Reel life golf

Love golf? You'll love the movie

Sports movies are a strange phenomena that can either make you feel like you’re going to accomplish nothing, or that you can accomplish anything. Again and again, you see the movies about the underdogs who pull themselves up from the dust and beat the longtime champions (Karate Kid, anyone?), stories about these people who have absurd natural talent that just needs to be harnessed (Dennis Quaid in the Rookie), or stories about groups of people who need to put aside their differences and pull together in order to succeed as a team (we’re not even going to ask if you Remember the Titans).

So where does golf fit into this film spectrum? We’re going to take a look at some of the top golf movies of the past 33 years—a specific time frame coming from the release date of a certain 1980 film involving gophers and Bill Murray—and see just how golf has made an impression on the silver screen.

No. 5: Happy Gilmore

Year: 1996
Rating: PG-13
Starring: Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald

When Happy Gilmore (played by Adam Sandler) finds out that his grandmother is going to have her house taken away if she doesn’t pay $270,000 to the IRS, he sets out on a mission to do whatever he can to raise the money. The only problem with his plan, however, is that Gilmore doesn’t have any marketable skills. Or so he thinks. Gilmore had been enthusiastic and determined to try and make a career as a professional hockey player, but had ultimately ended up without any success. That is, until he discovered that his unconventional swing allowed him to make the longest golf drive that many had ever seen.

The movie follows Gilmore’s antics when he signs up for the PGA tour to attempt to win the money to help his grandmother. His long drives, destructive playing method and in-your-face attitude combine to make him certainly one of the most unique players the tour has ever had. If you’re a fan of Sandler’s juvenile humour, you’ll be sure to enjoy laughing your way through his interesting journey to help his family.

No. 4: Tin Cup

Year: 1996
Rating: R
Starring: Kevin Costner, Rene Russo

Tin Cup follows the story of washed-up golfer Roy McAvoy (played by Kevin Costner), who had all of the talent to make the pros, but instead ended up operating a run-down driving range in West Texas. There he meets Dr. Molly Griswold (played by Rene Russo), a woman who immediately catches his attention—only to find out that she is in a committed relationship with a highly successful professional golfer. This, of course, provokes McAvoy to try to make a comeback and qualify for the U.S. Open in hopes of angering Griswold’s boyfriend and winning her heart.

While Tin Cup falls into a very typical sports-romance movie recipe, it is still quite enjoyable to watch. The country music soundtrack maintains a light-hearted atmosphere throughout the film, and the on-screen chemistry between Costner and Russo provides plenty of heat. Costner’s likeable portrayal of McAvoy as an unlikely heroic figure is sure to make all members of the audience root for him to succeed.

No. 3: The Legend of Bagger Vance

Year: 2000
Rating: PG-13
Starring: Will Smith, Matt Damon, Charlize Theron

The Legend of Bagger Vance tiptoes a fine line between philosophical journey and comeback tale with its title character, Bagger Vance (played by Will Smith) helping to pave the way for Rannulph Junuh (played by Matt Damon), a once-gifted amateur golfer from Savannah, Georgia. Upon his return from the First World War, Damon’s shell-shocked character is struggling with feeling like a mere shadow of what he once was—both on the course and off. Bagger Vance comes into play as his caddy for a golf tournament and leads the way for Junuh to find himself using ancient wisdom and just a hint of mysticism.

Though the film centers around the game of golf, it doesn’t present itself really as a sports movie. The film, based on the 1995 book of the same title by Steven Pressfield, uses the idea of making a golf comeback as a metaphor for making a comeback in life and gives the audience a unique perspective on what it means to be alive.

No. 2: CaddyShack

Year: 1980
Rating: R
Starring: Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Bill Murray, Michael O’Keefe

Caddyshack is a real Cinderella story that takes place at a highly exclusive golf club that is less-than-friendly to newcomers. However, that doesn’t prevent an enthusiastic young caddy named Danny Noonan (played by Michael O’Keefe) from wanting to make his way to the big leagues. The movie follows the misadventures of a whole variety of characters, from a snobbish developer (Rodney Dangerfield), to an impossibly laid back golf pro (Chevy Chase), to a certifiably insane greenskeeper (Bill Murray) seeking revenge on a dancing gopher.

Caddyshack is the epitome of slapstick humour, but it delivers so many laughs that you’ll have to be careful to watch for your sides splitting. This eternal golf course classic is one of the best raunchy comedies that has come out in the past four decades, and will likely be remembered for years to come.

No. 1: The Greatest Game Ever Played

Year: 2005
Rating: PG
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Stephen Dillane

On a more serious note, The Greatest Game Ever Played is a biographical feature that follows the life of Francis Ouimet (played by Shia LaBeouf), an American golfer often referred to as the “father of amateur golf.” In 1913, Ouimet became the first amateur golfer to compete in the U.S. Open—thus earning him the title. The film’s main conflict takes place between Ouimet and a professional British golfer of the time, Harry Vardon (played by Stephen Dillane), a favourite to win the championship that year without any major competition. Despite the obvious head-clash between these two golfers, it turns out that they may have more in common than originally expected.

This film has a great combination of golf history and human drama that manages to keep it interesting for both the golfer and the average viewer. Ouimet’s journey from lower-class Massachusetts caddy to U.S. Open competitor is a heartwarming underdog story that audiences of all ages can appreciate.