Stepped away from the game and worked as a loan officer for a mortgage group in North Carolina during the spring and summer of 2021. He had previous experience as a property manager for a North Carolina realty company.

Started playing golf as soon as he could walk. He remembers playing in U.S. Kids Golf events with his dad caddying; he shared a lot of special moments alongside his father.

Does not drink coffee or soda.

Enjoys going to the lake and wakeboarding.

His father, Cowan, and mother, Erika, met at University of North Carolina and settled in Chapel Hill after college.

His great grandfather, Benjamin Cowan Shields, played professional baseball (pitcher) for the New York Yankees from 1924-25, Boston Red Sox in 1930, and Philadelphia Phillies in 1931. He joined the Yankees late in 1923, pitched batting practice, and Babe Ruth hit a line drive into the right side of his chest. Near the end of 1925, Shields had recurring medical problems and discovered the line drive damaged his lung and it became infected over the two-year period. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis and voluntarily retired until his return in 1930.

Played collegiately for four seasons at University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill (2014-18), earning All-America Honorable Mentions in 2015 and 2017, All-America Scholar laurels in 2017 and 2018, and All-Atlantic Coast Conference plaudits in 2015 and 2018.

Won three individual titles at North Carolina and broke the program record for career scoring average (72.02), a record once held by Davis Love III.

Finished T2 at the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship, where he lost to Jimmy Stanger, a Korn Ferry Tour member then at the University of Virginia, in a playoff.

Won two U.S. Kids Golf Teen World Golf Championships at Pinehurst, winning the Boys 14 title in 2010 and the Boys 15-18 crown in 2011. The 2010 field included Sam Burns, who finished T9. Griffin beat Korn Ferry Tour member Will Gordon by a stroke to take the 2011 title.

Won the 2013 AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions over a field which included Doug Ghim (T4), Sam Burns (6th), Zecheng Dou (7th), Carl Yuan (9th), Scottie Scheffler (T10), and Cameron Champ (T15), in addition to earning a spot on the 2013 AJGA Rolex Junior All-America First Team with Scheffler and Collin Morikawa.

Won individual North Carolina state titles as a freshman (2011) and junior (2013). He chipped in on the second playoff hole when he won the 2011 title as freshman.