Original subtitles

An iron.

Well, I don't suppose it matters much what club you use...

when you start the day eight strokes back.

- What club was that? -Mid-iron.

Some kind of driving iron. Extraordinarily well-hit.

-The flag! Pull the flag, Hardy. -Yes, sir.

Junuh eagled, pickin' up two strokes on the very first hole.

And he picked up another stroke when Jones bogeyed the second.

And two more strokes on Hagen when he double-bogeyed the third.

-Does it look like 180 yards to you? -No.

It's 181.

You might wanna play that ball back just a bit in your stance.

He just hit a hole in one! Hot dang!

I just seen a miracle with my own eyes! I just seen a hole in one!

Hey, Homer, you're not gonna believe this! Junuh made a hole in one!

Junuh made a hole in one! He's gonna make it!

-He's gonna make it! -You're kiddin'!

What?

-What's up? -Junuh's makin' a run for it.

He's pulled within three of Jones and two of Hagen.

He made a hole in one on eight! God bless Savannah and the men she propagates.

Let's go. Let's go!

Get back. Get back now.

How do you expect Junuh to hit the ball if you stand on top of him?

Shh!

His playin the third round was beautiful to watch.

While Jones and Hagen discovered new hazards of their own,

Junuh had discovered, as Bagger so eloquently put it,

how to stop thinkin' without fallin' asleep.

Junuh finished the third round one stroke behind.

It was a new match, and no one knew it better than Jones and Hagen.

-Not now, girls. Not now.

Gents.

Don't believe Walter planned on exerting himself.

It was fun this morning, wasn't it?

Yeah, it was.

This is my last match, Junuh. I'm retiring.

You're at the top of your game.

I've got a wife and three small children and a law practice.

It's time to stop.

It's just a game, Junuh.

You know, I'll never forget you winnin' the Georgia Open in 1916.

I'd never seen a swing so sweet...

or a man get so much pleasure from it.

This is my last 18 holes, Junuh,

and I been thinkin', I couldn't have picked a better way to end it.

- Thank you, Bobby. - It is truly my pleasure.

I can't let you win out of sympathy.

You know that.

I do.

And I have no intentions of losing my last match.

Gentlemen, excuse me, excuse me. Let's give Mr. Junuh some room.

Thank you. Thank you. I'd like to have a word with you, Junuh.

I don't think this is a good time, Adele.

No. I think this is a very good time.

I don't wanna do anything that might disrupt your concentration or anything,

but since our little encounter last night, I've been thinking.

Ten years and not one single solitary word from you?

You don't do that to someone you love.

I deserved better. I deserved some correspondence and some indication of what you felt!

Oh, Junuh, I don't know what happened to you.

But whatever it was, it could not have been as unbearable...

as a woman waitin' with no end in sight,

wonderin' if she's remembered or forgotten by the man she loves.

You never even said you were sorry.

And now I'm supposed to just run into your arms and melt like butter on a hot muffin?

I'm sorry, Adele. I am. Truly sorry.

It's too late for "I'm sorry," Junuh!

But- Then- Tell me what to say.

It was too long ago.

No, it wasn't.

It was just a moment ago.

Did something happen since we talked last night?

No.

Not that I can think of.

Well, this is barely the place to talk about it.

You gotta go back to your game.

This town is gonna give you the biggest damn parade you ever seen!

Junuh was playin' a fierce fourth round.

And a wild thought began to percolate through the crowd.

Junuh could win.

-I think the driver, Bagger. - Hey, give us a smile.

Well, you got water out there on the left side. Why don't you put your spoon out there...

with Jones and Hagen, play this thing smart?

I'm gonna hug the left, get there in two and close the door on these guys.

Get a hold of yourself now. We got four more holes to go. You settle down a little bit.

I never been more settled. An eagle, and this thing is over.

Oh, that's 300 or more yards if it's an inch.

Looks like the longest drive of the day, Mr. Junuh.

I'm gettin' there in two.

Two twenty-five into the wind, out the bunker.

Geez. The lip's too high. So much for an eagle.

Says who?

Where's that drivin' iron, Bagger?

Well, there's a time to hit that shot, and there's a time to leave it in the bag.

Which one of them times you feel this is?

Tell him. Tell him, Bagger.

Tell him it's a mashie, so he can have one easy shot to-

That's amazing. The man's gonna go for the green with that cleeky lookin' thing?

He's got the guts of a Greek god.

I don't care if he's Apollo, son of Zeus.

That ball won't clear the water.

-I hope you're all payin' customers.

-Junuh! Junuh, don't- -Shh. Hush yourself, Hardy.

If first you don't succeed.

Which would make your spot...

right here, Junuh.

Give it to him.

When Junuh dropped that ball,

it was as if every heart in Savannah dropped with it,

none landing harder than his own.

You gonna be wantin' a different club there, Junuh?

-I can't do this. -Well-

Why don't you just loose your grip up a smidge?

-A man's grip on his club is- -That's not what I'm talkin' about.

-I know. -No, you don't.

What I'm talkin' about is a game.

Game that can't be won. Only played.

You don't understand.

I don't need to understand.

Ain't a soul on this entire earth ain't got a burden to carry he don't understand.

You ain't alone in that.

But you been carryin' this one long enough.

Time to go on. Lay it down.

I don't know how.

You got a choice. You can stop.

-Or you can start. -Start?

-Walkin'. -Where?

Right back to where you always been.

And then stand there.

Still. Real still.

-And remember. -It's too long ago.

Oh, no, sir. It was just a moment ago.

Time for you to come on out the shadows, Junuh.

Time for you to choose.

-I can't. -Yes, you can.

But you ain't alone.

I'm right here with ya.

I been here all along.

Now, play the game.

Your game. The one that only you was meant to play.

The one that was given to you when you come into this world.

You ready?

Take your stance.

Strike that ball, Junuh. Don't hold nothin' back. Give it everything.

Now's the time.

Let yourself remember. Remember your swing.

That's right, Junuh. Settle yourself. Let's go.

Now is the time, Junuh.

Let's go, Hardy.

-Hey, Bagger? -Yeah?

You are one hell of a caddie.

Well, I do the best with what I got to work with. We ain't done yet.

By the 17th, Junuh got his swing back.

You have the right to call the game on account of darkness.

That crowd'll string us up by our thumbs if we don't finish.

All right! Play will continue!

Oh!

This is when a man needs pals in the mermaids' union.

Cars! Get your cars, boys!

I want every car on this property lined up with lights blazin'!

I don't care if you're kitchen help or Savannah police.

If you got a car, get it in gear!

-What's his mark? -It was out of bounds.

Does he have a shot?

Then Hagen came back from the dead.

Can I get a smoke?

I want you to tell Spec to hold the flag in case I make it. He'll love that.

I want a three iron.

Get my shoes, will ya?

Hey, what's goin' on?

Hagen wants Spec to hold the flag for him in case he sinks it.

I'm gonna miss playing Walter.

Don't hold nothin' back.

-The ball moved. -No.

It moved.

I have to call a stroke on myself.

No!

No. Don't do it. Please don't do it.

Only you and me seen it, and I won't tell a soul.

Cross my heart. Ain't nobody gonna know.

I will, Hardy.

And so will you.

You've got to tell him not to do it, Bagger!

It's just a stupid rule that don't mean nothin'.

That's a choice for Mr. Junuh, Hardy.

No one wanted the penalty assessed,

not even Jones and Hagen.

This was no way to win a match.

Maybe you're mistaken, Junuh. Maybe it moved before you touched the impediment.

Might not have moved at all. The light plays funny tricks this time of day.

"A ball is deemed to have moved if it leaves its original position in the least degree,

but not if it merely oscillates and comes to rest in its original position."

Is she different?

Can you be certain? Sometimes a ball will shudder...

and then settle back again, Junuh.

The ball was here, and it rolled to here.

Hit it quick, old boy, before you have time to think about it.

You're leaving.

Yes, sir. Yes, I am.

I need you.

No. No, you don't.

Not no more.

There is a small matter. Round about five dollars.

It was guaranteed.

-Yes, it was. -'Spect you won't be needin' these shoes back,

now that I done broke 'em into my foot and all, you know.

Thank you, sir.

This man is yours, Hardy.

Take him on in.

Y-You want me... to take over for you?

-You leavin' me? -Oh, only for a little while.

You pick up Mr. Junuh bag.

You tote it real straight, now, you hear?

But what if something comes up...

and I don't know what to do?

I got a feeling you'll figure it out.

But I'll be seein' ya.

Whoa, wait a minute. What's going on here?

You can't leave him now. He needs you, Bagger.

You're the only chance he's got. You have to stay.

You walk out of here like this, you'll never caddie in Georgia again,

I'll personally see to it! Ya hear?

Where's Junuh lie?

Two with a penalty. He be hittin' three.

Man. I can't hit it any better than that.

-Yes, sir.

Judging from the sound, I think I just knocked your ball in the cup.

Interesting match.

I always thought so.

All right, everybody. Comin' through. Out of the way.

Hagen and Jones both lay two, as hot ahead of Junuh.

If either of them sank their putts, Junuh would lose.

What do you think, Hardy?

Well, the night air has gotten colder.

My guess is it's put a layer of dew on the warmer grass,

which is gonna slow your ball down.

Why don't you go on over and stand with your father?

-Are you sure? -Go ahead.

Go on.

That is one tough shot.

-Make it.

- Yeah!

Rannulph Junuh from Savannah, Georgia,

tied Mr. Bobby Jones and Mr. Walter Hagen...

in the greatest golf match the world has ever seen!

That was the last match in competition...

Bobby Jones ever played.

From that time on, Walter Hagen played only exhibition matches.

As for Captain Rannulph Junuh and Adele Invergordon,

they did have that dance.

And me?

Well, it seems like yesterday I used to see old guys like me,

wonder why they still bothered with this crazy game.

But it doesn't matter.

As Bagger once said, it's a game that can't be won, only played.

So, I play. I play on.

I play for the moments yet to come,

Lookin' for my place in the field.