Feeding Your Golf Addiction In The Winter, Pt. 7 – Watch A Golf Movie

This the seventh in a series on things to do to feed your golf addiction in the golfing off season:

Watch A Golf Movie

If you can’t get out to play, watching a golf movie just might feed your golf addiction. Here is a list of The GolfBlogger’s favorites. It is, of course, quite subjective and my bias is generally toward biopixs and movies that have an air of genuine golf. Bagger Vance, for example, is a fantasy, but with its search for the “authentic swing” does manage to hit on something every golfer knows.

The Greatest Game Ever Played

on Amazon

A faithful adaptation of the book that plays well on the big screen. It is no wonder, as the author, Mark Frost, once wrote the tv series Hill Street Blues. The casting is perfect and the story compelling. It is the original David and Goliath sports story. There are a lot of subtle bits in this movie , though, that people who didn’t read the book will miss.

For example, the book goes into a great deal on the class conflict between the professionals and the amateurs. If you didn’t read the book, you’ll miss the point that the professionals are always referred to by their first names—Harry Vardon—while the amateurs are referred to with a honorific—Mr. Ouimet.

Tin Cup

on Amazon

This Kevin Costner movie is like Bull Durham for golf. Costner plays a washed up driving range pro who decides to play in the US Open to win the heart of a woman. It is most famous for the scene where he plunks ball after ball into a pond on the last hole of the Open.

“Going Tin Cup” has become golf lexicon for repeatedly hitting balls into a hazard, hoping against all reason that you will finally make the shot. Maybe the sixth try will be the charm.

Dead Solid Perfect

on Amazon

Based on the Dan Jenkins novel, this originally appeared on tv. It follows a struggling professional golfer—played by Randy Quaid—as he travels about on tour. Very funny, but not on streaming and not readily available.

Music by Tangerine Dream.

Bobby Jones, Stroke of Genius

on Amazon

This movie may be a bit slow for non-golfers, but anyone who loves golf and history should find it enjoyable. Jim Caviezel does a good job of portraying the stress that Jones went through in playing in golf championships.

I’d really like to see a biopix about Alexa Stirling, Jones’ childhood friend, who won three Womens US Amateur Championships. Stirling makes an appearance in this film.

Tommy’s Honour

on Amazon

I loved the book about Young Tom Morris, and the movie lived up to my expectations. It’s the story of golf’s first — and youngest — superstar, and his tragic life.

The movie — and the book — are also an enlightening window into people’s lives at that time. Being a “golf professional” was significantly short of glamorous or profitable.

The Phantom of The Open

on Amazon

The Phantom of the Open is about Maurice Flitcroft, who became infamous after entering a 1976 British Open qualifier and shooting a 121. Flitcroft basically had no prior golf experience or skill, but found a loophole allowing him to enter as a professional.

Even after being exposed, he continued to regulary attempt to enter the Open and other tournaments wearing disguises and using pseudonyms.

In the end, it is unclear to me whether Flitcroft was an active scammer, or simply deluded.

There is also a Michigan connection in the movie, when Flitcroft makes a trip to Grand Rapids. Blythefield Country Club in Grand Rapids had long paid homage to the 121 score with an annual member-guest tournament named after Flitcroft. My friend Terry Moore of Grand Rapids (who is played by comedian Michael Capozzola in the movie) invited the real Flitcroft in 1988 to play in his namesake tournament. Flitcroft made the trip with his wife Jean and played, much to the delight of Blythefield and its guests.

Caddyshack

on Amazon

Caddyshack is a comedy classic. Like most guys, I can quote large chunks of the movie from memory. I laugh every time I watch it.

What it has going for it as a golf movie is that the Murray brothers were caddies in their youth, so I imagine the characters and sketches are based at least in part on their experiences.

I want to believe there are Judge Smails and Al Czerviks out there at country clubs.

The Legend of Bagger Vance

on Amazon

Based on the bestselling book. I didn’t really like this movie at first, but it grew on me.

Many viewers probably don’t know that The Legend of Bagger Vance is loosely based on the sacred Hindu Text Bhagavad Gita, in which the hero Arjuna (Junah in Bagger) refuses to fight but is tutored by the god Krishna, appearing as Bhagavan (Bagger Vance).

Seven Days in Utopia

on Amazon

It’s kind of like Bagger Vance, but with a cowboy. Lucas Black plays a young pro who has a meltdown and is brought back to his senses by Robert Duvall. It’s a marginal amusement, but Duvall makes any movie better.

Pat and Mike

on Amazon

A Spencer Tracy – Katharine Hepburn classic. Hepburn plays a championship woman golfer. The movie is basically another of their man vs woman screwball comedies.

Hepburn was a good golfer, who as a youth made it to the semifinals of the Connecticut Young Women’s Golf Championship. As an adult, she played at Bel-Air Country Club.

Follow the Sun

on Amazon

A 1951 biopix of Ben Hogan, Follow The Sun is more than a bit hokey. Still, it does offer a glimpse into the life of traveling tour pros of the time. It was made after Hogan’s car accident and unexpected return to professional golf.

Of note is that several golf pros, including Sam Snead, Cary Middlecoff and Jimmy Demaret appear as themselves in the movie.

A Gentleman’s Game

on Amazon

Based on the novel by Tom Coyne, A Gentleman’s Game is a coming-of-age story. Timmy Price—a good golfer in his own right—is forced by his father to work as a caddy at the country club to which they belong. There, he learns a few dark secrets.

Miracle on the 17th Green

on Amazon

Robert Urich stars in this made-for-tv movie about an ad executive who loses his job and tries out for the Senior Tour. He catches fire when he suddenly begins seeing the magic line on his putts. It was a Christmas time
movie, and was mildly enjoyable. It is outside the top ten best golf movies, but still worth a mention.

Bobby Jones: How I Play Golf

on Amazon

After his playing career was over, Bobby Jones made a series of short films of golf instruction. It is instruction, but also an amusing entertainment. The format of each short is the same: Jones meets a Hollywood star who is struggling with his game, and then offers a lesson. Among the stars are W.C. Fields, James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, Joe Brown and many more. The setup for the lessons often are quite funny and entertaining.

You can also see them on YouTube

THE WORST “GOLF” MOVIES

Happy Gilmore and Happy Gilmore 2

I can’t stand Adam Sandler. I only put this on the list to be able to tell the world how much I despise this movie. It is not about golf. It is about a violent sociopath whose on screen behavior is entirely cringe-worthy and appeals only to people who have not outgrown their teen years.

There. I said it.

Happy Gilmore 2 was only marginally better because Sandler himself has matured.

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