Is Happy Gilmore's shot legal? Here's what the USGA rulebook says about infamous golf swing

The walk-up, sometimes a sprint, has become iconic. When playing a casual round of golf, it's become somewhat of a challenge — approaching a ball, club in hands, and attempting a hockey-like slap-shot all in one swift movement. It may have spawned from a comedy movie, but the "Happy Gilmore swing" has made a legitimate mark in the world of golf.

Adam Sandler's hit 1996 film, "Happy Gilmore," introduced perhaps the most popular-yet-unorthodox swing technique in the history of the sport, now commonly referred to the "Happy Gilmore swing." Whether it's professional athletes and celebrities taking a stab at the sped-up swing, or a group of golf newcomers discovering if they're athletic enough to pull it off, Sandler's character's hockey-oriented method has become renowned.

If you're unfamiliar with the unique shot routine, here's the clip from the movie where Happy Gilmore swings a club for the first time:

The "Happy Gilmore swing" is certainly wacky and difficult to pull off, discouraging players from actually using it in professional settings. But if they wanted to, would the pros be permitted to attempt it under the standards set in professional golf?

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Here's a full breakdown of the iconic "Happy Gilmore" shot, from its legality under USGA rules, to the physics behind how the swing is actually beneficial.

MORE: How to buy a replica of the iconic 'Happy Gilmore' hockey stick putter 

Is the Happy Gilmore shot legal?

Simply put: Yes, the "Happy Gilmore" swing is legal. If Scottie Scheffler woke up tomorrow and decided he wanted to go full Adam Sandler at a major tournament, running up to the ball before he drives it, he could do so.

There are no rules that regulate having a running start or unorthodox pre-shot routine, like Gilmore does in the film. As long as a player does not alter the conditions of the stroke (such as the lie of the ball), "push" or "scoop" the ball with one long swing or multiple swings, and the ball remains stationary before the swing, then there's nothing barring a player from using the "Happy Gilmore" style.

In fact, plenty of PGA Tour stars have experimented with it in practice or other types of events. Padraig Harrington is likely the most famous example of that, as the three-time major winner has used the run-up swing method in long-drive competitions and exhibitions, showcasing how it adds distance to a drive.

— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) February 16, 2024

John Peterson became one of the first, if not the first, golfer to attempt a "Happy Gilmore" swing in an actual PGA Tour tournament in 2015. At the CIMB Classic, Peterson was in last place heading into the final round. He decided to go with the running start style swing, eventually recording a par on the hole:

New fave US player is John Peterson who hit a Happy Gilmore off the 1st tee on Sunday and shot -6! #allinthehips pic.twitter.com/eQ6L3HNRzq

— Ryan (@TheClub) November 2, 2015

For the most part though, golfers who utilize the slap-shot method introduced by the sports-comedy film only use it in practice or for fun. But why is that?

For one, the "Happy Gilmore" swing makes a drive much more difficult. It's hard to control, adding extra movements before the swing, so it can result in shots that are way off-target — or even missed shots altogether. Accuracy and solid contact on the ball are harder to come by when a player is also focused on a huge "run-up" to the swing.

Between the potential for ineffectiveness, difficulty of the technique, lack of golf "etiquette" and even added injury risk, the "Happy Gilmore shot" may be legal — and fun — but the game's biggest stars don't have much interest in utilizing it with the millions of dollars at stake in real tournaments.

USGA golf swing rules

Here are a few key rules from the USGA when it comes to a golf swing:

• For each stroke, the player must play the course as they find it, and play the ball as it lies
• Play in the spirit in the game, such as acting with integrity, taking care of the course, etc.
• Players may not "anchor" the club, meaning either intentionally holding the club/hand in contact with any other part of the body, or intentionally holding a forearm in contact with any part of the body to establish a gripping hand as a stable point (the entire club must be swung)
• Players cannot improve their conditions for a stroke, such as the area of the swing, the line of play, etc.
• Swings and misses, with the intention of hitting the ball, count as a stroke
• Accidental contact with the ball during a practice swing results in a penalty stroke (except on teeing ground or putting green)

A video from the USGA about three types of strokes that are illegal (notably excluding the "Happy Gilmore" swing) can be found here, which notes the ban on "scoops," billiard-style "pushes" and "scrapes."

Is the Happy Gilmore hockey stick putter legal?

Unlike the iconic slap-shot drive, Happy Gilmore's "hockey stick putter" is not course-legal.

While it is another fun golf idea brought to life by the comedy film, the back of the hockey stick putter is flat, and its dimensions would exceed the rules for a putter head.

That being said, if you wanted to use a "hockey stick putter" for casual play, or just to put on display, replicas from "Happy Gilmore" are sold as memorabilia.

USGA putter rules

Here are some of USGA's key rules regarding putters:

• A putter's loft may not exceed 10 degrees
• The club face must be hard and rigid
• For the club head, the distance from the heel to toe must be greater than the distance from the face to the back; the distance from the heel to the toe of the head must be less than or equal to 7 inches; the distance from the heel to the toe of the face must be greater than or equal to two thirds of the distance from the face to the back of the head; the distance from the heel to the toe of the face must be greater than or equal to half of the distance from the heel to the toe of the head; and the distance from the sole to the top of the head, including any permitted features, must be less than or equal to 2.5 inches (63.5 mm)
• Club heads also must be "plain in shape," generally meaning they must be "structural in nature and functional," and "must not be designed to resemble any other object"

The physics behind Happy Gilmore's golf swing

When done correctly — which is no easy task — the "Happy Gilmore swing" can actually be quite beneficial for the length of a drive.

With a normal golf swing, physics says that just three things can alter how fast the ball is going to fly off the head of the club. One, predictably, is the speed of the club coming in from the swing. The faster a golfer can swing the club at the ball, the further the ball will go. The second is hitting the "sweet spot" of the club head, the spot where one can transfer the maximum amount of energy into the ball. The third is the weight of the club head, as a ball will travel faster if the club head is heavier.

When one pulls off the "Happy Gilmore swing," which involves a brief run-up to the ball, they are adding some extra speed to the club head, which can increase the driving distance (in the right circumstances). If done correctly, while still hitting the "sweet spot" on the club head, the momentum built from the run-up can add some extra power to the swing.

Realistically, the trade off when actually attempting the swing is the difficulty in hitting the minuscule "sweet spot" of the club head while still running up and swinging in one big motion. There's even a chance that someone misses the ball entirely when they're more focused on the run-up portion.

The iconic show "Sport Science" once broke down the physics of the "Happy Gilmore swing." The show dives into what can happen when a world-class golfer like Harrington uses the movie's method:

In that breakdown, Harrington's normal, stationary swing resulted in him hitting the ball 296 yards. When he added a multi-step run up to the ball, like Gilmore, Harrington hit it 30 yards further on average.

Overall, the kinetic energy transferred from the running start of the "Happy Gilmore swing" into the ball can lead to longer drives. But it also has to be pulled off to perfection, something that involves much more risk for professional golfers.

Best 'Happy Gilmore swing' attempts from golfers, athletes

After watching "Happy Gilmore," it's tempting to want to try the iconic slap-shot drive made famous by Sandler. Plenty of stars have done so, from baseball players to PGA Tour stars.

In 2021, Sandler himself re-created his character's swing in honor of the 25-year anniversary of the film.

Over the years, plenty of non-golf athletes have taken their stab at the swing.

Rate Trav’s Happy Gilmore swing https://t.co/KBK4EKr6qt pic.twitter.com/3pd8P4mXwN

— New Heights (@newheightshow) August 28, 2024— MLB (@MLB) February 1, 2025

Browns TE Brenden Bates tried the Happy Gilmore swing and failed miserably 😂@te_university | @BatesBrenden pic.twitter.com/AmPaQac8Li

— NFL (@NFL) June 26, 2025

Pro golfers have also shown off with Gilmore's method in more leisurely situations, including Tiger Woods' attempt:

Have to admit, Tiger’s Happy Gilmore swing is pretty on point pic.twitter.com/ikQV1hZRal

— Shooter McGavin (@ShooterMcGavin_) January 10, 2024