- A washed-up golf pro working at a driving range tries to qualify for the U.S. Open in order to win the heart of his successful rival's girlfriend.
- Roy 'Tin cup' McAvoy, a failed pro golfer who lives at the run-down driving range which he manages with his sidekick and caddy Romeo in the West Texas tin pot town of Salome, ends up signing over ownership to a madam of 'show girls' to pay off debts. His foxy novice golf pupil, female psychiatrist Dr. Molly Griswold, turns out to be the new girlfriend of McAvoy's sarcastic one-time college golf partner, slick PGA superstar David Simms, who drops by to play into Roy's fatal flaw: the inability to resist a dare, all too often causing him to lose against lesser players, in this case gambling away his car. Falling for Molly, Roy decides to become her patient; in order to earn her respect, he decides to try to qualify for the US Open, after starting off as Simm's caddy 'for the benefit of his experience'. His talent proves more then adequate, but over-confident negligence of risks, while pleasing the crowds, is murder on his scores, while Simms spits on the fans but never wastes a point...—KGF Vissers
- Talent alone would not be enough to pioneer , sometimes it needs the company of self-belief. Roy a talented golfer gets the company of Molly , to do things in his own way. Also he has his bunch of friends who stand by him. Roy then tries and achieves what he thinks is possible against the odds, 12 shot being a direct one to the hole.—Thejus Joseph Jose
- Roy McAvoy is a failed pro golfer who lives in a Winnebago at a crummy driving range which he owns in the West Texas town of Salome. One day, a beautiful woman, Dr. Molly Griswold, appears at his driving range for golf lessons. She turns out to be the new girlfriend of McAvoy's longtime nemesis, the smarmy PGA superstar David Simms. Molly inspires Roy to start taking himself seriously again, and he decides to try to qualify for the US Open.—Tim Horrigan <horrigan@aol.com>
- Romantic comedy about a small-town Texas golf pro who qualifies for and enters the US Open golf tournament to win the respect and love of his rival's girlfriend.—David Stumme <dstumme@rochester.rr.com>
- Roy "Tin Cup" McEvoy (Kevin Costner) is a former pro golfer recognised as a brilliant hitter of the ball. However he always went for the crowd pleasing big shot when available - "the defining moment" as he called it - and consequently missed out on great success by never playing safe when appropriate. He got his nickname from his high school baseball days as a catcher when the ball repeatedly landed on a more embarrassing part of his body. The protective box or cup, made of metal in those days, did save him from more painful injury - hence the nickname Tin Cup.
He is now a driving range owner in a backwater Salome, Texas with his former caddy Romeo (Cheech Marin) and a number of their mates. Dr Griswold (Rene Russo) turns up for a golf lesson - to his surprise a female called Molly. Having rubbished the so-called golf aids totalling $200 she brought with her, he tries to instil a more natural approach to the game. During the lesson she tells him she is a psychologist. The next day David Simms (Don Johnson) a very successful golfer and a former bitter rival to Roy turns up to persuade Roy to play in his own charity tournament. Roy had always despised his play safe game nicknaming him "The Gutless Wonder". Turns out he is determined to win it this year but wants Roy, not as a player, but as his caddy, to use his great knowledge of the course to help him win. Roy, short of money, agrees and while on the course watches Simms play safe yet again on a risky but attainable shot. The fellow golfers hear Roy scoffing and challenge him to do the shot with a spare ball. He obliges to great adulation - much to Simms anger who fires him there and then. Roy's business is again in jeopardy as he owes $12K to Doreen - a former girlfriend and manager of exotic dancers. Romeo persuades him to eat humble pie and offer control of his business in payment. She reluctantly accepts it in part-payment, forcing him to pawn his golf clubs for the rest. Molly turns up for her 2nd lesson. Roy is attracted to her and while coming on a bit strong, he is dismayed to learn she is currently dating Simms. That night Romeo jokingly suggests he enters the US Open to impress her. Roy takes to this idea but has to get his clubs back. This he does by challenging a wealthy club owner to play for his car by playing him at golf with a set of garden tools and shovels. This he duly wins and retrieves his clubs.
He is now falling more and more for Molly and decides to get his mind straightened out before the Open and goes to her practice and tells her he fancies her. She is taken aback although she is also starting to fancy him. That night she explains that she can't get romantically involved but spills the beans that her life has been a string of failed romances, leading to frequent changes in career culminating in psychology. She agrees to help him sort out his head regarding when to take safe shots etc. in preparation for the Open. He enters the qualifiers where he has a major fallout with his caddy Romeo who's fed up with his advice constantly being ignored. They end up fighting over and breaking all his golf clubs except for his legendary No 7 iron. Romeo storms off but Roy qualifies by playing the rest of the game just with the one club. Molly is not at all pleased with how he treated Romeo and still Roy tries to persuade her to go with him, bad mouthing Simms as a nasty man. When Simms shows up at the bar, Roy further boasts he could beat Simms at any golf game. The astute Simms challenges him to one swing one ball and the farthest wins. Roy gleefully hits the ball 227 yards but Simms hits his down a road where the ball keeps bouncing a far greater distance. Simms rides off in a chastened Roy's car. With no Romeo around, Roy plays the sectionals with their out of shape friend Earl as a reluctant caddy. Roy even has to carry his clubs for the last 4 holes and barely makes the cut.
Romeo has been with him too long and can't stay away so he's back to caddy for the Open. Whilst training, Roy suddenly develops the shanks. They realise he's besotted with Molly, clouding his concentration. She turns up with his car, saying Simms didn't want it - he was just making a point. She finds him wearing her rubbished training aids in a desperate attempt to find his form. She is becoming more attracted to him but refuses his advances on the journey back to her home. Romeo drives him to the Open but Molly is with Simms. Roy embarrassingly gets the shanks again in front of all the pros. Romeo gets him out of it and then gets him drunk the night before the Open as he says that's when Roy is at his best. The plan backfires, Roy tries to be more humble, plays safe and scores a disastrous first round of 83. Back at the clubhouse they watch a TV interview with Simms - the leader after the first round. Molly is waiting for him after the interview but then she sees him belittle and upset a boy who wanted his autograph. At that point she realises she wants Roy. Simms joins a depressed Roy to mock his score when Molly turns up and quite out of character challenges a reluctant Roy to hit a golf ball out of the bar, across a small stream and dislodge a pelican on a post. This he does, winning acclaim in the clubhouse and a bet off a bemused Simms, which restores his confidence and she, having ditched Simms, spends the night with Roy.
His form dramatically improves and by the 18th hole of the last round, it is between Peter Jacobsen, Simms and Roy. Jacobsen is in control. Simms then plays safe thus putting him out of contention. Roy is disgusted with that and could actually play safe himself and still be in a chance of winning. But his old self takes over and elects to play a difficult shot - one which he had failed at in all previous rounds. His first attempt almost makes it but a slight gust of wind is enough to make the ball fall short and end up in the water. He elects to play the same shot again and again until down to one last ball which if this failed would actually disqualify his scorecard from the tournament. He makes the shot which lands just behind the hole and then trickles back into it, setting off wild celebrations. When he calms down, he reproaches himself for losing such a wonderful chance to win the Open but Molly persuades him that the 12 scored on the final hole would go down in history long after the actual Open winner was forgotten.
Back at Salome, Molly informs him that even with 12 on the final hole he finished in the Top 15 and therefore qualified for the next year. She had also received loads of requests from other golfers for her mental preparedness services which means they could go the following year together. kc 1736
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content