FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Ben Griffin has a nickname. Whether it sticks or not, we shall see, but thanks to golf influencer Erick Lottary, the founder of RNG Golf Club, Griffin has been dubbed “Benny Booms” in a video shot during the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis last month.
“I think people commented on it and people needed a nickname for me because I’m a new face, and I guess that one landed for now,” Griffin said during a press conference Thursday ahead of the start of the 45th Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black. “I’ve also heard a lot of Bethpage Bennies over the last like four months. I might like that one a little bit more. But hey, people can say what they want. I’m all into free speech.”
Griffin, 29, enjoyed a breakthrough year on the PGA Tour, winning for the first time at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a team event with Andrew Novak, and validated with his first individual title at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Part of his success story has been adding nearly 10 yards off the tee in one season, improving from 295.6 yards, a rank of 136th on Tour, to 305.3 yards and 70th best on Tour. But he might need to add some more ball speed before he qualifies as “Benny Booms.” He did, however, note that he sent one during a practice round and outdrove long-driving Bryson DeChambeau once.
Griffin’s University of North Carolina golf teammate Ryan Gerard said he and his teammates used to call him Benny Buckets in college. “Because he was liable to make it from anywhere,” Gerard said.
Griffin’s nickname has been a topic of discussion this week on social media, and it has been widely panned as a miss. But as with the best nicknames, they happen organically and you don’t get to choose them; they find a way to choose you. When a reporter asked Griffin if he thought the nickname would stick, he replied,
“I don’t know if it’s going to stick or not but it seems like it stuck with you.”