Love It or Hate It, ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Is a Runaway Hit — 46.7 Million Viewers Say So originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
By now, you’ve probably seen at least three articles about “Happy Gilmore 2” cross your social media feed. Maybe you’ve rolled your eyes at another piece of Adam Sandler content clogging up your golf news. Maybe you’re tired of hearing about celebrity cameos and nostalgic sequels. I get it. But here’s the thing we can’t ignore: The numbers don’t lie, and they’re absolutely staggering.
In just three days, “Happy Gilmore 2” racked up 46.7 million views on Netflix, making it the biggest U.S. opening weekend in the platform’s history. Let that sink in for a moment. Nearly 47 million people chose to spend their weekend watching a golf comedy sequel that critics are calling “mixed at best.” That’s not just impressive — it’s unprecedented.
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Whether you loved the movie, hated it or fall somewhere in between, you have to respect what those numbers represent for golf. This isn’t some niche sports documentary that appeals to hardcore fans. This is mainstream entertainment that puts golf front and center for tens of millions of viewers who might never pick up a club otherwise.
The film’s success proves something important about golf’s cultural reach. When Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau show up on screen alongside legends like Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino, they’re not just making cameos — they’re introducing themselves to audiences who know them as “that guy from the golf movie” rather than major champions. That’s exposure money can’t buy.
Sure, the movie isn’t winning any Academy Awards. Yes, some of the humor is juvenile, and the plot is predictably Sandler-esque. But dismissing its impact because it’s not sophisticated misses the bigger picture entirely. Golf has an image problem — it’s often seen as stuffy, exclusive and intimidating. Both the original “Happy Gilmore” and this sequel do something remarkable: They make golf look fun.
The timing couldn’t be better either. Golf’s recreational boom since COVID-19 has kept the business side thriving — courses are packed, equipment sales remain strong and new players continue discovering the game. But while golf thrives at the grassroots level, the professional ranks have been plagued by bad press. The ongoing civil war between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf has dominated headlines for all the wrong reasons, creating negative perceptions about greed, politics and fractured loyalties.
Having a movie that celebrates the sport’s lighter side feels refreshing in this environment. When fans see Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau — players who represent opposite sides of golf’s divide — laughing together on screen, it humanizes them beyond the controversy. The film’s storyline of “Real Golf” versus a corporate takeover might not be subtle, but it captures exactly the tension many fans feel about the sport’s direction while showing these pros as accessible, fun-loving athletes rather than pawns in a bigger game.
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Whether it’s keeping golf top of mind for recreational players, attracting new audiences to the professional game or simply generating positive buzz during a turbulent time, “Happy Gilmore 2” serves the sport well on multiple fronts.
Critics can debate the movie’s artistic merits all they want, but 46.7 million viewers have already voted with their remote controls. In an era where golf struggles to attract younger audiences and casual fans, having Adam Sandler deliver the sport to Netflix’s massive platform is nothing short of a gift.
Love it or hate it, “Happy Gilmore 2” is great for golf — and those record-breaking numbers prove it.
Related: ‘Happy Gilmore 2’: A Nostalgic Home Run That Proves Golf Can Still Be Fun
Related: The Top 10 Golf Movies of All Time — in No Particular Order
Related: Golf Has Never Been Cooler: How the Sport Conquered Pop Culture
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
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