Tin Cup is a
1996Major releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:...
romantic comedy filmRomantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
co-written and directed by
Ron SheltonRon Shelton is a U.S. film director and screenwriter, most notable for making movies about sports.Shelton is an alumnus of Santa Barbara High School and of the University of Arizona and Westmont College...
, and starring
Kevin CostnerKevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
and
Rene Russo- Early life :Russo was born in Burbank, California, the daughter of Shirley , a factory worker and barmaid, and Nino Russo, a sculptor and car mechanic who left the family when Rene was two. Her father and maternal grandfather were of Italian descent. Russo grew up with her sister, Toni, and their...
with
Cheech MarinRichard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
and
Don JohnsonDonnie Wayne "Don" Johnson is an American actor known for his work in television and film. He played the lead role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s TV cop series, Miami Vice, which led him to huge success. He also played the lead role in the 1990s cop series, Nash Bridges...
in major supporting roles.
Synopsis
Roy "Tin Cup" McAvoy (
Kevin CostnerKevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
) is a former
golfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
prodigy who has little ambition. He owns a
driving rangeA driving range is an area where golfers can practice their swing. It can also be a recreational activity itself for amateur golfers or when enough time for a full game is not available. Many golf courses have a driving range attached and they are also found as stand-alone facilities, especially...
in
West TexasWest Texas is a vernacular term applied to a region in the southwestern quadrant of the United States that primarily encompasses the arid and semi-arid lands in the western portion of the state of Texas....
, where he drinks and hangs out with his pal Romeo Posar (
Cheech MarinRichard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
) and their friends. Dr. Molly Griswold (
Rene Russo- Early life :Russo was born in Burbank, California, the daughter of Shirley , a factory worker and barmaid, and Nino Russo, a sculptor and car mechanic who left the family when Rene was two. Her father and maternal grandfather were of Italian descent. Russo grew up with her sister, Toni, and their...
), a clinical psychologist, wants a golf lesson. She asks Roy because he knows her boyfriend David Simms (
Don JohnsonDonnie Wayne "Don" Johnson is an American actor known for his work in television and film. He played the lead role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s TV cop series, Miami Vice, which led him to huge success. He also played the lead role in the 1990s cop series, Nash Bridges...
), a top professional golfer. Roy is immediately attracted, but she sees through his charm and resists.
Simms shows up at Roy's trailer, offering money to be his
caddyIn golf, a caddy is the person who carries a player's bag and clubs, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A good caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin...
at a benefit tournament, as Roy knows the course. During the round, however, Roy needles him about "laying up" instead of having the nerve to go for the green by carrying a 230-yard shot across a water hazard. Simms maintains this is Roy's problem, going for it recklessly instead of playing the percentages. Roy brags that he can make a shot Simms refuses to try. Bets are placed and Tin Cup's shot is perfect, but Simms fires him.
To get even, Roy decides to try to qualify for the
U.S. OpenThe United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
. He also makes a play for Molly, seeking her professional help. Molly agrees to help Roy rebuild his self-confidence in exchange for the golf lessons. In two qualifying rounds, with Romeo as caddy, Roy's golf is excellent but his head needs help. He makes a wager with Simms that costs him his car. He continues to resist playing safely, smashing most of his clubs in a snit that causes Romeo to quit, but he qualifies for the championship. He persuades Romeo to go along as caddy, but develops a problem with his golf swing. On the first day of the tournament in
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
he shoots a horrible 83.
Molly sees that trying to change Roy is a mistake and encourages him to be himself. At her suggestion, Roy wins another silly wager with Simms, the tournament's leader. His confidence restored, Tin Cup, a nobody from nowhere, shocks the golf world with a remarkable record second round of 62, to make the cut, then follows up with another excellent third round, moving into contention. Molly gets a glimpse of Simms' unpleasant side. She becomes the lover of Tin Cup, who is now in contention to win the tournament. His only flaw is that for three days in a row, Roy has refused to lay up on the 18th hole, hitting the ball into the pond.
On the last day, Roy, Simms and famous
PGA TourThe PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
pro
Peter JacobsenPeter Erling Jacobsen is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. He has won seven events on the PGA Tour and two events on the Champions Tour, both majors.-Early years:...
(playing himself) are in a three-way battle to be the Open's Champion. Jacobsen finishes with a par on 18, tied for the lead with McAvoy and one shot ahead of Simms. Simms yet again lays up at the 18th hole, playing it safe. Tin Cup should do likewise, but over Romeo's objections and urged by Molly to "go for it," he takes his fateful shot which finally carries the green. However, a "little gust from the Gods" causes his ball to roll back into the pond. Reminiscent of his blow-up back in college when he failed to qualify for the Tour, Roy tries to hit the same shot repeatedly, with the same heart-breaking result. With one last ball in his bag, Roy risks not only being humiliated but being disqualified, but STILL goes for the green. On his 12th shot, the ball clears the water and slowly rolls into the hole. After a wild celebration, Tin Cup finally realizes what he has done and feels ashamed of himself, but Molly assures him, saying "five years from now nobody will remember who won or lost, but they're gonna remember your 12!"
Now back in Texas, Molly tells Roy that by finishing in the top 15 at the Open he automatically qualifies to play again next year. She further suggests that he go back to the qualifying school so he can get on the Tour. Molly, who picked up a bunch of new clients at the tournament, prepares for a career of helping players with the mental portion of the game. They kiss passionately as the movie ends.
The movie features small roles by PGA pros
Gary McCordGary Dennis McCord is an American professional golfer, commentator, author, and actor.-Early life and career:McCord was born in San Gabriel, California and raised in southern California. He was a two-time Division II All-American at UC Riverside...
,
Phil MickelsonPhilip Alfred Mickelson is an American professional golfer. He has won four major championships and a total of 39 events on the PGA Tour. He has reached a career high world ranking of 2nd in multiple years. He is nicknamed "Lefty" for his left-handed swing, even though he is otherwise right-handed...
,
Craig StadlerCraig Robert Stadler is an American professional golfer who has won numerous tournaments at both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour level....
,
Johnny MillerJohn Laurence Miller is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour. He was one of the top players in the world during the mid-1970s; he ranked second in the world on Mark McCormack's world golf rankings in both 1974 and 1975 behind Jack Nicklaus. He is currently the lead golf...
and
Lee JanzenLee McLeod Janzen is an American golfer who is best known for twice winning the U.S. Open, in 1993 and 1998.-Early years and amateur career:...
, as well as TV golf broadcasters
Jim NantzJames William Nantz, III is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his work with CBS Sports television.-Early life:...
,
Ken VenturiKenneth Venturi is an American former professional golfer and golf broadcaster.-Early years and amateur career:Venturi was born in San Francisco, California. He learned golf from an early age, and developed his game at Harding Park Golf Course and other public courses in the area...
and
Frank ChirkinianFrank Chirkinian was an Armenian-American CBS Sports producer and director. He is most notable for his work on golf coverage, though he also directed coverage of the Winter Olympics, the United States Open Tennis Championships, college and professional American football, auto racing and the Triple...
, all each playing themselves.
Cast
- Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
as Roy "Tin Cup" McAvoy
- Rene Russo
- Early life :Russo was born in Burbank, California, the daughter of Shirley , a factory worker and barmaid, and Nino Russo, a sculptor and car mechanic who left the family when Rene was two. Her father and maternal grandfather were of Italian descent. Russo grew up with her sister, Toni, and their...
as Dr. Molly Griswold
- Don Johnson
Donnie Wayne "Don" Johnson is an American actor known for his work in television and film. He played the lead role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s TV cop series, Miami Vice, which led him to huge success. He also played the lead role in the 1990s cop series, Nash Bridges...
as David Simms
- Cheech Marin
Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
as Romeo Posar
- Linda Hart
Linda Hart is an American singer, musician, and actress, mainly appearing in musical theatre.- Biography :As a child, Hart sang in her church choir; at age seven, she joined her father and the rest of the family in The Harts, a weekly gospel television series. Hart attended Los Angeles City...
as Doreen
Production
Kevin Costner trained extensively with
Gary McCordGary Dennis McCord is an American professional golfer, commentator, author, and actor.-Early life and career:McCord was born in San Gabriel, California and raised in southern California. He was a two-time Division II All-American at UC Riverside...
to learn how to play golf, as stated in the foreword Costner wrote for McCord's book,
Golf For Dummies. McCord, who helped Costner develop a swing and pre-shot routine, is listed in the end credits as a golf consultant and has a
cameo appearanceA cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
in the film.
The film's climactic scenes take place at a fictional
U.S. OpenThe United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
tournament set in
North CarolinaNorth Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Several pro golfers and golf personalities make cameo (credited) appearances, playing themselves. Some of the film was shot in Kingwood, Texas, and some was shot at Tubac GC in
Tubac, ArizonaTubac is a census-designated place in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States. The population was 949 at the 2000 census. The place name Tubac is an English borrowing from a Hispanicized form of the O'odham name, which translates into English as "rotten". The original O'odham name is written...
. The movie's 18th hole is actually the 4th hole on Kingwood's Deerwood course; the lake that guards the front of the green on this beautiful and difficult par-5 was built for the movie by the film company.
Many of the golf shots by Roy McAvoy (Kevin Costner) were made by Costner himself.
The scene at the end of the movie where Roy McAvoy hits the shot into the water hazard again and again was based on an actual event.
Gary McCordGary Dennis McCord is an American professional golfer, commentator, author, and actor.-Early life and career:McCord was born in San Gabriel, California and raised in southern California. He was a two-time Division II All-American at UC Riverside...
(the commentator with the handlebar mustache in the movie) is an actual commentator and pro on the
Champions TourThe Champions Tour, a golf tour run by the PGA Tour, hosts a series of events annually in the United States and the United Kingdom for golfers 50 years of age and older. Many of the PGA Tour's most successful golfers have gone on to play on the Champions Tour.The Senior PGA Championship, founded in...
. In a tournament he had a similar shot to McAvoy's. He needed a birdie to win and went for it. He shot over and over again and finally got it in 15 strokes. In the movie McAvoy holes out the shot and gets it in 12.
Other
An annual golf tournament located in Charlotte, NC that benefits the
American Cancer SocietyThe American Cancer Society is the "nationwide community-based voluntary health organization" dedicated, in their own words, "to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and...
is named the "Tin Cup Tournament." It is the American Cancer Society's largest single-day golf event in the Carolinas. Play is always on the second Monday of August. 2004 REMAX World
Long DriveLong drive is a competitive sport where success is derived by hitting a golf ball the farthest by driving. A small but dedicated talent base of golfers populate the world of Long-Drive, with the top talent competing professionally in various events and exhibitions.-Distance:Professional long...
Champion, David Mobley, is an annual celebrity guest. Most recently, the location is at
Ballantyne-People:*Charles Ballantyne, Canadian politician*Elspeth Ballantyne, Australian actress*Frederick Ballantyne, Governor-General of St. Vincent and the Grenadines*James Ballantyne, Scottish publisher*James R...
Resort Golf Course.
Ratings
External links