Films focused on sports produce some of the most interesting narratives in cinema. Sports films blend the joy and pride fans feel while rooting for their favorite athletes or teams, while also giving audiences a chance to witness their hero’s deeper motivations.
And golf is one of the most unique sports out there. While golf films might lack the motifs of teamwork and rivalry present in games like basketball and football, the sport still gives way for some very interesting, character-focused stories. Others take the sport as a comedy backdrop, or even twist it to become a thriller, of sorts. If you are hunting a good golf flick for your next movie night, these are the five you need to check out.
Caddyshack (1980)
Caddyshack was a huge hit in the early eighties, grossing $60m from a budget of just $4.8m. It was on safe ground though, bringing comedy legend Chevy Chase onto the cast as well as a young Bill Murray. ESPN described it as the funniest sports movie ever made, coming out at a halcyon time for comedies and spoof style movies. Sadly, they could not recreate the laughs eight years later when Caddyshack II dropped – it was a huge flop and is considered one of the worst sequels of all time.
The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)
Will Smith and Matt Damon combine in this tale of a mysterious caddy, based on the 1995 book of the same title. Smith might not appear the most obvious choice to feature in a golf movie, and Damon had never touched a golf club in his life before taking on his role. Smith’s interesting hobbies might have helped him feel more at home wielding a club, as Poker.org reveals he likes to fence in his spare time and therefore knows a little about posture. Swapping roles would not have helped at the box office, as it made less than half of its budget, but it is still well worth a watch.
The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)
If Hollywood cannot come up with a fictional story to draw in golf fans, then there is plenty of material to be found in biographies of figures from history, which is exactly what this 2005 film is. It tells the story of Francis Ouimet, the father of amateur golf, who is inspired by legendary British golf player Harry Vardon as a seven-year-old. For golf fans, it is a real treat, but audiences were not convinced. Like Bagger Vance, it lost money on its budget but has gained a cult following since.
Seve: The Movie (2014)
If in doubt, turn to a documentary-style movie, which is exactly what Seve is. Seve Ballesteros is widely considered to have been one of the greatest ever golfers and this mix of archived footage and interviews serve as a wonderful tribute to the life of a man taken far too young, at the age of 54. The film tells of his journey from the Spanish village of Pedrena to the top of the golfing world. In his illustrious career, he won 90 international tournaments, including five major championships: The Open Championship three times and The Masters Tournament twice. Even the best scriptwriter would shy away from such a tale.
The Squeeze (2015)
The Squeeze draws on golf for its inspiration, and the real-life story of Keith Flatt, a young man from a rural background with a passion and skill for golf. His world takes a turn when he is seduced by a gambler into playing for money and he enters a dangerous world as a result. This relatively small 2015 release is a lot of fun to watch and vastly underrated amongst the golfing community.
Although golf might not be a fast-paced game, the sport still makes for some exciting film narratives. From comedies like Caddyshack to documentaries like Seve, there are lots of quality movies golf fans can watch during their downtime.