Jason

Worst Golf Movie of All Time – Caddyshack II (1988 – 8% Rotten Tomatoes, 3.4 IMDB)

The choice for worst golf movie of all time is a no brainer. It’s Caddyshack II and it’s not even close. In a larger sense, this film might rank up there as one of the worst overall sports movies and worst sequels ever made. The movie basically keeps the same basic storyline, re-uses all the same jokes and trades out the good actors in the first movie for really bad ones instead. Replacing the hilarious Rodney Dangerfield, who stole the show in the first movie, with Jackie Mason is about as bad as it gets. Mason used this film to try and resurrect his career, but unfortunately his performance in Caddyshack II put about 5000 more nails in his coffin. Dan Aykroyd takes over Bill Murray’s gopher hunting role and gets out-acted by the gopher. The jokes fall flat, the writing and acting are awful and there isn’t even any golf in the first hour of the movie. They even downgraded to a shittier Kenny Loggins song. Many claim that this might be one of the worst movies of all time. I’m not going to go that far, but it’s easily the worst in the golf genre.

Most Underrated Golf Movie of All Time – Tin Cup (1996 – 69% Rotten Tomatoes, 6.2 IMDB)

Another Kevin Costner movie makes the cut in the underrated golf movie category. Tin Cup might be my favorite in the Costner sports catalog (I’ll concede that Field of Dreams was a better movie, but this one is my personal favorite). The movie works as not only an engaging and relatable sports movie but as a romantic comedy as well. The movie lightly hits on the mental pressures of playing golf and the frustrating scene on the final hole of the US Open remains one of the best sports movie moments of all time. Rene Russo is solid as the female lead and Don Johnson plays a great arrogant golf

villain. Costner’s sports movies are all very re-watchable, and Tin Cup is no exception. It’s one of those movies that you’ll never brag to be your favorite movie ever, but you’ll also rarely change the channel when it comes on TV.

Ryan

Worst Golf Movie of All Time – Who’s Your Caddy? (2007 – 6% Rotten Tomatoes, 1.8 IMDB)
In the interest of journalistic integrity I watched this all the way through.  It wasn’t fun.  This is one of those movies that falls into the “cool black people vs. stuck-up white people” vein.  It’s got a mediocre cast headlined by Outkast’s Big Boi (with lone bright spot being Terry Crews playing pretty much the same awesome character he always plays).  It takes about three minutes before the movie starts to reinforce negative stereotypes of both black and white people, and it continues the entire way.  You find yourself rooting for both all parties involved to lose somehow.  The acting sucks, the jokes are insulting, and you can guess the entire plot right away.  The biggest surprise of the movie?  Seeing a slimmed down Uncle Phil from Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I honestly don’t think he’s acted since the show ended, and this project was what motivated him out of retirement?  The movie promotes drug use, juvenile delinquency, and the notion that if you don’t get what you want immediately act like a giant asshole and pretend the rules don’t apply to you and it’ll work out in the end.  Terrible movie, but the soundtrack was actually pretty good.

Most Underrated Golf Movie of All Time – The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000 – 43% Rotten Tomatoes, 6.5 IMDB)

Matt Damon, Will Smith, and Charlize Theron.  Those names alone should guarantee a fantastic movie.  Throw in the fact that it’s a period piece set in 1930′s Savannah and you’ve got solid gold.  I think people were turned off by this movie’s length (it was a little over two hours).  It was also criticized heavily and was accused of racism for Will Smith’s character, Bagger Vance, who many called a “mystical negro.”  In short, Charlize Theron inherits a golf course saddled with debt.  To raise funds, she holds the greatest golf tournament the town’s ever seen.  Matt Damon is a local golf legend and Theron’s ex-flame who was sent off to war and never quite recovered after his return.  Will Smith plays Bagger Vance, a humble caddy that appears out of nowhere to get everyone’s lives back on track then disappears without a trace.   It was a very enjoyable story, just about 30 minutes too long.  Something truly impressive in this movie: they managed to make their golf tournament scene last a full hour.  Will Smith is always charming, and Charlize Theron is a natural as a Southern belle.  Matt Damon is an incredible actor, and he takes a character you shouldn’t necessarily like, fights through some cheesy bits, and makes you really care for him.  This film was hampered by its slow development, but those that give it a chance will find a heart-warming story of both love and redemption told in a way that feels completely genuine.