Ben Griffin Reveals the Unusual Putter Trade That Landed Him His Coach
HONOLULU, HI - JANUARY 16: Ben Griffin USA watches his tee shot on 2 during the second round of the Sony Open on January 16, 2026, at Waialae Country Club, Honolulu, Hawaii. Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JAN 16 PGA, Golf Herren Sony Open in Hawaii EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2601160512
HONOLULU, HI - JANUARY 16: Ben Griffin USA watches his tee shot on 2 during the second round of the Sony Open on January 16, 2026, at Waialae Country Club, Honolulu, Hawaii. Photo by Ken Murray/Icon Sportswire GOLF: JAN 16 PGA, Golf Herren Sony Open in Hawaii EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2601160512
In a recent interview with Golf Digest, PGA Tour pro Ben Griffin answered a lot of questions from curious golf fans. While doing so, the American golfer revealed the unique interaction that led him to his current coach.
In the video “The Real Cost Of Being A PGA Tour Player”, Griffin was asked about the process of hiring a coach and the subsequent financial agreement. He went back in time and narrated the first conversation he had with his coach.
“I've been working with James Oh since 2019. Our agreement was kind of interesting," said Griffin. "We met at a dinner, and I was using a different coach at the time, and I had a putter that he really liked, and he wanted the putter, and I said, 'Well, you've got to give me some swing lessons in return,'" he added.
Apr 17, 2026; Hilton Head, South Carolina, USA; Ben Griffin walks up the 16th fairway with his caddie during the second round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Apr 17, 2026; Hilton Head, South Carolina, USA; Ben Griffin walks up the 16th fairway with his caddie during the second round of the RBC Heritage golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
The 30-year-old went on to give Oh his putter. In return, he got his part of the deal - a couple of swing lessons. The chemistry was instant, and the rest is history.
From then on, the pair have been together for seven years. During this period, Griffin has racked up three wins on the PGA Tour.
"You're going to pay a base based on expenses to travel to you to work together, or if I go out to him, uh, you know, he'll charge me a fee or whatnot, and then I like to give my coach bonuses when I play well,” added Griffin.
Griffin explained that the financial agreement with a coach and caddie were quite different but they did have angles of similarity.
It is widely known that Oh played a huge role in rebuilding Griffin’s confidence when he had stepped away from the sport in 2021.
Being one of the least technical instructors, Griffin has really synced with Oh’s training.
Let’s find out what Griffin had to say about the process of a financial agreement with a caddie.
Ben Griffin Details Financial Agreements With Caddie
Ben Griffin was asked about the details of a caddie’s salary. The PGA Tour pro was meticulous in his response.
“So caddies get paid a salary. Can range anywhere from a couple thousand dollars to maybe upwards of 5,000 as a base and then a percentage on top.” Griffin said.
The three-time PGA Tour winner further pointed out that most of the players paid their caddie a bonus in the range of 7 to 8%. However, a win on the tour could escalate that to 10%.
Griffin, throughout his entire PGA Tour career, has had only one caddie, and that is Alex Ritthamel. The PGA Tour pro also stated that he took complete care of his caddie’s hotel and travel costs.
2025 was a huge success for Griffin, and thus, it was a good year for Ritthamel too.
What are your thoughts on Griffin and Oh’s player-coach relationship? Share them in the comments.
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Written by
Avishek Sarkar
Edited by
Souvik Roy