Bad weather. Tight back. Packed calendar. Whatever the reason, when you can’t play, just press play instead. From cult classics to sleeper hits, these are the best golf movies of all time. So pop some corn, crack a cold one, and settle in for the next best thing to a round with your buddies.
The Best Golf Movies of All Time
1. Caddyshack (1980)
“Be the ball.”
Classic, crass, and milk-out-of-your-nose funny, Caddyshack is a perennial favorite thanks to its lineup of comic geniuses. The 1980 film centers on Danny Noonan, a teenage caddy at the hoity-toity Bushwood Country Club, doing everything he can to secure a scholarship – and survive the club’s cast of eccentric members. There’s Ted Knight as the stuffy club president trying to maintain order, Bill Murray as the deranged groundskeeper, Chevy Chase as the smooth-talking golf guru, Rodney Dangerfield as the loudmouth newcomer shaking things up, and Cindy Morgan as the love interest caught in the middle. The characters collide in a hilarious battle of class and ego, all while a gopher with a grudge tears up the course.
2. Happy Gilmore (1996)
“It’s all in the hips.”
What happens when a hot-headed hockey player brings his slapshot to the golf course? Chaos, laughs, and one of the most quotable sports comedies ever made. Happy Gilmore follows Adam Sandler as the unlikely hero who trades ice skates for spikes in a last-ditch effort to save his grandmother’s house. Along the way, he upends golf’s prim-and-proper world, throws hands with Bob Barker, and reminds us that you don’t have to fit the mold to make your mark. Equal parts absurd and oddly uplifting, this cult classic proves that heart and hustle (and a killer drive) can take you a long way.
3. Tin Cup (1996)
“When a defining moment comes along, you define the moment or the moment defines you.”
Kevin Costner stars as Roy McAvoy, a talented but stubborn golf pro stuck running a struggling driving range in Texas. Roy’s got a killer swing but an even bigger ego, and when he sets his sights on qualifying for the U.S. Open to win over his ex-girlfriend (played by Rene Russo), things quickly spiral. Between snap decisions, snap hooks, and one very public implosion on the 18th hole, Tin Cup delivers romance, rivalry, and one man’s absolute refusal to lay up. Seriously.
4. The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
“Inside each and every one of us is our one, true, authentic swing.”
Set in Depression-era Savannah, Georgia, Matt Damon plays Rannulph Junuh, a once-promising golfer whose experiences in World War I have left him emotionally scarred and off his game. He’s even given up on his fiancĂ©e, Adele (Charlize Theron), who’s desperate to save their future. To raise money, Adele organizes a high-profile exhibition match featuring legendary golfers Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen. Rannulph’s name gets thrown into the mix, too, to represent Savannah – but there’s just one problem: he’s lost his swing.
Enter Bagger Vance (Will Smith), a mysterious and wise caddie who shows up seemingly out of nowhere, offering not just golf advice but a chance to reclaim lost confidence – and maybe something even deeper.
5. The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)
“Read it, roll it, hole it.”
Everybody loves a good underdog story – and The Greatest Game Ever Played is just that. Shia LaBeouf stars as Francis Ouimet, a 20-year-old amateur from a working-class family who has no business competing at the 1913 U.S. Open. With no country club connections and just a pint-sized caddie by his side, Francis takes on British golf legend Harry Vardon in a showdown that will test his nerves, skill, and his strained relationship with his father. Can this unlikely contender overcome the odds, prove himself to the pros, and win his dad’s approval? You’ll have to watch to find out.
6. The Phantom of the Open (2021)
“An open championship should be open to everyone.”
You might’ve missed this one, but trust us – it’s worth the stream. Based on the bizarre true story of Maurice Flitcroft, an amateur who bluffed his way into the British Open. Equal parts hilarious and heartwarming, it’s golf’s answer to Cool Runnings. Meet Maurice Flitcroft: crane operator by day, eternal optimist by nature, and – despite never having played a full round of golf – somehow an entrant in the 1976 British Open. The Phantom of the Open tells the (mostly true) story of how one average bloke with an outrageous dream became the worst professional golfer to ever grace the game… and an unlikely folk hero in the process.
7. Seven Days in Utopia (2011)
“See it, feel it, trust it.”
What if your worst round ever turned into the best week of your life? That’s exactly what happens to Luke (Lucas Black), a hotheaded young pro who melts down during a tournament and literally drives off the road – right into the tiny town of Utopia, Texas. There, he meets Johnny Crawford (Robert Duvall), a wise, no-nonsense rancher with a mysterious past who teaches Luke that golf is more than just a game.
Over the course of (you guessed it ) seven days, Luke discovers that fixing his swing isn’t just about technique; it’s about faith, patience, and learning to “see it, feel it, trust it.” Part sports drama, part spiritual journey, Seven Days in Utopia is one of those rare films that sticks with you long after the credits roll.
8. Tommy’s Honour (2016)
“Your station in life was set before you were born.”
Before titanium drivers, swing coaches, and TV cameras, there was just a ball, a stick, and the windswept links of Scotland. Tommy’s Honour takes us back to 19th-century Scotland and tells the powerful true story of Old Tom Morris and his son, Young Tommy. Old Tom is a humble greenskeeper and club maker, respected but bound by tradition. His son, on the other hand, is a fiery prodigy with big dreams and no interest in staying quiet about class divides, player pay, or outdated rules. Together, they help shape the future of golf, even as personal tragedy and social pressure threaten to tear them apart.
9. The Caddy (1953)
“Every time you start to drink, you think everybody else is drunk!”
What do you get when you mix golf, showbiz, and classic Jerry Lewis slapstick? The Caddy, a 1953 comedy that’s a mix of sports and stage act. Jerry Lewis plays Harvey Miller, the anxious son of a famous golfer who knows the game inside and out, but has a paralyzing fear of crowds. Encouraged by his fiancĂ©e Lisa (Barbara Bates), Harvey agrees to train a promising amateur, Joe Anthony (Dean Martin), who quickly becomes a rising star. Harvey becomes Joe’s caddy on the pro circuit, but when Joe lets success go to his head, tensions boil over – and the duo’s public blow-up leads them somewhere completely unexpected: a career in entertainment (yes, really).
Also starring Donna Reed as Joe’s love interest, The Caddy is a wild ride through fairways, friendships, and fame, with musical numbers and laughs along the way.
10. Happy Gilmore 2 (2025)
Nearly 30 years after storming the golf world, Happy Gilmore is back – and this time, the stakes are personal. Happy Gilmore 2 is now streaming on Netflix, with Adam Sandler reprising his iconic role in a sequel packed with nostalgia, chaos, and comedy.
Happy’s mission? Help pay for his daughter’s ballet school by returning to the game he once dominated. Along the way, fans are treated to epic cameos, callbacks galore, appearances by golf’s biggest names, and, yes, a showdown with Shooter McGavin that’s been decades in the making.
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