History Film / HappyGilmore

* CelebritiesHangOutInHeaven: At the end, Abraham Lincoln is shown waving from a cloud with Chubbs and the alligator.

* ChasedByAngryNatives: [[spoiler:After losing the tour championship, Shooter acts like a SoreLoser and tries to steal Happy's golden jacket... right in front of Happy's fans (who happen to include a particularly enraged Creator/RichardKiel). In this case, he doesn't run fast enough, and gets the stuffing clobbered out of him.]]

* EvenBadMenLoveTheirMamas: Happy, who is otherwise a {{jerkass}}, becomes a gentleman around his grandmother.

* BeyondTheImpossible: Happy has a 400 yard drive, where in real golf a 300 yard drive is considered to be very impressive. Indeed, everyone who sees it for the first time can't believe their eyes, and it quickly becomes part of what makes Happy popular to watch. Lampshaded when Shooter offhandedly says to Larson that it isn't possible. Incidentally, there ''are'' golfers that [[RealityIsUnrealistic can drive over 400 yards, especially with modern equipment]], although it is uncommon enough. In fact, the Guiness Book of World Records holder set a record of 515 yards in 1974... as a 64 year old.

'''Happy''': ''[laughing]'' [[FridgeLogic You eat pieces of shit for breakfast?]]\\

'''Happy''': ''[laughing]'' [[FridgeLogic You eat pieces of shit for breakfast?]]\\

* MoralityChain: Happy's grandmother is his defining moral point — her being in trouble is what sparks the whole plot off, and Happy rejects anything that will cause her harm in some way.

* EntitledToHaveYou: hooter believes he's entitled to win the Gold Jacket both because he's came close in the past only to choke, and also because he's a lifelong professional golfer whose chances are threatened by an uncouth newcomer like Happy.

* {{Everyman}}: Virginia argues that Happy is a ratings bonanza for the tour because professional golf needs a "working-class hero" whom ordinary people can look up to.

* {{Fanservice}}: Virginia in the HappyPlace, in lingerie. Carrying beers!

* FromBadToWorse: Happy watches his grandmother's house get auctioned off. The winner? [[spoiler:Shooter [=McGavin=].]]

* DickDastardlyStopsToCheat: If Shooter just left Happy alone, he would have a fairer chance at winning. Instead, he pays a guy to heckle Happy and [[spoiler:buys his grandmother's house to blackmail him into quitting the tournament]], all because he hates how a newbie is upsetting his year. By the end, everyone is calling him out for his poor sportsmanship and Happy's fans [[spoiler:chase him down for stealing the Golden Jacket after Shooter loses the tournament]].

* {{Metaphorgotten}}:
-->'''Happy''': ''[to his golf ball, after barely missing a putt]'' You son of a bitch ball -- why don't you just go home?! That's your home! Are you too good for your home?! ''Answer me!''

* EntitledToHaveYou: Not a romantic/sexual example, but Shooter believes he's entitled to win the Gold Jacket both because he's came close in the past only to choke, and also because he's a lifelong professional golfer whose chances are threatened by an uncouth newcomer like Happy.

%%%%%%% Whose standards does this refer to?
%%%%* EveryoneHasStandards: When Shooter [[spoiler:buys the house and tries to blackmail Happy into quitting the tour]], Virginia intervenes. She asks Happy if his grandmother would be happy about him giving up his potential for her. This convinces Happy to TakeAThirdOption.
* EveryYearTheyFizzleOut: In-universe. Shooter is a famous and highly-respected golfer, but he's always failed to win the Golden Jacket, and he's furious whenever the subject is brought up. The reason Shooter gets so mad about Happy in particular is that Shooter is a lifelong golfer while Happy is a newbie and a "sideshow clown" that Shooter feels is a threat. This attitude eventually makes Happy so angry that he changes his reason for being in the tournament from "save Grandma's house" to "kick Shooter's ass".

* HopeSpot: Happy earns enough money to buy back Grandma's house, only to learn that it's being sold at auction, where he is outbid by [[spoiler: Shooter.]]

* IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy: When Happy flounders in the final tournament thanks to Shooter's chiding and is so frustrated that not even his HappyPlace can help him, his grandmother breaks him out of it by telling him whether he wins or loses she wants him to be happy. This calms him down enough to focus and make a comeback.

* JerkassHasAPoint: Chubbs minces no words that Happy's short game is embarrassing, and that he really needs to shape up his attitude. However much Happy wants to deny that he needs him, this eventually does get through to Happy, who admits that Chubbs has a point about how much he's letting his anger control him. After almost losing everything, Happy goes back to Chubbs and admits Chubbs was right; it's only then that Chubbs agrees to help Happy master the short game.

* PrepareToDie: Happy tells the clown face at the miniature golf park, "you're gonna die, clown!" when he successfully gets the golf ball into the clown's mouth but the clown spits it back out.

** Shooter is undoubtedly the villain, but he does bring up valid points about Happy's unacceptable behavior during tournaments. Manhandling caddies assigned to you when you're a rookie, swearing up a storm on live television because you couldn't putt a ball properly, throwing clubs, and causing a fight with a celebrity should get you ejected permanently from the tour. The crowd also boos Shooter when he breaks a beach ball in the last tournament, but it shouldn't have been there in the first place -- and certainly not while he was putting. While firing his caddy for suggesting a 5 iron instead of a wedge to chip a ball on the fringe was a jerk thing to do, his caddy should have known way better than to ever suggest a 5 iron that close to the hole.

* WouldHarmASenior: Happy has no qualms about punching Bob Barker in the face for needling him. This turns out to be a bad move.

* HairTriggerTemper: Happy will fly off the handle at perceived slights; he ripped off a guy's shirt and punched him out because of a sarcastic remark about his putting skills. He also went berserk at a mini-golf park obstacle, attacked Bob Barker, and in general yells at anyone unfortunate to earn his ire. Sadly for Happy, his quick temper is his FatalFlaw. While channeling his anger allows Happy to have some truly incredible drive and determination, it also gets him in all kinds of trouble with the PGA after his bad attitude starts to become an issue.

* IKnowWhatWeCanDoCut: After Happy is suspended for fighting with Bob Barker, he and Virginia sit down to eat at Subway. While Happy describes the sandwich he's eating, it cuts directly to him in a Subway commercial, having worked out an endorsement deal.

-->'''Mr. Larson''': Trying to reach the green from here, Shooter?\\

* OneHeroHoldTheWeaksauce: As explained in RealityIsUnrealistic, a golf swing with a running start can work for giving more distance, but would normally destroy one's accuracy. Happy doesn't have that problem with his drives.

* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Subverted. Gilmore will readily tell anyone that will listen that money is his prime motivation for golfing, but is embarrassed to tell people that his real reason is to get his Grandmother's house back and is saving every penny of his winnings to achieve this.

** Happy gets an endorsement deal with Subway long before Jared made the company famous. In this case it's a fairly well-integrated plot point; Happy needs to make money to pay his Grandma's back taxes, he's an athlete who's been suspended from playing, and his LoveInterest works in P.R., making a commercial endorsement deal his most logical option.

* PyrrhicVictory: This actually happens for both Happy ''and'' Shooter when Happy gets suspended following the Bob Barker incident. Happy's career isn't over, but he can't earn the money he needs to save his grandma's house immediately. Shooter gets rid of Happy for the time being, but he wanted him permanently off the tour.

* RealityEnsues:
** Happy turns down Chubbs's offer to work on his whole golf game because he desperately needs to get on the tour and make money immediately. However, going onto a pro tour armed with only a 400-foot drive but no real sense for the game leaves him with nothing but ringing up dead-last finishes for a while, as he has no touch for approaches and putting. While with experience he steadily improves enough to even score a top-10 finish before seeking out Chubbs, it's only when Chubbs is able to drill into Happy the importance of an all-around game that Happy can truly pose a challenge to Shooter.
** Shooter is ridiculously competitive, even by sports movie standards, and hates that Happy Gilmore is stealing his thunder. The other golfers are nicer to Happy because good conduct is welcoming the newbie and praising their victories. This eventually results in everyone seeing Shooter as a petty [[spoiler:SoreLoser and him losing any reputation he had]].
** The moment Happy gets on the pro tournament, it's clear that some members of the golfing community don't want him there. After Happy starts swearing up a storm because he missed a putt, including attacking a few fans, the president of the tournament wants to kick Happy out immediately. He's only saved by Virginia arguing that Happy's presence will bring the tournament lots of money, though even she admits that "his behavior is completely unacceptable."
** After changing his behavior and following the rules, Happy ends up getting into a fight with Bob Barker, his partner in a celebrity golf tournament. While the ruling board is lenient because of how much Happy has done for them, he's still suspended for a month and fined $25,000.
** As a thanks for everything Chubbs has done for him, Happy gifts him [[spoiler:the head of the alligator that bit Chubbs' hand off, expecting he'll appreciate Happy getting revenge on his behalf. Instead, Chubbs, like any normal person, is freaked out by the sight of a dead alligator head in a box. So much that he falls out the window to his death.]]

* RuleOfFunny: Why is Happy never in deep trouble or arrested for his multiple assaults? Because it's funny!

* SirSwearsALot: The TV censors can barely keep up with Happy.

* ThisCannotBe: Shooter during his VillainousBreakdown, if you can make it out over the crowd cheering and [[LargeHam his general shout-iness.]]
--> "[[BigNo NOOO!]] IT'S IMPOSSIBLE! [[SoreLoser THIS IS MY JACKET!]]"

* VillainousBreakdown: Shooter, when Happy starts recovering, totally losses his composure. He angrily beats up a beach ball someone threw onto the course. After Happy beats him, he goes ''ballistic'', stealing the Golden Jacket.

* ArmorPiercingQuestion: "What do you think Grandma wants more: to get her house back, or to see her grandson succeed?"

*** Shooter does ask for a drop for the ball being on someone's shoe but is denied because you have to "play it where it lies". In reality, the ball would have been moved because of the inherent danger of trying to hit a ball off a person's foot- what if he missed?

* BizarreAndImprobableGolfGame: Shooter learns that the "play it where it lies" rule applies for ''everyone''. This is why he has to hit a ball off Mr. Larson's foot.

* BreakoutCharacter: An in-universe example. Happy's amazing drive, in-your-face attitude, and blue collar background make him a hero of the masses, and gives professional golf a boost in popularity that it's never seen before.

* ChasedByAngryNatives: [[spoiler: Being the sore loser he is, Shooter tries to steal Happy's Golden Jacket... right in front of Happy's fans (who happen to include a particularly enraged Creator/RichardKiel). In this case, he doesn't run fast enough]].

** It's also the major thing holding Happy's hockey career back. He has a killer slapshot at the cost of being mediocre at every other aspect of the game, as he focuses entirely on becoming tougher without bothering to become a decent skater.

* CriticalResearchFailure: InUniverse.
--> '''Lee Trevino:''' Grizzly Adams ''did'' have a beard.

** Happy was evidently on the receiving end of one at the hands of his old boss, Mr Larson, after accidentally firing a nail into the latter's head.

* DeathByIrony: Happy's dad gets killed by his favorite sport.
* {{Deconstruction}}: This movie is a commentary on golfers, their attitudes, and golfing.

* DestinationDefenestration: Happy knocks some people out of windows in anger.
* DickDastardlyStopsToCheat: It's established that if Shooter just left Happy alone, he would have a fairer chance at winning. Instead, he pays a guy to heckle Happy and [[spoiler:buys his grandmother's house to blackmail him into quitting the tournament]], all because he hates how a newbie is upsetting his year. By the end, everyone is calling him out for his poor sportsmanship and Happy's fans [[spoiler:chase him down for stealing the Golden Jacket]].

* DramaPreservingHandicap: On the last day of the professional golf tour, Happy loses his long drive after being hit by a car.

* EveryYearTheyFizzleOut: Shooter is obviously a famous and highly respected golfer, but he's always failed to win the Golden Jacket, and he's furious whenever the subject is brought up.

-->'''Happy''': [[TranquilFury I don't hate you.]]

* HairTriggerTemper: Happy will fly off the handle at perceived slights; he ripped off a guy's shirt and punched him out because of a sarcastic remark about his putting skills. He also went berserk at a mini-golf park, attacked Bob Barker, and in general yells at anyone unfortunate to earn his ire.

* JerkassHasAPoint: The hockey coaches in the beginning of the film state very valid criticisms of Happy's skills and rightly reject him at the tryouts. Of course, they don't tell ''him'' those fundamental flaws and simply laugh at him. It's no surprise that his HairTriggerTemper causes him to beat them up.

* AsHimself: Besides Bob Barker appearing as Happy's Pro-Am partner, Verne Lundquist does the play-by-play in the Tour.

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Played around with Mr. Larson--played by Creator/RichardKiel (aka Jaws from ''Film/TheSpyWhoLovedMe'' and ''Film/{{Moonraker}}''). When we first meet him, he's brooding and intimidating and beats Happy so bad he's sent to the ER (after Happy had embedded a nail in his head with a fired nail gun). When Happy starts being a pro-golfer, however, he becomes one of Happy's most loyal fans. As his shirt says, guns don't kill people--''he'' does.

* BerserkButton: Do ''not'' suggest that Happy is as bad at hockey as he is at golf. Bob Barker not only presses that button, he smashes it with a hammer.
* BeyondTheImpossible: Happy has a 400 yard drive, where in real golf a 300 yard drive is considered to be very impressive. Indeed, everyone who sees it for the first time can't believe their eyes, and it quickly becomes part of what makes Happy popular to watch. Lampshaded when Shooter offhandedly says to Larson that it isn't possible.
** Actually, there are golfers that can drive over 400 yards, especially with modern equipment, although it is uncommon enough. In fact, the Guiness Book of World Records holder set a record of 515 yards in 1974... as a 64 year old.

* BloodlessCarnage: For all the strong punches Bob Barker lands on Happy, all he has to show for it is a small cut on his forehead after the fight.

** The hockey recruiters, shortly after discussing Happy's strength and anger issues, laugh him off when they reject him.
** Shooter really should have thought twice before slinging insults at Larson, a guy who was about two heads taller than Shooter was.

* ChasedByAngryNatives: [[spoiler: Shooter gets this after losing to Happy then, being the sore loser he is, trying to steal his Golden Jacket... right in front of Happy's fans (who happen to include a particularly enraged Creator/RichardKiel). In this case, he doesn't run fast enough]].

* ChekhovsSkill: Happy's slap shot helps him be an incredible golfer.
** Also his "toughening up" training by taking shots fired from an automated pitching machine in the batting cage. What happens near the end of the film? He shrugs off ''getting hit by a car'' that would put most people in the hospital, though admittedly not without initial trouble with his 400-yard-drive.

* CompetitionFreak: Happy is an incredibly violent example at the start of the film. Ironically, he only takes up golf for the sake of earning some money, only to earn venom from the glory seeking Shooter who feels he is treading on his path to victory. ''Bob Barker'' beats the shit out of Happy after costing them a team game, and no, he does not consider a loud heckler throwing him off an excuse.

* CurbStompBattle: Happy clobbering the coach of the hockey team who cuts him and taunts him at the beginning of the film. Happy manages to knock out two players trying to break up the fight with just one punch each.
** Happy was evidently on the receiving end of one at the hands of his old boss Mr Larson after accidentally firing a nail into the latter's head.

* DefeatMeansFriendship: In the prologue we learn that Happy got into a fight with his boss, Mr. Larson. Happy feels like "I won the fight" (despite being the one who ended up in the ER) and when they meet later, Mr. Larson is one of his fans [[spoiler: and beats the crap out of Shooter on Happy's behalf.]]

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Even though Shooter hired Donald to [[IShallTauntYou harass Happy until he lost the game]], he didn't like [[LoonyFan how clingy Donald could get with him at times.]]
** Shooter also seemed horrified that Donald hit Happy with his car, then drove into a bunch of people. Heckling Happy into screwing up his game is one thing, attempting vehicular manslaughter is another.

* EveryoneHasStandards: When Shooter [[spoiler:buys the house and tries to blackmail Happy into quitting the tour]], Virginia intervenes. She asks Happy if his grandmother would be happy about him giving up his potential for her. This convinces Happy to TakeAThirdOption.

** Shooter when he [[spoiler: tries to buy Happy's grandmother's house]] and suggests that she become his maid and turn Happy's childhood bedroom into his trophy room.
** The home orderly is constantly exploiting or verbally abusing the residents, one scene of the extended cut however has him ban Happy's grandma's TV as she was watching him play just to be a dick.

* MadeOfIron: Happy (voluntarily subjecting himself to 90mph fastballs in order to toughen up, then later playing on after being hit-and-run by a Volkswagen) and Mr. Larson (surviving a nail fired from a nailgun getting lodged in his head despite his hardhat, which when it happens in RealLife is usually a medical emergency).
* MassOhCrap: Happy and the two removalists don't care much for the man at the end of Happy's street. When Happy's last shot hits the man's ''wife'' and knocks her off the second storey and onto the ground, however, they are quick to scarper back inside Mrs. Gilmore's repossessed house.
* MentorOccupationalHazard: [[spoiler:Chubbs, who dies from a combination of fright and a long fall, and right before the climax too.]]

* MoralityPet: Happy is surprisingly nice to the homeless guy he picks up to be his caddy.
* NeverSmileAtACrocodile: An alligator bit off Chubbs' hand in the past, putting an end to his golf career. [[spoiler:Happy manages to avenge him by killing the alligator and gives its head to his mentor as a gift, but the gator gets the last laugh when the sight of it frightens Chubbs so much that he falls out the window to his death.]]

* NothingCanStopUsNow: This is how Happy feels when he eventually wins enough money to pay off the money his grandma owes the IRS. The next scene shows it auctioned off for ''more'' money than Grandma Gilmore owed in taxes. [[spoiler: To Shooter.]]

* PlaceWorseThanDeath: The retirement home where Happy leaves his grandmother is a cover for its true purpose: a sweatshop for old people.

* PreAssKickingOneLiner: Bob Barker before retaliating against Happy.

* RunningGag: Lee Trevino looking at Happy forlornly and shaking his head. There's a twist on this near the end.

* TheStoic: The homeless guy; even when Happy throws a tantrum and tosses a putter again, the homeless guy catches it without even cocking his head.

** Happy requests at the end of his first tournament that he get a GiantNoveltyCheck of his earnings(as last place) just like the winner. Not only does he get his check, but he gets one from every other tournament from here on in, to the point where his car is full of them.

* SingleWomanMeetsGoodMan: Virginia at first sees Happy as an investment for the golfing tournament to bring in new fans. Then she finds out that Happy is doing the tour to save his grandmother's house, and learns how much he cares. Virginia encourages Happy not to give up his golfing career for Grandma Gilmore and find another way to save her house.

-->'''Virginia:''' Golf has been waiting for a player like this: A colorful, emotional, working-class hero.

-->(after Shooter makes 2 shots trying for his third)\\

'''Shooter''': ''[meekly]'' ''Yes.''\\

* UnnecessaryRoughness: Happy's entire approach to hockey is beating people up, even trying to stab other players with his own skates.

* VillainousBreakdown: Shooter, when Happy starts recovering, totally losses his composure. He angrily beats up a beach ball someone threw onto the course. After Happy beats him, he goes ''ballistic'', stealing the golden jacket.

* WhenEldersAttack: Happy learns the hard way that Bob Barker is a tough fighter; he gets the shit beaten out of him. He counts as a Real Life Example too; Barker practiced Tang So Doo and was even taught under Chuck Norris at one point.

* WrongLineOfWork: As a hockey super fan, Happy always dreamed of being a hockey player, and every year tries out for a team but never gets picked because he can barely skate and doesn't play very well, with the only thing going for him is a powerful swing shot, which translates to hitting a golf ball over three hundred yards every time. When he goes to the golf range to hustle people for a few bucks, Chubs enters him in a local tournament to hone his golfing skills. When he wins, he qualifies to enter a professional tournament, where he meets Virgina, who teaches him to control his temper if he wants to stick around long enough to pay back his grandma's back taxes and get the house back. However, despite telling Chubs and Virginia that he was only playing for the price money, as the tournament progresses, Happy eventually discovers that they were right: he's a golfer not a hockey player.
* YouWereTryingTooHard: This is the point of Chubb taking Happy to practice at a minigolf course. With your short game, you need accuracy more than strength, and the ability to send the ball where it goes. He tells Happy to relax, find his happy place, and then take the shot. Eventually, Happy loosens up and is able to improve in one night.

* KickThemWhileTheyAreDown: Bob Barker's finishing shot on Happy. ''Now'' he's had enough...[[ThisIsForEmphasisBitch bitch]].

'''Happy''': (''laughing'') [[FridgeLogic You eat pieces of shit for breakfast?]]\\
'''Shooter''' (''panicked''): ...No!

* LaserGuidedKarma: After hiring someone to throw off Happy, Shoot's shot gets thrown off...right onto the foot of Mr. Larson.

* MadeOfIron: Happy (voluntarily subjecting himself to 90mph fastballs in order to toughen up, then later playing on after being hit-and-run by a Volkswagen) and Mr. Larson (surviving a nail fired from a nailgun getting lodged in his head despite his hardhat, which when it happens in RealLife is usually a medical emergency)

-->'''Happy''' (''to his golf ball, after barely missing a putt''): You son of a bitch ball -- why don't you just go home?! That's your home! Are you too good for your home?! Answer me!

* MoralityPet: Happy is surprisingly nice to the homeless guy he picks up to be his caddy. [[spoiler: After he wins the tournament, he makes the guy his butler]].

* OhCrap: Shooter's reaction to Mr. Larson's threat after he has to play it where it lies...off Mr. Larson's foot.

(''crowd "oooo"s in surprise while Shooter runs away, followed by someone in the crowd mockingly calling "Run Shooter!"'')

'''Shooter [=McGavin=]''': Well, MORON...(''turns around'') good for Happy (''sees Larson'') Gilm-OHMY''GOD!''

* PlaceWorseThanDeath: The retirement home where Happy leaves his grandmother is a cover for its true purpose; a sweatshop for old people.

-->'''Happy:''' It ain't over yet, McGavin. The way I see it, [[HeroicSecondWind we've only just begun.]]

* RecruitedFromTheGutter: PlayedForLaughs; Happy's caddy is a homeless man he hires (who eats the crackers Happy sets down to mark his ball). [[spoiler: After the events of the film, he hires him full time as a butler.]]

'''Trevino''': (''interjecting'') Grizzly Adams ''did'' have a beard.

'''Mr. Larson''': Is this your ball? (Gives Shooter a searing DeathGlare)\\
'''Shooter''': (meekly) ''yes.''\\

--> '''Chubbs''': ''This isn't Hockey; you don't play with raw emotion.''

* ThisIsForEmphasisBitch: First by Happy to Bob Barker ("The price is ''wrong'', bitch!") then by Bob Barker to Happy ("I think you've had enough...(''punts a downed Happy'') ''Now'' you've had enough...[[IronicEcho bitch]]!")

-->'''"I beg to differ: Happy Gilmore [[BeyondTheImpossible accomplished that feat]] no more than an hour ago."'''

-->'''"Happy learned how to putt... ''uh-oh!''"'''

--> ''Cut to Estate Agent being thrown out through the patio door''

-->'''Shooter:''' ''(to a "working class" crowd of Happy fans, under his breath)'' Damn you people. Go back to your shanties.

'''Happy:''' ''(winces)'' Oh, yeah. Sorry.

--> '''Shooter:''' ''Where did he finish again? Dead Last? Yeah, he had a good day.''

* DefeatMeansFriendship: In the prologue we learn that Happy got into a fight with his boss, Mr. Larson. Happy feels like "I won the fight" (despite being the one who ended up in the ER) and when they met later, Mr.Larson is one of his fans [[spoiler: and beats the crap out of Shooter on Happy's behalf.]]

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Shooter gets one when he first appears. At first he just acts like a jerk to everyone around him, but what clearly establishes him is when he asks his caddie for advice on a shot. the caddie suggests a certain club. Shooter ignores him, asks for a different club, and after making the shot with said club immediately and cheerfully fires his caddie.

* FauxAffablyEvil: The retirement home[=/=]sweat shop manager is very friendly when Happy is visiting his grandma, but when he's gone...people's backs start hurting.

** When Chubbs is convincing Happy to try out for the Pro-tour, a kid who watched Happy tank the shots in the batting cages tries the same thing. The first ball knocks him flat on his back.

* GentleGiant: Happy's Boss Mr. Larson is at first shown to be a brooding intimidating guy (but having a nail shot into your head would ruin anyone's good mood), but when he's calm he is actually a nice guy to those that deserve it and even tells Happy he is proud of him. [[spoiler: He also takes a step further in chasing down Shooter when the latter steals Happy's prize golden Jacket.]]

-->'''(cut to IRS Auditor being thrown out Grandma's glass front door)'''

* GoodColorsEvilColors: In Happy Gilmore's [[ImagineSpot "Happy Place"]], Virginia is usually wearing white underwear, but when Shooter invades the dream sequence, her underwear is black. [[VariableMix The music also changes from ethereal to heavy metal.]]

'''Happy''': (''laughing'') [[FridgeLogic You eat pieces of shit for breakfast?]]\\
'''Shooter''' (''panicked''): ...No!
* JacobMarleyApparel [[spoiler: Happy's final "happy place" is different than the others, and shows a complete inversion where Chubbs is in Heaven, his hand now intact.]]

'''Shooter [=McGavin=]:''' ''[Sneering]'' Yeah, right! And Grizzly Adams had a beard!\\

** Actually, there are golfers that can drive over 400 yards, especially with modern equipment, although it is uncommon enough. In fact, the Guiness Book of World Records holder set a record of 515 yards in 1974......as a 64 year old.

* BunnyEarsLawyer: Chubbs is a bit of an odd fellow, what with keeping the eye of a gator he wrestled in his pocket and taking Happy to a miniature course to teach him to put, but he knows his stuff on golf.

-->'''Happy''': (regarding the cheesy Mini Golf course they are practicing at) This is embarrassing, I'm a professional golfer for God's sake...

* CelebritiesHangOutinHeaven: At the end, Abraham Lincoln is shown waving from a cloud with Chubbs and the alligator.
* CharacterOverlap: Creator/BenStiller goes on to play the orderly, Hal again in ''Film/HubieHalloween''.
* ChasedByAngryNatives: [[spoiler: Shooter gets this after losing to Happy then, being the sore loser he is, trying to steal his Golden Jacket...right in front of Happy's fans (who happen to include a particularly enraged Creator/RichardKiel). In this case, he doesn't run fast enough]].

* CompetitionFreak: Happy is an incredibly violent example at the start of the film. Ironically, he only takes golf for the sake of earning some money, only to earn venom from the glory seeking Shooter who feels he is treading on his path to victory. ''Bob Barker'' beats the shit out of Happy after costing them a team game, and no, he does not consider a loud heckler throwing him off an excuse.

** Multiple layers of it in a single short conversation. First, Happy asks Chubbs why a guy his size isn't playing a "real sport" like football or something. (Carl Weathers, who played Chubbs, used to be a pro football player). Chubbs answers the question by claiming that his mother wouldn't let him play anything dangerous. Happy comments that maybe that's a good idea. (Weathers also played Apollo Creed in the ''Franchise/{{Rocky}}'' movies, who died in the ring during the [[Film/RockyIV fourth film]]). Then, Happy discovers that Chubbs is missing a hand, and in ''Film/{{Predator}}'' Weathers' character had an arm cut off just before being killed.
** The character of Mr. Larson is referred to as 'Frankenstein' at one point. Richard Kiel who plays him was in a [[Series/TheMonkees Monkees]] episode as a 'Frankenstein' type creature.

'''Shooter''': It struck my foot.

** Commissioner Thompson has the gold jacket on a hanger, ready to present it to Happy as soon as Happy holes the winning putt. In real life, all players must report to the scoring tent, and review and sign their scorecards at the end of each round to make sure they are correct.

* FunnyAfro: Happy inexplicably has one during high school while playing junior hockey. That is the only time we see it.

** Also his "toughening up" training by taking shots fired from an automated pitching machine in the batting cage. What happens near the end of the film? He shrugs off ''getting hit by a car'' that would put most people in the hospital.

** (after Shooter makes 2 shots trying for his third)\\
'''Mr. Larson''': That's two thus far Shooter.\\