look on because I am 14 years old and 4’11”. I was the 4A state champ, and had not yet gone through puberty. My voice was very high. It was insane.” Griffin recalls the scene because he loves the game from childhood in North Carolina. He was a great golfer, thanks to his grandpa and dad Cowan. Griffin went on to college at North Carolina where he was an honorable mention All-American twice and won the PGA TOUR Canada 2018 in his first year as a professional. He was awarded a PGA TOUR card in his 2022 Korn Ferry Tour debut. He was T3 in his fourth TOUR appearance as a member. The RSM Classic will be the final stop for this rookie from Sea Island, Georgia. Griffin is a man you wouldn’t believe if you looked at him. James Oh spent his entire career playing golf. He was a player on both the PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tours, and now he is a swing coach for both men’s and ladies’ golf tours. According to Oh, there are two reasons that a pupil will call him: “You’re either getting married or getting fired.” Griffin called to inform him that he was leaving for spring 2021. Griffin, a feel player who had never had a consistent swing coach growing up, embraced Oh’s philosophy as one of the least technical coaches in the game. Griffin fell into one of the traps of professional golf: an overabundance of free time. He was a tinkerer just for the sake. Randy Myers, his trainer, said that he was constantly videotaping his swing and changing his equipment. He became the man he never wanted to be.” Griffin trusted Oh’s work, which he described as a series small tweaks and not major overhauls. “16 things I have to do differently to me to be No. He felt his game was improving. He was now in status no-mans land after he lost his Korn Ferry Tour status and had missed Q-School during the pandemic hiatus. Myers stated that financial stress and mental uncertainty combined didn’t help matters. He was “getting beat down” by trying to complete Monday qualifier after Monday qualifying. That high school freshman’s unbridled joy had almost disappeared. Griffin stated that he was “so burnt out on golf.” Griffin said that he didn’t feel the passion for golf. 77% of those surveyed by Deloitte also stated they had experienced burnout in their current jobs. It was time to decide what to do next. Griffin decided to take a fresh start and completed the required coursework. He also passed the accreditation tests at both the state and national levels and was licensed as a mortgage loan officer at CIMG Residential Mortgage, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Oh stated, “If you want to get away with it, get away.” “That’s what you need to be a player. If you don’t feel motivated to return, it’s best to not do it.” It is not okay to be told by someone else that you should do it. It takes passion to do it. Griffin admitted that he had “only barely passed” his accreditation tests to join CIMG. He was taught by Karen Lorbacher, a loan coordinator and a colleague. He said, “She taught me everything I learned.” Griffin was able to join other realtors at networking events and start to generate business by the beginning of June. Normal hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. but it can stretch to 14 hours (7 a.m.-9 p.m.), if things get busy. He believed he was a mortgage officer and not a professional golfer. Griffin’s grandfather, Douglas, who lived by the motto “Hit them long & straight,” died in July. Griffin was compelled to play golf on his way to work one day, shortly after the death of his grandfather. Griffin wondered if this was a sign. Jesse Ahearn and Mike Swann, both members of Highland Springs CC, Springfield, Missouri – the long-standing host venue for the Korn Ferry Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship presented Dr Pepper – insist on flying Griffin out to the Monday qualifier. Griffin took some time off to card 65 to make it into the field. However, he stayed on Sunday to watch Dylan Wu, a friend of PGA TOUR Canada win his first PGA TOUR card. Myers, a trainer, revealed to Griffin that Doug Sieg, a mutual acquaintance and managing partner of Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC, was interested in sponsoring Griffin. Although Sieg was interested in sponsorship, Griffin decided to take up his new job as loan officer. He was heading to the Korn Ferry Tour qualifier, which changed everything. He was able to become a golfer again as everything was falling into place. Myers stated that Doug said, “I’m not going do this with anyone but Ben.” “The reason is that it doesn’t have to be someone on TOUR; I just need someone who can work with my clients and help me in clinics and is a good person. It was simply, ‘I love him, regardless of his ambitions and where he is going. Griffin, who was eager to return to his career, had his sponsorship renewed. Although it was difficult to tell his team at CIMG of his departure, he didn’t want to let this opportunity pass by. After completing the First Stage and Second Stages of Korn Ferry Tour Q-School, he carried his bag to both events. He then wrote a 64th round at Final Stage in Georgia, thereby securing guaranteed starts. He phoned Sieg and Myers during a rain delay at a Savannah motel, where Sieg gently reminded him of the possibility of better accommodations. He began to regain his confidence during the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour season. He sought out rental homes to cook and prepare meals. Although he was able to forgive himself for a few drinks at the Korn Ferry Tour graduation in Omaha in August, he opted for a vegan diet. Griffin stated, “Everything works together.” I have a great team that supports me. It has helped me to see clearly. Being healthy will make me feel more positive when I’m out and about. My mind will be clearer if I don’t drink alcohol. “There are many things that can affect your golf game more then you think.” Lessons learned Griffin scored a 59 in a casual round on the Plantation Course at Sea Island Golf Club. To do this, he shot from 155 yards. He was fourth in the TOUR’s 2021-22 Regular season-ending Wyndham Champion (contesting on a sponsor exemption). He also enjoyed a weekend in Bermuda. Griffin had one of the most successful seasons in professional golf, with his three runner up finishes on 2022 Korn Ferry Tour. Griffin was able to find people who could motivate him and help him get back on track. Griffin’s short break was crucial. Myers said, “He had to accept it.” He wouldn’t have been here if he didn’t. He would have quit, but he never came back. Griffin agrees. He said, “I’ve never spent so much time away from the game.” It’s so important, far more valuable than I could have ever imagined. It doesn’t matter what you do in your life, it is important to take a step back and breathe. “Get your mind off of it,” is a common saying. Breathe. Golf is what I was meant to be playing.
By: Kevin Prise
Title: How burnout helped Ben Griffin rediscover his competitive edge
Sourced From: www.pgatour.com/tour-insider/2022/11/14/ben-griffin-from-mortgage-loan-officer-to-pga-tour-card-burnout-competitive-edge-sea-island.html
Published Date: Mon, 14 Nov 2022 13:23:00 -0500
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