It seems every celebrity is picking up golf these days. From Jimmy Fallon to Travis Kelce and even Niall Horan, it feels like everyone has the golf bug.
Griffin, a six-time NBA all-star, explained on this week’s episode of GOLF’s Subpar that as he got to the last few years of his career, he decided he needed a competitive outlet outside of basketball.
“I was like, dude, I need a competitive outlet,” he said. “Or I could become a psychopath.”
That outlet turned out to be on the links.
“I just kind of made the decision,” Griffin said. “I went and got fitted for some clubs. Didn’t really have a swing — or a good swing, still don’t — but I played my first round and probably shot 120-somethin’. I was like, ‘Nope, I’ve got to get better at this. I can’t just be this bad.'”
So far, he’s found success in that quest. Just three years after picking up the game, Griffin has already gotten his handicap index down to a 13. This past summer, he even notched his first victory on the celebrity circuit as he won the 8AM Invitational in Las Vegas.
“I have days where I’m like, ‘Man, this feels great,'” he said. “And then I have days where I’m like, ‘I can’t.'”
Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.
