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Top Ten: Golf Films

Written on Wednesday, 08 June 2011
Raining again? Here are 10 of the most memorable golfing films that capture the highs and lows of the life of the professional golfer.

With Hollywood producers eager to make any good story into a movie, sports are no exception. Although football, baseball and basketball are the more popular subjects, golf has also had its fair share of time on the silver screen.


Number one Top_Ten_Golf_Films_1 Caddyshack, 1980  Everyone’s favourite golf film has the perfect comedy teaming of Bill Murray, Chevy Chase and Rodney Dangerfield. The story involves rivalry, a high-stakes competition, and a war against an evasive gopher. It’s a lot of fun and has become a cult hit over the years. You probably won’t learn much about golf from it though, apart from how to score a birdie with plastic explosives.
Number two Top_Ten_Golf_Films_2 The Legend of bagger Vance, 2000  Golf is a game that “Can’t be won, only played”. Apparently. While that lesson may not necessarily be true, this is still an engaging, if far-fetched, drama that sees Will Smith’s as a magic caddy helping Matt Damon end his drinking problems so he can go up against Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen in an exhibition match. Think Rocky with golf clubs instead of boxing gloves.
Number three Top_Ten_Golf_Films_3 Happy Gilmore, 1996  This is one of Adam Sandler’s more successful comedies. He plays an aspiring ice hockey player with anger management problems, who offers his team little more than a powerful slap shot. He decides to swap ice for grass and try his hand at golf instead. It’s as silly and over-the-top as you’d expect from Sandler but still well-meaning, quotable fun.
Number four Top_Ten_Golf_Films_4 Tin Cup, 1996 This romantic comedy sees Kevin Costner competing in the US Open for both love and money. With a little encouragement from Cheech Marin and Rene Russo, he takes on Don Johnson and Peter Jacobson, playing himself. Look out for the several cameo performances from professional golfers including Phil Mickelson.
Number five Top_Ten_Golf_Films_5 The Greatest Game Ever Played, 2005 This biographical drama sees Shia LaBeouf play Francis Ouimet, as he competes in the 1913 US Open and goes on the be the first amateur to win the tournament. It’s a typical underdog story, boosted by solid performances and production.
Number six Top_Ten_Golf_Films_6 Dead Solid Perfect, 1988 Based on a comic novel by Dan Jenkins this little-seen TV movie follows the life of Randy Quaid’s second division golfer as he attempts to make a name for himself on the PGA Tour.
Number seven Top_Ten_Golf_Films_7 Pat and Mike, 1952 This classic romantic comedy features Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy as the titular characters. She’s a golfer trying to win a tournament against her pushy fiancé’s wishes and he’s the sports promoter who might be able to solve her problems. Golf is played among the romance.
Number eight Top_Ten_Golf_Films_8 The Caddy, 1953 Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis star as a golfer and his caddy respectively as they argue their way through a tournament until disqualified. The film is most notable for cameos by golfers of the age, including Ben Hogan and Sam Snead.
Number nine Top_Ten_Golf_Films_9 Bobby Jones - Stroke of Genius, 2004 This drama starring Jim Caviezel was an unfortunate flop at the box office but is still worth a look. The story follows the career of Bobby Jones as he becomes the first person ever to win all four of the men’s major championships. The story is all a bit by-the-numbers but it does feature a lot of credible golfing scenes.
Number ten Top_Ten_Golf_Films_10 Follow the Sun, 1951 Following the life of Ben Hogan, as portrayed by Glenn Ford, this melodrama would have been a lot more impressive if it had been made after his Slam season in 1953. As it stands, we see him find love, go to war, and get injured in a car accident, before recovering and winning the US Open in 1950. The rest is history, albeit unrecorded here.
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