The Happy Place
Finding Happy Gilmore’s Golf Legacy in Greater Vancouver
For fans of Adam Sandler’s 1996 comedy classic Happy Gilmore, British Columbia offers a unique opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the hockey player turned golf sensation.
While the film is set in various locations across the United States, much of the actual filming took place in BC’s picturesque Lower Mainland. This guide will take you through the real filming locations where Happy learned to harness his powerful drive and chase his dreams of saving his grandmother’s house, all while making enemies with Shooter McGavin along the way.
Planning Your Visit
Although golf can be enjoyed nearly year-round in Greater Vancouver, the best time to visit these locations is between May and September when the weather is most reliable. All three golf courses require advance booking, particularly during peak season. While Swaneset and Furry Creek are premium courses with higher green fees, Riverway offers a more budget-friendly option.
The film’s connection to British Columbia goes deeper than just its filming locations. While many fans know that Adam Sandler developed Happy’s iconic running swing after discovering he could drive a golf ball farther with a running start, fewer know that several local Vancouver hockey players were recruited as extras for the film’s opening hockey tryout scenes. These players helped create an authentic hockey atmosphere while allowing Sandler to blend his character’s hockey background with the local Vancouver hockey culture.
The Golf Courses
Swaneset Bay Resort & Country Club – Pitt Meadows
Perhaps the most significant location in Happy’s journey, Swaneset Bay Resort & Country Club served as the primary filming location for many of the tournament scenes. This stunning 36-hole facility, designed by Lee Trevino, provided the backdrop for Happy’s explosive debut at the Waterbury Open and his final showdown against Shooter McGavin during the AT&T Invitational. The clubhouse, with its distinctive architecture, is instantly recognizable from several key scenes in the film. Today, both the Ridge and Links courses are open to the public, allowing fans to experience the same fairways where Happy perfected his unconventional approach to the game. As a tribute to its Hollywood history, the course even features a fairway named Happy’s Haven, a nod to the film’s lasting legacy.
For the best experience, book a tee time in the late afternoon when the lighting matches many of the film’s most memorable scenes. The clubhouse restaurant offers excellent viewing of the 18th hole, much like where spectators gathered to watch Happy’s tournaments. While you won’t find Shooter McGavin’s trademark finger guns here today, you will find a welcoming staff and some of the best-maintained greens in the region.
Photography tip: The best views of the course and surrounding landscape can be captured from the elevated tee boxes, particularly on holes 1, 7, and 14. Morning fog often creates a mystical atmosphere over the course, though you’ll want to wait for it to clear if you’re actually playing a round.
Furry Creek Golf & Country Club – Furry Creek
One of British Columbia’s most scenic courses, Furry Creek Golf & Country Club provided the setting for the infamous fight between Happy and Bob Barker. The spectacular oceanside location, just 40 minutes north of Vancouver along the Sea-to-Sky Highway, offers breathtaking views of Howe Sound and the coastal mountains. The signature 14th hole, perched right above the ocean, is particularly memorable and provides an excellent photo opportunity for fans of the film.
Riverway Golf Course – Burnaby
While less prominently featured than the other courses, Riverway Golf Course in Burnaby provided locations for several of the film’s practice scenes. This municipal course offers a more accessible price point than the previous two locations, making it perfect for golfers who, like Happy, are still working on their game. The driving range here is particularly noteworthy, as it was used for several scenes where Happy was developing his signature drive.
Beyond the Greens
The park’s well-maintained paths and green spaces are perfect for a morning walk or jog, channeling Happy’s training montages. The park’s vast size and variety of locations made it ideal for filming, and today it offers visitors a chance to experience the natural beauty of Vancouver while remembering some of the film’s more subtle moments.
Stanley Park – Vancouver
While not a golf location, Stanley Park served as a backdrop for several exterior shots in the film.
Grouse Mountain
For outdoor enthusiasts looking to capture the adventurous spirit that Happy brought to golf, Grouse Mountain offers year-round activities with breathtaking views of Vancouver.
During summer months, you can enjoy hiking, including the famous Grouse Grind, zip-lining, and scenic chairlift rides. The mountain’s proximity to the city makes it an excellent addition to your Happy Gilmore-inspired journey, offering the kind of rugged outdoor experience that would appeal to a hockey player turned golfer.
During hockey season (October through April), you can catch a Canucks game and imagine Happy’s pre-golf career. Even during the off-season, the arena offers tours where visitors can see the locker rooms and walk through the same corridors as NHL players.
Rogers Arena – Home of the Vancouver Canucks
No Happy Gilmore-themed visit to Vancouver would be complete without paying homage to Happy’s first love: hockey. Rogers Arena, home to the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks, offers the perfect opportunity to experience the sport that gave Happy his powerful and unconventional golf swing.
Thematic Activities and Experiences
“The Price is Right” Experience
For fans of the memorable fight scene with Bob Barker, the BC Sports Hall of Fame in Vancouver sometimes features exhibits on famous sports moments filmed in the province. While not directly related to the film, it provides interesting context about British Columbia’s rich history of sports-related filming locations.
Dining Like a Champion
The Shark Club Sports Bar & Grill in Vancouver, while not featured in the film, embodies the sports bar atmosphere that would have suited Happy’s style. It’s a perfect spot to unwind after a day of golf, offering big screens typically showing both hockey and golf, bringing together Happy’s two sporting worlds.
Behind the Scenes: Fun Facts from Happy Gilmore’s Time in British Columbia
The famous fight scene between Happy and Bob Barker at Furry Creek Golf & Country Club took three days to film. Barker, who was 73 at the time of filming, performed many of his own stunts and had previously studied Tang Soo Do for eight years. The spectacular backdrop of Howe Sound and the coastal mountains almost caused a filming delay due to fog, but the weather eventually cooperated to create one of the most memorable scenes in sports comedy history.
Another interesting tidbit involves the Swaneset Bay Resort & Country Club. The groundskeepers at Swaneset had to specially maintain certain areas of the course to look more unkempt for scenes where Happy was supposed to be playing at less prestigious courses.
Then they would quickly restore these areas to their usual pristine condition for scenes set at more upscale clubs. This attention to detail helped create the illusion of multiple different courses while filming primarily at just three locations.
The film was shot in a brisk 50 days during the summer of 1995, with the majority of filming taking place in the Vancouver area. The production team chose British Columbia not only for its diverse golf courses but also for its ability to stand in for multiple American locations while remaining cost-effective. The Vancouver film industry was already well-established by this time, providing experienced local crew members who understood the unique challenges of filming on golf courses while keeping them playable for regular customers.
Carl Weathers, who played Chubbs Peterson, actually spent time with local golf pros in Vancouver to ensure his coaching scenes looked authentic. The production team also consulted with real golf instructors to incorporate legitimate teaching techniques into the comedy, though obviously exaggerated for comic effect.
Christopher McDonald, who played Shooter McGavin, has mentioned in interviews that many of the gallery extras during the tournament scenes were actual golfers from the Vancouver area who helped create authentic reactions to both the good and terrible golf shots depicted in the film. Some of these local golfers can be spotted wearing distinctively Canadian golf apparel if you watch closely during the tournament scenes.
Ready to start your adventure?