Is Happy Gilmore one of Adam Sandler’s funniest characters and at the center of one of the best ‘90s movies? You bet. But does the hockey player-turned-golfer know anything about the rules of golf? Well, that’s questionable, at best. Though he made us laugh, gave us unforgettable lines, and put one of the meanest movie villains of the decade in his place, the titular hero in Happy Gilmore knew nothing about golf etiquette. Here are 32 examples we’re getting ready to tee off.
The Iconic Swing Is Great But Totally Not Right
Happy Gilmore’s swing is something golfers of all ages and handicaps have been replicating for the better part of the past 30 years. However, this highly unorthodox swing, despite looking so freaking cool, goes against everything you learn at golf lessons. But again, it fits his character, so we can't hate too much.
When He Fought Bob Barker
Celebrity golf events are supposed to be fun, light, and not incredibly competitive. But that’s far from the case when Happy Gilmore partners up with the late Bob Barker in one of the movie’s most outrageous sequences. But the whole fighting an elderly man (and getting your butt kicked in the process) just doesn’t fly on the course.
The Time He Attacked A Heckler In The Crowd
No, this isn’t about the hilarious heckler played by the late Joe Flaherty in Happy Gilmore but instead, the random spectator who made the mistake of laughing at Happy’s failed putts at the Waterbury Open. The hockey-style fight goes against everything that makes golf golf, but again it looks so cool.
The Big Check Incident
One of the funniest scenes early on in Happy Gilmore takes place when he thinks he’s going to be getting a check for competing in the AT&T Invitational, only to learn one will be mailed to him. What makes it even better is the fact that he wanted one of those silly big checks, which has a payoff later on in the movie.
Being Confused By His Young Caddy
Happy Gilmore tackling his young caddy (played by Jared Van Snellenberg) at the Waterbury Open when he thinks the young teenager is stealing his grandpa’s clubs is hilarious. Sure, one would think that Happy would know that, but we’re talking about a guy who started playing golf pretty much the day before.
Not Bringing A Caddy On The Tour
When Happy Gilmore joins the tour, he quickly learns that he has to hire his own caddy and not have one provided. Who does he pick? Oh, just Otto (Allen Covert), the homeless man cleaning windshields in the parking lot.
Retrieving His Own Ball From The Lake
If you hit a ball in one of the water hazards on a golf course, you’re supposed to take a one-stroke penalty and pull out a replacement from your bag. But not Happy. No, the titular hero from Happy Gilmore goes as far as to jump into the lake, retrieve his ball, and finish the round soaking wet. He still gets that one-stroke penalty, though.
When He Took Out The Gator That Took Chubb’s Hand
There has to be a rule (written or unwritten) about golfers taking a minute from their round and picking a fight with an alligator. Sure, Happy does this to get back at the gator that took Chubb’s hand all those years ago. However, jumping into the water, wrestling a massive reptile, and then killing it probably isn’t going to make the tour or FCC happy from all those complaints.
Donning A Hockey Jersey And T-Shirts Instead Of Proper Attire
It’s hard to imagine Happy Gilmore wearing anything besides an old Boston Bruins jersey or tattered T-shirt, but the diehard hockey fan’s attire really isn’t your standard golf garb. Despite the unorthodox look, Happy looks pretty, pretty cool out there on the links.
When He Started Hustling At The Driving Range
Everyone loves a good hustle, right? Before Happy found out about the tour and the big bucks, he tried to save his grandma’s house from the IRS by hustling marks at the driving range. An easy way to make some money with a 400-yard drive? You bet. But still frowned upon by the golf purists of the world.
The ‘Why Didn’t You Just Go Home?’ Putting Incident
The “Why didn’t you just go home?” freakout in Happy Gilmore is one of the best golf scenes of all time, but it’s probably not the best way of going about putting in pro golf. But hey, it gave the audience some excitement at the AT&T Invitational and moviegoers an iconic moment.
Throwing The Putting Green Flag Like A Javelin
The freakout near the end of the AT&T Invitational portion of Happy Gilmore is like one great golf faux pas after another. Sandwiched in the middle there is a brief yet hilarious moment in which Happy takes out the putting green flag and throws it like a javelin, narrowly avoiding an ESPN cameraman.
The Time He Destroyed The Mini Golf Course
The clown deserved it after repeatedly blocking Happy’s shot at the mini golf course, but this outburst, which resulted in some serious property damage, made the ill-tempered golfer look more like Adam Sandler’s character from Anger Management.
The Meltdown At The AT&T Invitational
You know how you make a barrage of profanities even better? Well, you add in some bleeping to really drive home the effect. That’s what happens when Happy loses his mind after missing one too many putts on the green.
The Time He Rode His Club Like A Bull
Happy doesn’t just freak out on the putting green. No, at times he can’t hold back his joy and does some wild things with his clubs and everyone around him. Look no further than the “riding the bull” celebration in which Happy uses his club-like livestock and runs around the hole jumping with joy.
And Then There’s The Autograph Scene
Happy Gilmore pretty much predicted how crazy golf crowds would get in the years that followed its release, but we’ve never seen Tiger Woods sign women’s bare chests before. John Daly might have at some point, but never on camera like Happy.
When He Tried To Fight Shooter McGavin
Not only does Happy challenge Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) to a serious bet in the Tour Championship, but he also tries to fight him earlier in the movie. The broken beer bottle heard around the world (or at least the golf course bar) looks great, but probably not the best for pro golfers.
It Looks Awesome, But The Hockey Stick Putter Isn’t Legal, Right?
There are some wild variations of the putter out there, but nothing comes close to Happy Gilmore’s hockey-inspired putter gifted to him by Chubbs. Is this thing even legal?
When He Threw His Putter Toward His Caddy
Happy Gilmore doesn’t just send balls flying 400 yards, he also has a habit of throwing his clubs around. One of the best examples of this is in the final tour event when a frustrated Happy throws his putter towards the crowd. But who’s there to catch it? Yep, Otto.
And Then There’s The Time He Took Like A Hundred Swings And Threw A Rock In The Water
Happy’s descent into madness near the end of the movie is a sight to see (even if you cut out all those ridiculous daydreams and nightmares). One of the funniest displays of Happy’s anger takes place when he takes like a hundred swings at the ball (missing each time) before slamming his club into the ground and then throwing a rock into the water.
The Celebratory Run Through The Crowd At The Tour Championship
Hard to say if there are any official rules barring golfers from running through the crowd at a major championship, but it’s probably frowned upon by those golfing purists out there. But Happy Gilmore doesn’t fall into that camp, as he gets the crowd all fired up in the Tour Championship in a silly yet awesome scene.
The Time He Tossed The Ball Into The Crowd Like A Foul Ball At A Baseball Game
The crowds in Happy Gilmore get crazier and crazier as the movie goes on, at one point looking more like something you’d see at a minor league baseball on dollar hotdog night. And Happy doesn’t try to calm them down, like the time he threw a golf ball over the heads of a group of men with “Happy Rules” painted across their chests and backs.
The Time He Made Fun Of Another Golfer’s Clothes
And there’s the time Happy Gilmore makes fun of the golfer in front of him solely because of the man’s outfit. Sure, it’s a terrible fashion choice and no one in the right mind would allow their husband/son/father/friend/themselves to leave the house like that, but this is a game of class. Or, at least it used to be.
Not Knowing About The Golden Jacket
Happy Gilmore not knowing that the winner of the Tour Championship is gifted a golden jacket is to be expected, as he never watched or played golf before meeting Chubbs. But again, it proves the point that the aspiring hockey player knew absolutely nothing about the game he was about to dominate.
Showing Up To The Tour Welcoming Dinner In An AC/DC Shirt
While everyone shows up in their golden jackets (not Shooter, though) at the party ahead of the AT&T Invitational, Happy Gilmore shows up rocking an AC/DC shirt and an old pair of jeans. But it’s not like it was an act of rebellion, it just happened to be the outfit he wore that day.
The Batting Cage Incident
This doesn’t have much to do with golf, but it’s just too good to leave off. Before meeting Chubbs and changing his life direction, Happy gears up for hockey tryouts (which are only 364 days away), by standing in front of a pitching machine firing fastballs at full speed. Just don’t try that at home.
Kissing The Tour’s PR Manager On The 18th Hole
Yeah, Happy and Virginia Venit (Julie Bowen) kiss earlier in the movie and are kind of a thing, but it’s not really a good look for the tour’s public relations manager and its controversial star golfer to be making out on the 18th hold after his victory.
Though Probably Against The Rules, The Final Putt At The Tour Championship Is So Awesome
Just before Happy can putt himself to victory and a golden jacket, a group of overeager fans bring a scaffolding down on the 18th hole, forcing the intrepid golfer to come up with a unique way to beat Shooter. The wild shot looks more like a rube goldberg machine than anything else and probably wouldn’t fly with tour management, but it looks so freaking cool and kind of makes sense in this hilarious sports comedy.
Sending An Angry Mob To Catch Shooter McGavin
Just when Happy thinks his troubles with Shooter are over, the sore loser runs off with his opponent’s gold jacket, resulting in Happy unleashing an angry mob, led by the late Richard Kiel’s character, to hunt him down. That sounds like a good way to get kicked off the tour and put in jail.
When He Hit A Golf Ball Towards A House, Not Once But Three Times
The scene early on in the movie when Happy realizes he can hit the crap out of the ball is glorious in so many ways. However, repeatedly hitting balls toward the same house (hitting the owners in the process) goes against more than a few rules of golf etiquette. Still funny, though.
Yeah, It Was The Crowd, But Happy Turns The Tour Into A Traveling Party/Freak Show
Okay, it’s totally the crowd getting all wild and crazy and turning golf events into a traveling party or freak show, but who brought them there? Yeah, that was Happy. Though the crowds’ behavior goes against the grain, they do make the events a lot more fun.
When He Didn’t Know A 400-Yard Drive Was ‘Unbelievable’
Here’s how little Happy knows about golf at the beginning of the great golf movie. When he drives the ball a staggering 400 yards, he has no idea if that is good or bad. It’s not just good, Happy, it’s absolutely bonkers.
