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US golfer Bubba Watson will finally make his LIV Golf debut in 2023 after spending last season as the non-playing captain of Niblicks GC due to his injury. The 44-year-old has already made a big change, Niblicks GC will now be known as RangeGoats GC.
There are different stories behind the interesting name. Apparently, Bubba Watson came up with the name with the help of his teammate Harold Varner III.
The first part of the new name, "Range," has its roots in Watson's childhood and his golf beginnings.
"It just goes back to the roots of who I am, where I come from. You know, I didn’t live a glamorous lifestyle growing up and I’m taking a wild guess that Harold didn’t either. So that’s where the whole process started in my mind," Bubba Watson said.
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Watson purchased the Summit Driving Range in August 2018, upgraded the facilities and renamed it the Pensacola Golf Center. It's the area's only stand-alone range.
The Summit Driving Range opened up near the American golfer's home in 1991.
The aforementioned range was an inspiration for the name of the team.
"It’s for the city. It’s a place to come and hit balls and learn the game of golf. Doesn’t matter what you wear. It’s just about having fun. That’s the kind of roots you think about in Bagdad and a guy named Bubba. We didn’t grow up in the country club lifestyle. The ‘range’ just made sense," he said.
Joking about the Niblicks' disappointing performance last year, Watson said that the new name offers them a built-in excuse.
"If we keep losing like the Niblicks did last year, then we can just say we’re really good on the range, but we’re not very good on the golf course," he added.
Generally, GOAT is considered an acronym for 'Greatest Of All Time' in sports lingo. However, Watson gave the acronym a different meaning: Golfers On A Team.
Watson also liked the double meaning behind the word; it could mean that they are phenomenal players or it could also mean that they make mistakes.
"Like, either you’re not very good at golf or you’re really good."
So, there is definitely a method to the madness behind the team's new name, RangeGoats GC. While the response from fans hasn't been entirely positive, it has certainly grabbed eyeballs on social media.
Fans react to Bubba Watson announcing 'RangeGoats GC'
Social media has been abuzz ever since Bubba Watson announced the transformation of Niblicks GC to 'RangeGoats GC'.
While some fans saw the logic behind the new name, many found the name funny, cringy or just not good. From memes to sarcasm to genuine shock, fans reacted to the name in various ways.
Here's a look at some of the reactions:
