Caddyshack 101, A New Classic

by Jeff Skinner

I’ll be the first to admit that I, like many golf fanatics, probably spend a little bit too much time focusing on golf.  I am a golf junkie. I’m usually just a second away from a “golf thought” no matter what I am doing.  I am always practicing the swing, thinking about playing, talking golf, thinking golf, playing golf, writing golf or getting ready to do any or all of the above.  Yes, I’m a fanatic, I’ll admit it.  I have golf bags standing in my living room, soft balls strewn about for chipping, regular balls all over for putting, swing aides all about and ready for a quick swing or two, the Caddyshack DVD is always at the ready, and of course at least one of my TV’s is always turned to The Golf Channel. (Yes, I have two TV’s so I can have golf and another sport on simultaneously.)

I don’t need rehab, I just need a quick “golf fix” every few seconds and I have learned to live with my addiction.  My family accepts my addiction and even takes advantage of my ad-hoc golf training facility that is my home.  They enjoy the game as well.

I will admit that at times I have thought “maybe I spend too much time on golf” but the thought quickly passes as I practice my grip on the imaginary club that I always carry.  Now, I feel a bit of vindication for my obsession.  There are many colleges and schools that have degrees and programs in sports management and many golf related disciplines.  In fact one school in Florida is currently offering a class on the movie Caddyshack.  Yes, “Caddyshack 101: Lessons from the Coolest Sports Movie Ever Made” is offered as part of their Sports Management Program.

Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida lists Caddyshack 101 as a mini-term seminar to discuss issues like social-class stereotyping, gambling in sports, language, civility, etiquette, animal rights and environmental conservation.  And I thought it was a comedy.  Little did I know I was being educated each time I watched it. “We use this hilarious, crude, wonderful film as a way to get into some very serious discussions,” says Ted Curtis, assistant professor of sports management, and a lifelong fan of the 1980 movie. “As university faculty, we always are trying to find new ways to engage and enlighten our students. With this class, we are doing that through one of the most-popular sports comedies ever made.”

I feel vindicated.  My obsession is no longer a detriment.  It is higher education.  It is a learning experience.  It is me growing as a person and bettering myself.  Each time we say “Cinderella story, Porterhouse, Noonan, Spaulding” or my favorite, “Now I know why tigers eat their young” we aren’t quoting a sophomoric classic we are educating ourselves.  God Bless Caddyshack and higher education.