What’s the best, most watchable golf movie ever made? My vote would go to “Tin Cup.” Others, no doubt, would opt for “Caddyshack”, “Happy Gilmore” or “The Greatest Game Ever Played”.
Truth be told, the list of candidates is not very long.
“Tin Cup”, believe it or not, turns 20 on Aug. 16. To commemorate the anniversary, Chris Nashawaty did a story for Golf magazine titled “Kerr-Plop! The Oral History of Tin Cup”. If you don’t get the magazine, find somebody who does and read the piece. It’s fascinating.
Among the revelations are how Chip Beck lying up on the par-5, 15th the final day of the 1993 Masters was the inspiration for the movie, how various acting roles were filled, why courses at Kingwood and Deerwood outside Houston were selected for U.S. Open scenes and how Roy McAvoy’s unforgettable 12 on the final hole almost wound up on the cutting room floor.
You also learn the ploy used to get PGA tour players like Phil Mickelson, Craig Stadler, Fred Couples, Johnny Miller and Bruce Lietzke to appear in the movie for the Screen Actors Guild minimum of $600. Agents for some of the players had requested as much as $50,000 for their clients.
There is also an explanation of the crazy scene where McAvoy wins a bet from arch-rival David Sims by hitting a shot out of a bar at Kingwood Country Club and knocking a pelican off a post. Think always off balance Gary McCord.
Most surprising part of the story to me was producer Ron Shelton having to lobby long and hard to prevent McAvoy’s memorable 72nd hole meltdown from winding up on the cutting room floor. Ultimately, Tin Cup knocked five balls into the water en route to a 12 that leaves announcers Jim Nantz and Ken Venturi babbling, and costs him the U.S. Open.
The studio footing the bill apparently wanted a triumphant closing scene. Shelton absolutely would not have it that way. It’s difficult to imagine McAvoy hoisting the U.S. Open trophy instead of celebrating the “greatest 12 ever made.”

CHIP SHOTS
Chris Stroud’s T37 in the Canadian Open moved him up three places to No. 131 in FedEx Cup points, but the real story for the Port Neches-Groves and Lamar ex was how he wound up with a three-under total of 285. Stroud survived, despite making a triple bogey in each of the first three rounds. Otherwise, he made an eagle and 18 birdies, was No. 3 in strokes gained putting and was T8 in greens in regulation. Those numbers should have lead to a top five, instead of being an also ran. But they make you wonder if Chris is on the verge of putting something really good together. His next shot comes comes next week
in Hartford, the site of his best ever tour showing. …

While Stroud was moving up on the FedEx points list, Andrew Landry (185 to 187), Shawn Stefani (139 to 142) and Dawie van der Walt (171 to 173) all backed up after missing the cut in Canada . . .
Chad Adaway of Port Neches became a member of the elite Albatross Club last week at Babe Zaharias. Adaway holed his second shot with a 3 wood from 240 yards on the par-5, 9th for his double eagle/albatross. Josh Crum was the witness. …
The Apex Construction team of Ricky Root, Travis Carter, Jeff Jones and James Orsak scrambled their way to a 53 to win The Bob Hope Scholarship Tournament at Bayou Din. Closest to the hole winners were Collin Todora (No. 2), Glenn Farris (No. 7), Jake McKinney (No. 11) and Gregg Parker (No. 17). …
Brody Jeanes of Sour Lake carded an 88 to edge Timothy Feemster of Port Neches by one stroke to win Boys Gold in the Golden Triangle Beltway Junior Tour stop at Idylwild Golf Club. Micah Depew of Beaumont took Boys Silver by eight strokes with an 85 and Casey Wenner of Houston won Boys Bronze with a 70. …
The team of Mike Weatherly, Bill Jones, Tom Lawton and Tom LeTourneau finished minus 4 to win the front nine in the Super Saturday 2 ball game at Babe Zaharias. On the back, the foursome of Roddy Weatherly, Larry Johnson, Charlie Leard and Cole Lee finished first with minus-5. …
Minus 8 won the front nine in the Friday Game at Babe Zaharias for the team of James Shipley, Cap Hollier, Harry Green and Dwayne Benoit. On the back, there was a tie at minus 6 between the foursome of Jim Jordan, John Williams, LeTourneau and Mickey Hearn and the team of Adam Noel, Tony Trevino, Gene Hardy and Larry Reece. …
The Thursday Senior Game at The Babe was played in a four-person scramble format, with the team of Gerald Huebel, Rick Pritchett, LeTourneau and Stedman Tahaney winning with minus-17. Second at minus 12 was the foursome of Bob Byerly, Larry Thompson, Charles Leard and Terry Watson. Closest to the pin winners were Tahaney (No. 2), Huebel (No. 7), Pritchett (No. 12) and Weatherly (No. 15). …
The team of Joe Gongora, Dwain Morvant, Bob Moore and Bud Aufforth rolled up 30 points in an all points count format to win the Babe Zaharias DogFight. Second with 28 points was the team of Earl Richard, Ed Hetzel, Eddie Delk and Don Duplan. Closest to the pin winners were Gary Anderson (No. 2), Richard (No. 7), Larry Reese (No. 12) and Gary Fontenot (No. 15).
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