Biography & Early Wealth Journey
It was in 2011 that Grellar was randomly paired with a promising young prospect named Jordan Spieth. Whatever happened during that four-hour walk apparently resonated with Spieth. After playing one year at Texas, Spieth went pro. One of his first calls he made was to Grellar, gauging interest to see if he would leave his life behind to caddy for a PGA Tour rookie.
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Being a caddy can be extremely profitable. While there is no set salary, the president of the Professional Caddies Association (PCA) said most caddies get a 10% cut when golfers win a tournament. When coupled with bonuses, some caddies can earn more than $1 million per year.
Primary Income Streams & Multi-Million Contracts
On the other hand, being a caddy can be extremely risky. Caddies operate as independent contractors. There is no 401K, no summer vacation, no union-negotiated health plan. If a golfer misses a cut, there's no paycheck. Caddies must also foot their own bill to get to the tournament and stay somewhere.
Grellar took the plunge. He recently told the Golf Channel that it was worth the risk for one year to see how things would work. So far, the leap of faith has led to a pot of gold. Assuming the PCA is correct, Grellar's 10% cut for Spieth's win at Augusta would pocket a $180,000 payday. Over the last month, estimates suggest Grellar has pocketed nearly $400,000. With Spieth's career earnings already topping $14 million, you can see why Grellar is loving life at the moment.
Keep in mind, Spieth is just 21. Golfers like Tom Watson, Phil Mickelson, and Ben Crenshaw, a mentor of Spieth's, have had the same caddy for decades. Golfers also can win in their 40s and move into the Champion's Tour at 50. Assuming Spieth and Grellar stay on the same page, Grellar could soon emerge as one of, if not the highest-earning caddy in the world.
It seems fitting a science teacher would conduct an experiment. But instead of a using a bunsen burner and white lab coat, it was a golf bag and caddy outfit. The results of this experiment certainly look life-changing at the moment.
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