The Rewatchables Podcast: “Tin Cup” (1996)

Hosts: Bill Simmons, Joe House, Craig Horlbeck, with special guest/executive producer Jack O’Connell
Release Date: September 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode marks the 399th movie covered on 'The Rewatchables'. Bill Simmons, Joe House, Craig Horlbeck, and guest Jack O’Connell revisit Ron Shelton’s Tin Cup—the flawed but beloved 1996 golf rom-com starring Kevin Costner, Rene Russo, Don Johnson, and Cheech Marin. The conversation delves deep into sports movie conventions, golf authenticity, Costner’s GOAT status in sports movies, the famously divisive ending, 1996’s importance in golf, and the unique marriage of romance and sport in the film.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Ron Shelton Sports Movie Trifecta

• Tin Cup capped Shelton’s unofficial trilogy after Bull Durham and White Men Can’t Jump.

  "The key in making a sports movie is that you have to make it accessible to a person who hates the sport. But you also have to make the guy who knows the sport inside out say they got it right." —Bill Simmons [01:51]

• The panel lauds how Tin Cup meets these goals, especially in golf authenticity (“enough of the ring of truthiness,” House [02:44]).

2. Dual Nature—Sports Movie Meets Rom-Com

• The hosts note that Tin Cup is two movies: a meandering rom-com for the first half, a golf epic in the second.
• The late-90s saw the sports-movie/romantic-comedy hybrid boom (e.g., Jerry Maguire, Happy Gilmore) tailored for a broad audience.

3. The Ending: Is Roy McAvoy a Choke Artist or a Folk Hero?

• The refusal to “lay up” rather than play it safe on the final hole remains a lightning rod.
• Bill recalls:

  “The decision not to lay up on the last hole—the first time you see it, I just remember being enraged in the theater.” [04:13]

• Decades later, the hosts appreciate its boldness, “a radical decision to have him not win…and to play it how they did” (Simmons [05:00]), seeing it now as a love letter to the caprice and suffering of golf rather than a by-the-numbers triumph.
• Craig:

  “It’s the right ending for this movie. It’s the most relatable thing—to be like, can I hit this? Can I hit this 237 with my three wood? Fuck it, I’m gonna go for it.” [06:15]

4. Kevin Costner: Sports Movie G.O.A.T.?

• Costner’s résumé (“American Flyers”, Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, For Love of the Game, “Draft Day”) is unmatched.
• Bill:

  “Is Kevin Costner, unequivocally the sports movie GOAT? Is it just like a rap?” [10:01]

• The crew agrees; other actors are distant seconds.

5. Costner’s Golf Credibility

• Costner was not a golfer before Tin Cup, but received extensive coaching from Gary McCord and Peter Kostis, making his on-screen swing “credible” (House [12:25]).
• His swing visibly improves during the movie; by the US Open scenes, there are genuine, uncut swings.

6. Golf in 1996: A Pivotal Year & Cultural Boom

• Tin Cup, Happy Gilmore, Nick Faldo’s comeback at the Masters, and Tiger Woods turning pro—all converged in '96.
• Bill’s case:

  “Golf is now reset. We have pop culture in place. We had the Nike thing. We’re about to have the boom.” [19:26]

7. Depiction of Golf—The Everyman Angle

• Ron Shelton wanted to make it about blue-collar, public-course golf, not the “nouveau riche” approach (Simmons [21:37]).
• The panel praises the “banter, the galleries, the relatability... all going on during golf,” making it unique for the sports-movie format.

8. Golf Accuracy & Iconic Moments

• The panel dissects the infamous final hole—physics, club distances, ball spin, and crowd reaction, consulting real-life parallels like Greg Norman’s Masters collapse ([45:14–49:40]).
• House and Craig: the depiction of a three wood stopping on a green from 237 is “utterly implausible” ([46:14]).
• The breakdown is both nitpick and loving tribute to the genre.

9. The Rom-Com Side: Russo, Johnson, and the Love Triangle

• Russo’s era-spanning star power is discussed, with pushback from Craig:

  “I texted both of you... one of you is going to need to kind of describe to me the Renee Russo case.” [24:08]

• Bill argues she has unique chemistry with all her co-stars—making her perhaps the ideal '90s romantic lead.
• The trio finds the love triangle “inexplicable” ([29:00]), mocked for its thin motivation (“Why didn’t she just go to Don Johnson to learn to play golf?” [29:58]).

10. Supporting Cast: Don Johnson and Cheech Marin

• Don Johnson’s smooth, plausible tour pro is praised; he “nailed it” (Simmons [27:40]). Brief, almost villainous turn is considered less organic (“They kind of just add that one scene to turn him into a dick” [28:20]).
• Cheech Marin’s sidekick performance is cited as scene-stealing.
• Noted: 35 actual PGA players (and CBS talent like Jim Nantz, Ken Venturi) cameo, adding realism.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On Roy’s Catastrophic Finale:

  “Because on the first watch, it’s agonizing. You have no idea this is coming. Every movie you’ve ever watched leads to… and then second time around, you’re like, this is kind of awesome. This guy rocks.” —Craig [52:55]

• On Costner’s Athletic Believability:

  “He just finished Waterworld. … My heart was on the ground.” —Costner quote via Bill [14:22]

• Relatability of Golf:

  “The good thing about golf is it’s a sport you can participate in while drinking.” —Jack O’Connell [08:26]

• True to Golf’s Frustration:

  “All normal golfers, we can relate to this.” —Craig [06:10]

• Sports Sex Parallels:

  “Sex and golf are the two things you don’t have to be good at to enjoy.” —Simmons [32:49]

• The Language of Sports Movies:

  “Greatness courts failure.” —Romeo (paraphrased), cited by Simmons [33:29]

• Legendary Golf Banter:

  “Let the big dog eat…” —Popularized by the film; panel discusses its origin [58:13]

Most Rewatchable Scenes [Timestamps]

• Molly’s First Golf Lesson ([36:28]): Poetry, mechanics, and Costner’s charisma on display—“a wonderful introduction to who he is, where she’s coming from” (House).
• Roy Caddies for Sims ([38:06]): The cheat bet with Mickelson, the layup battle, and the famous “13 years on tour, you’re still a pussy.”
• Roy Breaks All His Clubs ([38:53]): Finishing out with a 7-iron—a distinctive sports-movie set piece—ties directly to real tournaments inspired by the movie.
• The US Open Final Round ([44:00–45:13]): The infamous 18th hole meltdown, crowd and TV booth reactions (“the announcer reactions are unbelievable”), and the immortalizing 12.
• The Strip Club and Waffle House Scenes ([62:23]): Both note the working-class vibe the film leans into.

1996 in the Movie: Most ‘90s Touchstones

• Infiniti and Nissan sponsorships—rare for golf.
• Roy’s Walkman ([54:38]).
• The mid-’90s golf fashion: pleated pants, leather staff bags, and Fujifilm blimps.
• Timeless CBS coverage—young Jim Nantz ([41:53]) “looks and sounds exactly the same as now” ([41:53]).

What’s Aged Well and What Hasn’t

Aged Best

• Golf Banter (“Let the Big Dog Eat”, “Grip it and Rip it”)—possibly originated or popularized by the film ([58:13]).
• Jim Nantz and CBS realism, including the TV-booth perspective ([43:16]).
• The concept of a “blue-collar” golf hero.
• The caddy-player relationship, even as both panel and film admit Cheech’s character is not… actually a good caddy.

Aged Worst

• Some fashion choices (pastel “Miami Vice” golf wear for a Texas driving range pro).
• The extraneous strip club subplot; could have been cut.
• Plausibility nitpicks: the televised local tourney, rapid US Open qualification, final shot physics, and the aftermath of Roy’s US Open collapse.

Funniest/Nitpickiest Moments

• The meticulous breakdown of shot distances versus club selection and ball behavior:

  “He hits his seven-iron 220, hits the three-wood 230—should’ve pulled out the seven-iron…” —Craig [47:12]

• Why Roy’s caddy is terrible: breaks Roy’s club, gets him drunk, doesn’t talk him down on the 18th.
• The crowd’s reaction to Roy’s meltdown—should have been “horrified silence.”
• The relationship triangle’s ludicrous setup (“The most inexplicable love triangle in movie history” [29:01]).
• Picking nits: Roy’s ex/strip club owner is 56 when Costner is 40 (“Not plausible,” Jack O’Connell [68:13]); Roy’s quick US Open acceptance.

Apex Mountain & Awards

• Costner: Not his all-time apex (“Dances With Wolves” wins) but uncontested as Sports Movie GOAT.
• Cheech Marin: Late-career highlight but animated roles might top it.
• Don Johnson: “Miami Vice” is his peak.
• Seven-iron: This is THE film for the club.
• The quote, “Let the big dog eat”—legacy as “cultural creation.”
• Best non-winning sports movie ending: Rocky I probably edges out Tin Cup, but it’s a gold standard for a defeat that still feels like triumph.

Favorite Memorabilia

• The tournament-worn “Tin Cup” hat.
• Roy’s seven iron or three wood, especially if broken.
• The iconic (or dangerous) armadillo.

Final Word: Who Won the Movie?

• Jim Nantz, for his timeless presence and impact.
• Ultimately, it’s Costner—the film is a vehicle for his mid-career dominance as everyman athlete and romantic lead.

For Newcomers: Why Tin Cup Matters

• Tin Cup is a testament to the strange beauty and agony of golf, filtered through Ron Shelton’s love of sport, romance, and stubbornly proud losers.
• Costner’s flawed, poetic Roy McAvoy is both a running sports-movie joke and a relatable icon for every golfer who’s “gone for it” and blown up.
• The film’s blend of authentic sports detail, comedic romance, and anti-triumph ending make it unique in the genre.

“No one’s gonna remember the Open five years from now. They’re gonna remember the 12. It was immortal. I’m like, she’s right.”
—Bill Simmons [52:07]

Recommended Double Features

• Caddyshack, Happy Gilmore, or The Thomas Crown Affair for further genre fun.
• For a sharper sports-movie loss: Rocky or Friday Night Lights.

Listen for:

• Deep-dive golf technicals you won’t get on another movie podcast.
• Smart, irreverent debate about Hollywood, sports, and the weird, lasting allure of “not laying up.”

(Summary compiled directly from the panel’s words, opinions, and tone. Timestamps provided for significant moments and notable quotes.)