Opinion & Analysis

Golf Movie Madness: What’s the best golf film ever?

Published

6 years ago

Mar 19, 2020

In the spirit of a certain collegiate sporting event that occurs during the third month of the year (which will unfortunately not be occurring this year), we’re presenting a bracket of our own and allowing you to determine the winners via a series of polls.

We’ll leave voting open for 48 hours for the first eight matchups. At that time, we’ll determine the winners and matchups for the next four matches. We’d say the “final four” matches, but that might be met with a cease and desist letter…

The movies and seeding were determined by a contentious round-table discussion among the WRX staff (via Zoom meeting, naturally), and Editor-in-Chief Ben Alberstadt was tasked with composing the thoroughly amateur bracket in Google Sheets. He did not disappoint with respect to the amateurishness. (Note: the inclusion of Caddyshack in the featured image does not necessarily mean GolfWRX is biased toward that particular Brian Doyle-Murray, Harold Ramis, and Doug Kenney-written masterpiece)

Game 1

Tin Cup

Roy McAvoy (Kevin Costner) is a washed-up golf pro now turned instructor who falls for his latest pupil (Rene Russo) who just happens to be the girlfriend of PGA Tour great and enemy of McAvoy, David Simms (Don Johnson). Embarrassed by Simms at an exhibition, McAvoy decides to return to the game and make a run at the U.S. Open.

Bagger Vance

Rannulph Junuh (Matt Damon), whose life and career has been turned upside down after World War 1, is brought in to play a high stakes match at Adele Invergordon’s (Charlize Theron) family golf course. Struggling with his game, Junuh meets the mysterious caddie Bagger Vance (Will Smith) – who changes his path of destiny.

Who wins game 1?

Tin Cup (75%, 2,165 Votes)
The Legend of Bagger Vance (25%, 732 Votes)

Total Voters: 2,897

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Game 2

The Greatest Game Ever Played

Working-class immigrant Francis Ouimet (Shia LaBeouf) in employed as a caddie at the exclusive Brookline Country Club where he works on his game in his off-time. Fighting class boundaries, Ouimet enters the 1913 U.S. Open where he competes against his childhood hero Harry Vardon (Stephen Dillane).

Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius

Based on the real-life of Bobby Jones (Jim Caviezel), who while winning events left, right and center, must lean on his wife Mary (Claire Forlani) to control his intense persona and to balance his life on and off the course.

Who wins game 2?

The Greatest Game Ever Played (78%, 2,188 Votes)
Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (22%, 618 Votes)

Total Voters: 2,806

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Game 3

Happy Gilmore

Ice Hockey wannabe Happy Gilmore (Adam Sandler) finds he has a talent for golf and in learning that his grandmother (Frances Bay) is on the verge of losing her house he joins a tournament to win the money for her. Disrupting the applecart with his foulmouth and unorthodox approach, and armed with a big drive but poor putting, Gilmore must take down his greatest foe Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald).

Dead Solid Perfect

Kenny Lee (Randy Quaid) is a talented underachiever who learns about life and himself as he travels the country, struggling to turn pro and enter the U.S. Open.

Who wins game 3?

Happy Gilmore (76%, 2,165 Votes)
Dead Solid Perfect (24%, 697 Votes)

Total Voters: 2,862

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Game 4

Caddyshack

Danny Noonan (Michael O’Keefe) works as a caddie at an exclusive golf club in an effort to fund his education. Eccentric club members, a gopher running riot and all-out chaos ensue in this golf film classic which features the likes of Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and Rodney Dangerfield.

A Gentleman’s Game

Timmy Price (Mason Gamble) is a 12-year-old boy who caddies at an exclusive country club who learns about life as he sees the seismic divide in wealth and class between the members who frequent the club and the staff members.

Who wins game 4?

Caddyshack (95%, 2,726 Votes)
A Gentleman's Game (5%, 145 Votes)

Total Voters: 2,871

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23 Comments

R2D2

Mar 20, 2020 at 10:36 pm

Seven Days in Utopia wasn’t terrible..

Reply Report comment
Boyo

Mar 20, 2020 at 2:43 pm

“We’re all gonna get laid!”

Reply Report comment
Rich Douglas

Mar 20, 2020 at 10:06 am

Where’s Caddyshack II?

Reply Report comment
- ken
  
  Mar 20, 2020 at 11:16 am
  
  Caddtshack II, A movie that should never have been made
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Rich Douglas
    
    Mar 20, 2020 at 3:02 pm
    
    Sarcasm-impaired, huh? Too bad.
    
    Reply Report comment
- Michaele
  
  Mar 20, 2020 at 2:53 pm
  
  In the bottom of the toilet.
  
  Reply Report comment
Dttruman

Mar 20, 2020 at 9:40 am

What about “Follow the Sun”, about Ben Hogan, You got a story in there about Bobby Jones?

Reply Report comment
Old tom

Mar 20, 2020 at 9:07 am

Where is Tommy’s Honour?

Reply Report comment
Dan

Mar 20, 2020 at 8:52 am

This poll lost all credibility when I see HG has move votes than DSP

For those who haven’t seen Dead Solid Perfect: https://youtu.be/TrVPsofkko4

Reply Report comment
- Nick
  
  Mar 20, 2020 at 9:05 am
  
  Came here to say this. If you don’t vote for DSP you’re a cop.
  
  Reply Report comment
- TommyV
  
  Mar 20, 2020 at 2:51 pm
  
  Thanks for the link, had never seen it before. Tried to buy it a few years back and couldn’t find it for sale.
  
  Reply Report comment
- Russell Ziskey
  
  Mar 21, 2020 at 9:08 pm
  
  OMG I have been looking for this movie for nearly 30 years. I almost bought a VHS copy in like 2005 that was going for $70 so I could rip it to a digital format, but would have then needed to find a VCR!
  
  That’s for the link – an unbelievable public service u have performed!!!
  
  Reply Report comment
pat

Mar 20, 2020 at 8:50 am

People should try to see “Dead Solid Perfect”, a true golf movie, before voting. Also agree, a tough draw against “Happy Gilmore” which most everyone has seen. Glad DSP was included in poll so that many will now be aware of this undiscovered gem. Thanks for including it.

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GhostofKenGreen

Mar 19, 2020 at 11:47 pm

Dead solid perfect ! Happy Gilmore is the game improvement iron of golf movies.

Reply Report comment
- Steve Cantwell
  
  Mar 20, 2020 at 12:26 am
  
  Excellent metaphor (?)!
  
  Reply Report comment
- MikeB
  
  Mar 20, 2020 at 11:04 am
  
  Dead Solid Perfect hands down!! Those who didn’t vote for DSP, never saw it. IMHO, better than Tin Cup. Case in point, at any US Open, when will a 3w, into a green, back up and go into the water? Multiple times.
  Happy Gilmore was entertaining, but not really a true golf movie.
  Seeing nothing is on, The Golf Channel needs to get Dead Solid Perfect on the air, some how, some way. Just buy the rights, ESPN has the money.
  
  Reply Report comment
Steve Cantwell

Mar 19, 2020 at 8:55 pm

Happy Gilmore is not a golf movie. It’s a comedy that uses golf as a backdrop. Dead solid perfect is by far a much better movie. Sadly, it had no chance against Adam Sandler.

Reply Report comment
Jason

Mar 19, 2020 at 7:46 pm

Dead Solid Prefect is a great “golf” movie. It’s actually one of those movies that should be remade.

Reply Report comment
Will o'the Glen

Mar 19, 2020 at 3:42 pm

“A Gentleman’s Game” is a nice little movie that maybe 20 people have ever seen, most of them related to Tom Coyne, the author of the book is its based on. I liked it, and I even own a copy on DVD. Tough, tough 1st-round draw against “Caddyshack”.

“Dead Solid Perfect” is a pale, pale shadow of the classic Dan Jenkins book, and also got a very tough draw, against a movie that I personally don’t care for, “Happy Gilmore”.

Reply Report comment
Smith

Mar 19, 2020 at 3:31 pm

Tin Cup and Happy Gilmore is going to be tight!

Reply Report comment
Paulo

Mar 19, 2020 at 3:11 pm

Why go through all this. There’s only one winner , “ooooh billie billie “

Reply Report comment
- TG65
  
  Mar 19, 2020 at 6:06 pm
  
  I’ve sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn’t want to do it… felt I owed it to them.
  
  Reply Report comment
- NormW
  
  Mar 20, 2020 at 8:42 pm
  
  Toss up between that and The Greatest Game…….
  
  Reply Report comment

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Opinion & Analysis

AVL: My U.S. Amateur local qualifying experience

Published

6 days ago

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Andrew Von Lossow

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx)

Getting to the highlight of the round on the par five 17th, a drive up the left side and 212 yards left to the front hole location. I took out a 5-iron with plans of middle of the green. The ball ended up 8 feet left of the hole, pin high. A slight downhill putt dropped in for an eagle 3 on the 17th. With the cut line looking to be anywhere from -2 to even par. This was the boost I had been waiting for all day.

With making par from the trees on 18, it was time to wait for a potential playoff with a posted score of one under par 71.

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