LIV Golf team names, explained: Breaking down meanings, logos for Cleeks, Niblicks and more

LIV Golf's first event is set to begin on Thursday. The Saudi-backed start-up tour has generated a lot of buzz ahead of its three-day tournament in London, including everything from the golfers joining the upstart competition to the massive purse that will be available in the competition.

But on Tuesday, one thing overshadowed all else: the announcement of the 12 team names for the tour.

LIV Golf is using a unique format in its tournaments. Players will compete individually to win the event, but they will also be a part of a four-man team as well. In the first two rounds of the tournament, the two best scorers on each team will be credited. In the final round, the three best scores will be counted.

The teams are drafted days ahead of each event by a captain, and this added element of competition is one of the ways LIV Golf is attempting to differentiate itself.

The new setup may well work. But after the announcement of the tour's 12 team names, some were rolling their eyes — or scratching their heads — at the names and logos that LIV Golf chose. Here's a look at the names and logos for all 12 teams and how they relate to the game of golf.

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What are the teams for LIV Golf London?

There are 12 teams that are a part of the LIV Golf tour, and they will remain in place throughout the season. The only thing that will change is the players playing for each squad.

The 12 teams for the first LIV Golf event are as follows:

• Aces GC
• Cleeks GC
• Crushers GC
• Fireballs GC
• Hy Flyers GC
• Iron Heads GC
• Majesticks GC
• Niblicks GC
• Punch GC
• Torque GC
• Smash GC
• Stinger GC

MORE: Phil Mickelson explains why he joined LIV Golf, broke from PGA Tour

What do the LIV Golf team names mean?

Some of the LIV Golf team names are fairly self-explanatory. Others are a bit less familiar to the tour's viewers. All of them, naturally, are related to golf.

Below is a description of each team name:

Aces GC

Aces is likely a reference to a hole-in-one, which is often referred to as an "ace."

Cleeks GC

If you didn't know what a "cleek" was, you're not alone. The word is primarily Scottish and describes "a club with an iron head, a narrow face, and little slope, used for shots from a poor lie on the fairway and sometimes for putting," per Dictionary.com.

Crushers GC

Likely a reference to those that hit the ball far. That makes it fitting that Peter Uihlein, who averages 310.9 yards per drive, would be on this team. 

Fireballs GC

The logo for this team is an anthropomorphic golf ball on fire. You get the picture.

Hy Flyers GC

Here's a team name that's a play on words. A "highflyer" is a person who has the potential to be successful in something. Meanwhile, "hy" is the abbreviation for a hybrid club in a golf bag. Thus, "Hy Flyers" was born.

Iron Heads GC

Most of the clubs in a golfer's bag are irons. What would you call the club face on those clubs? That's right, iron head.

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Majesticks GC

Another play on words, but this one is easier to decipher. LIV Golf combined "majestic" and "sticks" — which golf clubs can be referred to as — to make "Majesticks."

Niblicks GC

Niblick is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as "an iron golf club with a wide deeply slanted face used for short shots out of sand or long grass or for shots where quick loft and little roll is desired." In other words, it's a 9-iron.

Punch GC

How many times have we heard an announcer mention "punching" a ball out of the rough? To hit a punch shot, a golfer takes a shorter swing to lower the trajectory of the ball in flight. This is often done in an attempt to avoid obstacles such as overhead trees.

Torque GC

Different golf club shafts have different amounts of torque on them, and that determine how prone the club is to twisting. Some prefer the club to have more torque (more twist) while others prefer less torque (less twist).

Smash GC

Smash is likely a reference to how hard a golf ball is hit. There is something called "smash factor", which measures "the ratio between the speed of the ball as it leaves the clubface and your swing speed," per Golf Digest. So, this team's name may stem from that advanced stat.

Stinger GC

A stinger shot is a control shot used by golfers which keeps the ball lower to the ground during its flight. It is often used on windy days to avoid the ball being pushed wayward by strong gusts. 

MORE: Why is Dustin Johnson playing in Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series?

What does the GC at the end of each team name stand for?

The "GC" following each team name stands for "Golf Club." And in this context, golf club is in reference to the organizational term, not the physical club with which you hit the ball.

LIV Golf team logos

LIV Golf released a video revealing its 12 team names on Tuesday. The logos can be seen in that video. The group of logos contains everything from plain letters to a scorpion's stinger to an anthropomorphic golf ball on fire.

Below is a look at the official release from LIV Golf:

Time to pick your team... 👀👇

— LIV Golf (@LIVGolfInv) June 7, 2022

And below is a screenshot of each of the 12 teams' default logos:

Team logos for LIV Golf teams or preselected images for relocated teams in any video game ever? pic.twitter.com/JnWo9eeGnK

— Get In The Hole Podcast (@GetInTheHolePod) June 7, 2022

MORE: What does LIV Golf stand for?

LIV Golf draft results

The teams for LIV Golf's first event were established two days ahead of it. Below is a list of each four-man squad, including the captain, who selected his three fellow golfers.