Happy Gilmore Golf Weekend
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Happy Gilmore really isn't so much of a golf movie as it is the usual Adam Sandler underdog vehicle that happens to center around golf. And hockey. And a cliche' villain. And Bob Barker. And a girl who's way too cute for him to land in real life without a script (as usual). If you're a Sandler fan, it's probably a favorite, but as a "golf comedy", it doesn't really hold up all that well. Let's face it, the only scene you really remember a year later is the fight with Bob Barker (and maybe Happy's happy place- www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4fWA1b5Trs), and the only line you ever pull out during a round is, "Don't you want to go to your home?!"
Happy's happy place
If you're a fan, here's how to pull off a full Happy Gilmore weekend:
During the movie, it appears that Happy plays at least 3 or 4 different golf courses as the Tour winds its way towards the mythical gold jacket of the Tour Championship. However, I could only find one course credited as a filming location. So throw your hockey stick in your golf bag, perfect your run-up Happy swing at your local range, then book a flight to Vancouver and head for Furry Creek G&CC (www.golfbc.com/courses/furry_creek). Per WhereCanada.com, "If you enjoy sprawling mountain ranges and panoramic ocean views, head 40 minutes north of Vancouver to Furry Creek. The first hole prepares you for what’s ahead: a 165-ft (50-m) drop from tee to green on the 352-yd (322-m) par four. But the 14th hole is the most memorable—and most photographed—as it sits almost level with the ocean and the green is surrounded by the pristine Pacific. Don’t let the view throw you off your game; the 211-yd (193-m) hole demands accuracy off the tee.
Fun fact: The famous fight scene between Adam Sandler and former The Price is Right host Bob Barker from the comedy Happy Gilmore was filmed on the 9th hole at Furry Creek.
Tip: If you’re a beginner (or your game's a little rusty), stock up on balls before your round, as a few wayward tee shots on this unforgiving course may have you feeling surly."
Book a golf package that includes Furry Creek from Holiday Inn North Vancouver (www.hinorthvancouver.com/furry-creek-golf-vancouver.html). Hit the hotel's Seymour’s Pub for relaxing in the evening with a pool table, a 60-inch satellite TV, a fireplace, solarium and 35-foot bar. Order a Happy Gilmore, which is a John Daly only with grain alcohol instead of vodka.
You may need some professional assistance to come down off your Happy Gilmore golf anger at the on-site Paradise Spa.
If you're a true Happy Gilmore fan, that means you're also a hockey fan. Luckily hockey season is so long that it overlaps with the fringes of golf season, so head for Rogers Arena where the Vancouver Canucks play (there's no greater team nickname in hockey). Check the home schedule at www.canucks.nhl.com.
Best Bar, Vancouver: Golf Magazine's Travelin' Joe recommends, "Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub (877-838-2739, www.spinnakers.com) where the house-made ales and brick-oven pizzas are standouts, while Butchart Gardens (250-544-4477, www.butchartgardens.com; $15-$30) has impressed visitors with its 55 acres of flowers, trees and shrubbery for more than a century."
See also: Vancouver BC Golf Weekend
From IMDB.com: Happy Gilmore trivia
The Hockey player Happy mentions in the beginning of the film is Terry O'Reilly. Once during a game he jumped into the stands at Madison Square Garden and fought with a fan.
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Early in the movie, Chubbs tells Happy he could win a gold jacket, to which Happy responds, "Gold jacket, green jacket, who gives a shit?" This is a reference to The Masters, one of the four major tournaments of the PGA tour (the others being the US Open, the Open Championship, and the PGA Championship) where the winner gets a green jacket.
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Was the very first winner of the MTV Movie Award for Best Fight.
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Happy's shaggy homeless caddy (Allen Covert) is named Otto in the credits. This name is spoken in a deleted scene, but never in the main feature.
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Happy's car is a 1973 or 1974 Plymouth Duster.
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Before his first tournament, Happy asks Chubbs why he didn't play a real sport, "like football, or somethin'." Carl Weathers, who played Chubbs, was a professional football player before becoming an actor.
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The concept was inspired by Adam Sandler's childhood friend Kyle who was a hockey player. Kyle regularly played golf with Sandler and Sandler's father. Kyle currently is a teacher in Manchester, NH (Sandler's home town) and coaches the high school hockey team.
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Bob Barker wasn't sure if he wanted to be in the movie. When he learned that he was going to win the fight with Adam Sandler, he accepted the role.
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Joe Sakic of the NHL's Colorado Avalanche appears uncredited during the hockey tryout scene.
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Bruce Campbell auditioned for the role of Shooter McGavin.
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According to Adam Sandler, Christopher McDonald had difficulty believing Shooter would be afraid of fighting Happy due to his size advantage. MacDonald is 6'3" while Sandler is 5'10". They debated for a while until Sandler convinced MacDonald that Shooter was afraid of Happy's violent temper.
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During scenes involving Richard Kiel, he had to stand still or lean on items. In one scene it's a fence, in another it's another actor. This was due to a severe automobile accident he had in 1992 where he suffered head trauma, losing his ability to balance without aid.
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In real life, Adam Sandler is a terrible hockey AND golf player.