Happy Gilmore, the most iconic and easily recognizable golfing movie, turns twenty years old this week. A funny and raucous commentary criticizing the traditionally stuffy and esoteric golfing community, Happy Gilmore (played by Adam Sandler) and his home grown, completely outlandish swing, resonated well with a large audience of viewers.
Possessing the MTV Movie Award for best fight scene (in a golf movie, no less!), Gilmore represents the popular notion of a social underdog who, through genuine and somewhat naive action, excels in a field normally dominated by economic and social elite.
Combined with a slew of memorable quotes, such as “Are you too good for your home? Answer me!” or “You suck! Ya Jackass,” Happy Gilmore was an instant cult classic and will continue to bear the standard for golfing comedies, along with the equally famous Caddyshack.
And remember, according to the enlightened Gary Potter: “Oh yeah. Lotta pressure. You gotta rise above it. You gotta harness in the good energy, block out the bad. Harness. Energy. Block. Bad. Feel the flow Happy. Feel it. It's circular. It's like a carousel. You pay the quarter, you get on the horse, it goes up and down, and AROUND. It's circular. Circle, with the music, the flow. All good things.”
