(Author’s Note: The below movie review will not include any spoilers for those who have not yet seen the film.)

July 25th was a date many had marked on their calendars for one main reason…to watch Happy Gilmore 2 debut on Netflix.

If I’m being honest, I was skeptical of the sequel, mainly due to my love of the first movie which debuted in theaters in 1996. Continuing with my honest assessment of the film, I am also an avid golfer. I grew up with golf in my life, have raised my children with golf, and even write and podcast about the sport.

So, when it comes to golf, and golf movies, I can be very peculiar with what I like and don’t.

With the Happy Gilmore sequel hitting Netflix almost 30 years after the original, you had to wonder what the storyline would entail to somehow keep the audience engaged and intrigued. As I stated at the top of this article, this review won’t have any spoilers for anyone who hasn’t seen it, but know the storyline takes a big enough turn that the film, and Gilmore’s expected return, make sense.

From a golf perspective, Happy Gilmore movies are never that accurate, and that’s okay. It isn’t being labeled as a movie like “The Greatest Game Every Played”, but as a fun sideshow to enjoy and laugh. However, the cameos in this movie are out of this world. In fact, if you are not someone who is familiar with professional golf, and even some golf influencers, you might find yourself asking, “Who is that?”

But that won’t detract from the movie in any way. Even if you couldn’t pick Nelly Korda out of a lineup, know what Sir Nick Faldo looks like, or if you blink and miss Charley Hull, the movie still produces.

The on course aspect of the game is intriguing in its own way. The primary storyline houses several upper cut jabs at the LIV Golf tour, and it becomes even more humorous when you realize both Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka are represented in the movie outside of the typical cameo. Again, someone not familiar with the PGA Tour and LIV Golf drama over the years might not understand the underlying jokes, but it doesn’t mean the standard jokes don’t still hit.

For those wondering, this is your typical Adam Sandler movie with a large contingent on his friends having roles in the movie, and you can include his family now into these types of movies. In case you may not know, both of Sandler’s daughters have main roles in the film. Speaking of a typical Sandler film, the jokes follow suit in typical Sandler fashion. There are those who can’t stand Sandler movies, and if you fall into that category, you probably won’t like this film either.

At the end of the day, this movie is outlandish, but the entire Happy Gilmore premise is built on being outlandish. The thought of a golfer who takes a crow-hop before hitting the ball over 400 yards has always been outlandish. The thought of a golfer wearing hockey jerseys and getting into fights on the course has always been outlandish. You don’t watch Happy Gilmore movies with the intention you are going to see golf played at its highest level. Nonetheless, the shenanigans continue in Happy Gilmore 2, along with some of the best golfers in the world, like Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Justin Thomas, Jack Nicklaus and Freddie Couples, joining into the fun.

The film weaves the past into the present, and it works.

If you want the simplest review of this movie you’ll ever read, here it is: If you loved the first one, you’ll love the sequel.

My Rating: 8.5 / 10