Golf Pro Says He Swallowed a ‘Snowball’ of Creatine and Accidentally ‘Overdosed’ at BMW Championship

NEED TO KNOW

• Ben Griffin said that he consumed a “snowball” sized clump of creatine on the golf course during the 2025 BMW Championship

• The professional golfer said that he “started getting super shaky” and felt like he “had tremors”

• Griffin, who explained what had happened to reporters afterward, said that his caddie stepped into help him handle the situation mid-tournament

Ben Griffin had a different kind of pre-game jitters.

The professional golfer, 29, opened up about a match mishap that took place on the course during the 2025 BMW Championship on Sunday, Aug. 17, in Baltimore.

Griffin’s game was off to a shocking start in the final round, when he four-putted the first hole from four feet and then hit his tee shot out of bounds on the second hole at Caves Valley Golf Club. He was six over for the day by the time he walked off the third green.

After his round, the athlete provided an explanation for his unexpected start — or “an interesting story,” as he phrased it when speaking with reporters after the round.

“So, I take creatine as a supplement, and this time I didn’t take it until I basically tee’d off on 1. I was at the end of my batch. I had basically a snowball of creatine because it had been in my bucket for a month and broke it up and put in any water bottle,” he shared.

According to the Mayo Clinic, creatine can be taken to “improve athletic performance and increase muscle mass.” The supplement comes in multiple forms, including powders, tablet, capsules and liquid.

The organization notes that creatine may “benefit athletes who need short bursts of speed or increased muscle strength, such as sprinters, weight lifters and team sport athletes.”

The North Carolina native said he thought he was “all good” because he’d taken creatine on the golf course before. But, he experienced some unpleasant effects after consuming more of the supplement than usual.

“I started taking it after my second shot, and I accidentally swallowed one of the big rocks in my water bottle,” he explained. “I’ve never ‘overdosed’ on creatine before, but I think I did in the moment because I didn’t really drink any water after that.”

“I basically just inhaled a snowball,” he continued. “So, I started getting super shaky. I’ve never felt like that before and I felt like I had tremors.”

The Cleveland Clinic says creatine is “relatively safe,” but notes that side effects can include weight gain due to water retention, as well as dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and excessive sweating.

After his 4-put on one, the PGA player admitted that he was “freaking out” and “didn’t know what to do” because he hit it “so far” out of bounds. Fortunately, his caddie suggested he “chug a whole water” in attempt to calm down.

“I hit the other one in play and then I was fine,” he said, adding, “I ended up making, whatever, a double on that hole and bogeyed the next hole.”

Griffin said he was aware of his game as it was happening. In fact, he was “confident going into the round.” However, the “unfortunate” creatine consumption threw him off both mentally and physically.

“It was a weird feeling,” he said. “I honestly got to the, whatever, third tee box and I was like, ‘Well, I’m fine.’ Let’s pretend like that didn’t happen. Kind of sucks in the moment. Damn, I wish I could have reset my round and go back to one now because I felt good.”

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He concluded, “Regardless, lesson learned. I’ll be better in the future now.”

Griffin was 3-under par for the tournament and finished tied for 12th with Rory McIlroy and Harris English.

Scottie Scheffler won the BMW Championship.

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