A Canadian judge has ruled the “Happy Gilmore” golf swing has “breached the standard of care owed to other players on the course.”
What?!
Justice Arthur J. LeBlanc, in his decision, went on to trash an admittedly nontraditional but heretofore legal swing, that’s been a comic staple since it was made famous by the 1996 Adam Sandler film. In fact, an episode of Sport Science recently tested the effectiveness of it (see video clip below).
“I am convinced that the “Happy Gilmore” shot,” wrote Judge Le Blanc in his decision, “would have been less controllable than a normal tee shot, both because it involved a run-up to the ball (rather than an aimed shot from a stationary position) and because the defendant had been drinking throughout the day.”
Let’s put aside for a moment the question of whether the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia is qualified to rule on the quality of a golf swing. We need to take a closer look at the facts of the case.
