Sports movies are an American staple, much like apple pie. From Chariots of Fire to Field of Dreams, sports cinema has been entertaining us for years. I come from a family that owned a video store before there was such a thing as Blockbuster, so I've seen my fair share of movies, and sports movies happen to be my favorite.
I also happen to be an avid golfer. I love the game, and I will watch anything from the US Women's Amateur to Big Break on the golf channel. When you put those two things together, you get a person who has seen every golf movie ever made, many of them more than once. I decided to put together a list of the greatest golf films ever made. In my opinion, there are only five worth mentioning, which is why this is a top five list.
Without further ado, let's get into my list of the top five golf movies ever made, which will include a short synopsis of the plot for those who have not seen it (spoiler-free) and my reasoning for where I ranked it. Grab your popcorn and enjoy. And feel free to discuss these movies and/or rankings with me -- I welcome it.
Best Golf Movies Ever Made: The Top 5
5. Happy Gilmore (1996)
Starting: Adam Sandler, Julie Bowen, Carl Weathers, Christopher McDonald
Fresh off of his Billy Madison success, Adam Sandler decided to tackle the first of his sports movies. In this film, he plays the title character.
Happy Gilmore is a hockey player wannabe who can't skate or handle a puck, but thanks to his dad, has one of the most powerful slap shots anyone has ever seen. He also has a good heart, but a quick temper. When his grandmother faces the threat of eviction due to back taxes, Happy wins a local golf tournament that earns him a spot on the "professional golf tour" so he can make enough money to save her home.
Happy's ability to drive a ball 400 yards makes him a fan favorite, while his antics and anti-golf attitude make him the ire of tour veteran Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald).
The plot is a little far-fetched and outrageous, but it's supposed to be. The film doesn't take itself too seriously, with one of its highlights being a fistfight that breaks out at a Pro-Am between Happy and Bob Barker.
There are so many hilarious and iconic lines from this film, and anyone who's seen it has definitely tried at some point to emulate Happy's swing, but none of us achieved his distance. This is still during the ascent of Sandler's meteoric rise, so if you enjoy his early buffoonery from movies like Billy Madison and The Waterboy, you'll enjoy this film as well.
4. The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)
Starting: Shia Labeouf, Stephen Dillane, Josh Flitter, Elias Koteas
Based on the events leading up to and surrounding the 1913 US Open, the film focuses primarily on Francis Ouimet (Labeouf), who came from a poor Massachusetts family and made his early living caddying at The Country Club in Brookline.
At the time, golf was a "gentleman's game", and those from poor backgrounds were considered second-class citizens on the course. Even Harry Vardon (Dillane), who at this time had won five British Opens and a US Open, was considered unworthy of membership a the prestigious country club because he came from a poor upbringing.
In an attempt to show Americans that the English were the best golfers on the planet (like USA Basketball), they sent Vardon, Ted Ray, and amateur champion Wilfrid Reid to play in the US Open and win it decisively. Ouimet made it into the US Open field by way of a qualifier, and the rest is literally history (check Wikipedia for spoilers).
The acting in this film is fantastic, and the story is compelling. I never get tired of seeing it, and if you like golf and the way Disney does sports movies, you'll enjoy this film as well. It's always fun to see the equipment and dress of golfers in the early days.
3. Caddyshack (1980)
Starring: Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Ted Knight, Bill Murray, Michael O'Keefe
This is where the controversy begins.
I know many people believe this is the greatest golf movie of all time, but I do think there are two movies that are better. I also feel that it's difficult for a comedy to compete with a drama or a dramedy, especially a comedy as quirky as Caddyshack.
It is a fun movie with really funny parts, but I also think there are some parts that drag a little bit. Bill Murray is absolutely genius as Carl Spackler, the greenskeeper.
There are several stories to follow within the film. The first is about Danny, a caddy at the private Bushwood Country Club, who is trying to save or get a scholarship for college. The other involves the battle between stuffy rich people like Judge Smails (Knight), chill rich people like Ty (Chase) and extremely obnoxious rich people like Al (Dangerfield).
The movie builds to a winner-take-all all 2-on-2 match, with a predictable substitution. It's funny, and the animatronic gopher is the star of the film.
2. The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
Starring: Matt Damon, Will Smith, Charlize Theron
This is a story told through the eyes of a child, or more factually, the memory of an old man remembering when he was a child. The Great Depression hits just as Adele Invergordon's (Theron) father finishes his dream of building the greatest golf course in the world, Krewe Island in Savannah, GA. Due to economic conditions, the course opens as a failure, and her father dies of suicide.
In order to stir up some publicity, and get people showing up at the golf course to play, Adele recruits Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen to play an exhibition match at her father's course for $10,000. The local politicians feel that they need somebody from Savannah to play, and Hardy Greaves recommends local golf champion and war hero, Randolph Junuh (Damon).
The problem is that Junuh has lost his swing, is struggling with the demons of PTSD, and is trying to remember who he is and who he wants to be.
Enter Bagger Vance (Will Smith), a caddy who happens to be passing through town, and offers to carry the bag for Junuh in the exhibition. He plays the role of a life coach or spirit guide throughout the tournament.
I find myself again smitten with old-time golf, and society from the 1920s. Robert Redford's direction of the film is fantastic, and everybody puts in a great acting performance. Jack Lemmon narrates as old man Hardy Greaves, and his voice is so warm and inviting and paints such a fantastic picture. I would even go as far as to say his narration is on the same level as Morgan Freeman from The Shawshank Redemption.
Whether you think this film should be rated this high or not, there's no denying that you enjoyed it. And if you haven't seen it, you will enjoy it.
1. Tin Cup (1996)
Starring: Kevin Costner, Rene Russo, Don Johnson, Cheech Marin
Roy McAvoy (Costner) is a driving range golf pro who is down and out. A bit of a local legend who strikes the golf ball better than anyone, the twists and turns of life have landed him living out of a Winnebago with his friend and caddy, Romeo (Marin).
When Molly -- or, rather, Doctor Griswold (Russo) -- shows up for a golf lesson, Roy is immediately smitten, only to find out she's the girlfriend of his college golf teammate and PGA Tour pro David Simms (Johnson). Molly can't see that David actually hates kids, old people, and apparently dogs, so Roy sets off to win the US Open to show that he's the better man for her.
There are actually professional golfers who make cameos in this film, and the golf scenes are very realistic. It's fun and funny, and we all love an underdog -- especially one who always goes for it.
On the golf course, we have all struggled with the same demons that Roy has in this film. They are beautifully summed up in an exchange with his caddy, when he says, "Greatness courts failure Romeo." Romeo responds, "You know what boss? You might be right. But here's what I know. Sometimes par is good enough to win."