The golf film canon is a short, mostly infamous body of work. “Caddyshack” is the unchallenged monarch of the kingdom, a movie that’s quoted daily on golf courses despite its 1980 release. There’s a precipitous drop-off from there — “Follow the Sun,” “Dead Solid Perfect,” “Tin Cup,” and “The Greatest Game Ever Played” — with every other film on the sport a disaster. Depending on your age, the standing of “Happy Gilmore” varies. And don’t get us started on “Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius.” There’s already enough anger on the Internet.

There’s a simple reason for this scarcity: it’s really, really hard to make a good golf film. Case in point: “The Legend of Bagger Vance.” Great book, a unique narrative with historical figures, phenomenal cast in Will Smith, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron, beautiful cinematography; it seemed to hit all the requisite factors for a winning formula. And yet, it all went to hell because Damon — playing a supposed amateur prodigy — swung like this:

So whenever a golf movie is released, we try not to get our hopes up. Yet, “Tommy’s Honour” has been an exception.

Based on the award-winning eponymous book, the story centers on Old and Young Tom Morris, the legendary father-son Scottish duo that changed the face of golf in the late 19th century. Betweenthe clips that have been released, along with director Jason Connery joining us to talk about the film, we hoped “Tommy’s Honour” could be the rare triumph in the genre. Set for an April 14th release, we decided to check the status of early reviews.

And according to critics, the movie lives up to the hype.

“Tommy’s Honour” currently owns a 77 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a figure indicating positive reviews. For context, “Caddyshack” is at 76 percent, “Tin Cup” at 69 percent and “Happy Gilmore” 60 percent.

“An engrossing and accessible celebration of the game’s modern origins, enhanced by striking locations and a standout cast, led by Scottish actors Peter Mullan and Jack Lowden,” wrote Hollywood Reporter’s Justin Lowe. Added Ray Greene of The Wrap, “The rare sports biography that keeps its eye on the ball of character and milieu.”

There are a few negative reviews, those tending to point to the movie’s slow pace. Nevertheless, anything in the 70s on the TomatoMeter is generally considered a success.

“Tommy’s Honour” is set for limited U.S. release, hitting a select theaters this Friday.

Ed’s note: Golf Digest Middle East has checked with the two major cinema companies in the UAE and it sadly appears we’ll have to wait for Tommy’s Honour to be released online.

The post The reviews are in for ‘Tommy’s Honour’ and the critics are saying… appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

If you’ve watched any competitive golf on TV over the last few weeks, chance are you’ve seen ads for the new movie “Tommy’s Honour” on the Golf Channel and NBC. The film, which is set for release this Friday, April 14, is about Old and Young Tom Morris, the legendary father-son Scottish duo who changed the face of golf in the late 19th century.

The movie is based on Kevin Cook’s award-winning book of the same name, and tells the story of the Morris’ lives, which were filled with drama and personal tragedy. When Young Tom’s golf success surpasses his father’s, his more rebellious personality is exposed as he challenges the beliefs of his family and of the aristocracy. The movie is a golf movie, but also a drama and love story.

The movie’s director, Jason Connery, joined us for a recent Golf Digest Podcast to talk about the making of the film. In addition, Roadside Attractions sent us this exclusive teaser clip from the movie. The scene here is dubbed “Backspin” and showcases some of the work that Connery and Jack Lowden, the actor who plays Young Tom, did to try to make golf in the 1860s look as authentic as possible.

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