Yesterday marked 25 years since the legendary Happy Gilmore first appeared on our screens. It’s such a household name that I’m (almost) 100% sure that golf fans will have heard of the film and Adam Sandler’s memorable performance, even if they haven’t seen it.
But now that everyone’s talking about it again, you might be wondering if there are any other half decent golf films out there that’ll help to fill the time during lockdown.
If that’s you then wonder no more. I’ve put together a list of my 6 favourite golf films- aside from Happy Gilmore. Hopefully, you’ll find something on here that you’ve not seen before. If not, then you can rest easy in the knowledge that you’re a golf film expert.
1. Caddyshack (1980)
Usually the first on every one of these lists (yes, I’ve checked), is Caddyshack. This film can only be described as non-stop golf chaos, but in the best possible way, of course. It features big names like Chevy Chase who stars as the brash, new member of an elite golf club and Bill Murray as the clumsy groundsman Carl Spackler. Definitely worth a watch if you’re looking for 90 minutes of old-school cinematic fun.
2. The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
But if we’re talking about star power, we can’t ignore the Legend of Bagger Vance. Matt Damon stars as a washed-up golfer who gets help to get back in the game from his caddy, Will Smith. Smith won an academy award for best supporting actor for his role in this film. Although it may be a bit cheesy at times, it’s undeniably a truly heart-warming story about the camaraderie between golfers and caddies.
3. The greatest game ever played (2005)
This one is another fan favourite, based on the true story of American golfer, Francis Ouimet’s, early life. Shia LaBeouf plays Ouimet, who the film follows as he competes in the 1913 US-Open as an amateur and changed the course of golf history in the process (is that a spoiler?). While most of us can’t get out playing, maybe we’ll get some inspiration from Ouimet’s story, as directed by Bill Paxton, in the meantime.
4. Tommy's Honour (2017)
Full of drama and tragedy, this biopic is based on Kevin Cook’s history of the complex relationship between St Andrews golfing legend Old Tom Morris and his son, Tommy. It really gets to the heart of deep themes such as jealously, legacy and family, as both father and son break golfing barriers in their own right. This one's my personal favourite of the six, in case anyone wanted to know.
5. Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004)
However, 12 years before Tommy’s Honour was released, this Bobby Jones biopic became the first film allowed to film at the R&A in St Andrews. It follows the legendary story of the only golfer to ever win all four major championships in a single season in 1930. What’s great about this film is that the writers really managed to capture the energetic and passionate spirit, while still touching on the complexities that come with so much success.
6. The Short Game (2013)
If you’re in the mood for something more informative but still entertaining, I’d recommend checking out this short (no pun intended) documentary on the young, yet talented kids in the US who are getting started in the game and what challenges they face as they are thrust in to the spotlight so early on. With some big name producers such as Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake, I liked this for shedding light on a little-known aspect of the game.
