An underdog takes to the fairway. A has-been dusts the cobwebs off his clubs for a final shot at glory. A never-was gets his shot at that title.
Golf movies are never just golf movies: they’re tales about exceptional individualism and overcoming adversity … or a hockey-player-turned-golfer who can spank the ball.
It’s been nearly 20 years since Happy Gilmore came out, and people are still attempting Adam Sandler’s ludicrous golf swing.
The point is golf movies inspire the winner within, reminding us why we play the game. So without further ado, here’s a toast to our favourite golf movies of all time:
5) Caddyshack 2 (1998)
IMDB says: “Kate Hartounian is a young girl with a snotty rich friend who wants Kate and her father, Jack, to become members at a high-class golf club. Everything is going fine until the current members meet Jack. His application to join is rejected. In retaliation, Jack buys the rights to the club and turns it into an amusement park-type golf club. In order to settle things once and for all, the two sides face off in a golf match.”
Caddyshack 2 is to Caddyshack, as Blues Brothers 2000 is to Terminator …
Royal Academy of Awesome Golf Movies: RATING 4/10
4) The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
IMDB says: “A disillusioned war veteran, Captain Rannulph Junah, reluctantly agrees to play a game of golf. He finds the game futile until his caddy, Bagger Vance, teaches him the secret of the authentic golf stroke which turns out also to be the secret to mastering any challenge and finding meaning in life.”
Dreamworks is looking at producing a follow up in 2016 called Bag of Antz 2
Royal Academy of Awesome Golf Movies: RATING 6/10
3) Tin Cup (1996)
IMDB says: “Roy ‘Tin cup’ McAvoy, a failed pro golfer who lives at the run-down driving range which he manages with his sidekick and caddy Romeo in the West Texas tin-pot town of Salome, ends up signing over ownership to a madam of ‘show girls’ to pay off debts. His foxy novice golf pupil, female psychiatrist Dr Molly Griswold, turns out to be the new girlfriend of McAvoy’s sarcastic one-time college golf partner, slick PGA superstar David Simms, who drops by to play into Roy’s fatal flaw: the inability to resist a dare, all too often causing him to lose against lesser players, in this case gambling away his car. Falling for Molly, Roy decides to become her patient; in order to earn her respect, he decides to try to qualify for the US Open, after starting off as Simm’s caddy ‘for the benefit of his experience’. His talent proves more than adequate, but over-confident negligence of risks, while pleasing the crowds, is murder on his scores, while Simms spits on the fans but never wastes a point…”
McAvoy: “Well, I tend to think of the golf swing as a poem. Something like ‘A journeyman pro from Nantucket …’” We think you know where he’s going with this one …
Royal Academy of Awesome Golf Movies: RATING 7/10
2) Happy Gilmore (1996)
IMDB says: “A Hockey player wannabe finds out that he has the most powerful golf drive in history. He joins the PGA Tour to make some money to save grandma’s house. The downside is that his hockey-player mentality doesn’t really go on the PGA Tour. Especially with the favourite to win the championship.”
Should have been a slapstick film … slapstick, get it? I’ll get my coat …
Royal Academy of Awesome Golf Movies: RATING 8/10
1) Caddyshack (1980)
IMDB says: “Comical goings on at an exclusive golf club. All the members are wealthy and eccentric, and all the staff are poor and slightly less eccentric. The main character is ‘Danny’; he’s a caddy who will do almost anything to raise money to go to college. There are many subplots, including the assistant greenkeeper’s pursuit of a cute (obviously stuffed) gopher.”
Not seen Caddyshack yet? Gopher it …
Royal Academy of Awesome Golf Movies: RATING 9/10
What’s your favourite golf movie? Let us know in the comments below.