Veteran sports commentator Skip Bayless isn’t one to mince words — and when it comes to the game of golf, his standards are as high as they come. He delivered a blistering critique of Happy Gilmore 2, the newly released Adam Sandler sequel, during a review posted on his YouTube channel this past Saturday.
“I cannot stress to you how offended I was by this movie,” Bayless began, setting the tone for a passionate takedown. For Bayless, this wasn’t just about a comedy film — it was about the erosion of respect for one of the most historically revered sports in America.
He acknowledged up front that he takes golf “way too seriously,” but defended that seriousness as a mark of reverence for a game defined by integrity, discipline, and tradition.
“Happy Gilmore makes a mockery of golf,” Bayless said pointedly. “Now, you can argue that’s what LIV and the TGL are doing right here, right now; but the PGA Tour still takes golf seriously. The major championships take golf seriously.”
Bayless drew a firm line between what he sees as legitimate golf and the slapstick antics of Hollywood and upstart leagues. “The PGA Tour plays golf the right way,” he emphasized. “It respects the game in which competitors actually call penalties on themselves — and do so regularly.” That kind of self-governance and honor code is rare in modern sports, and Bayless sees it as essential to preserving the soul of golf.
His critique of Happy Gilmore 2 zeroed in on the absurd, unrealistic portrayal of the sport. He took aim at the film’s exaggerated slapstick elements — most notably, the infamous “running start” tee shot used by Sandler’s character. “Nobody does that, not in pro golf,” Bayless stated flatly. And while fans may see it as comedic exaggeration, Bayless argued it cheapens the athleticism and skill required to play the game at a high level.
He also pointed out the glaring lack of realism in the way Happy Gilmore plays. “We never see Happy hit any irons,” Bayless noted. “I don’t know if he hits them with a running start or not, but I guess he doesn’t need his irons because he drives the green on every par four — and, I guess, par five — although in this, in ‘Unhappy’ 2, they’re only playing seven holes at a time.” The sarcastic nickname “Unhappy” tells you everything you need to know about Bayless’s opinion of the sequel.
Beyond the fictional character’s antics, Bayless was especially disturbed by the participation of real golf legends. “But here’s what really turned my stomach,” he said. “True legends of the game of golf, Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino — actually sold out and stooped to participate in this blasphemous ridiculing of golf.” For Bayless, their appearances were more than disappointing; they were a betrayal. “They participated by delivering these lame jokes they were given that just fell flat to me. I don’t know. I don’t get it.”
For Bayless and some like him, golf isn’t just a game — it’s a code of honor. And to turn it into a punchline? That’s no laughing matter. Happy Gilmore fans would probably disagree.
