Carl Spackler - Plot

Plot

Danny Noonan (Michael O'Keefe) works as a caddy at the upscale Bushwood Country Club to raise enough money to go to college. Danny regularly caddies for Ty Webb (Chevy Chase), an exceptional golfer and the free-spirited playboy son of one of Bushwood's co-founders. Danny decides to gain favor with Judge Elihu Smails (Ted Knight), the country club's stodgy co-founder and director of the Caddy Scholarship program, by caddying for him. Meanwhile, Bushwood's head greenskeeper (Thomas A. Carlin) is pressured by Smails to deal with a potentially disastrous gopher infestation, and entrusts his dubiously qualified assistant Carl Spackler (Bill Murray) with the task.

When Smails is antagonized by the obnoxious nouveau riche Al Czervik (Rodney Dangerfield) during a game, he throws a putter and accidentally injures a member of the club. Danny seizes the opportunity and takes responsibility for the incident, gaining Smails' trust. Smails encourages him to apply for the Caddy Scholarship.

At Bushwood's annual Fourth of July banquet, Danny and his girlfriend Maggie (Sarah Holcomb) work as servers. Danny becomes attracted to Smails' sensuous niece, Lacey Underall (Cindy Morgan). Maggie informs Danny of Lacey's promiscuous reputation, but this only encourages him.

Danny wins the Caddy Day golf tournament and the scholarship. This earns Danny praise from the Judge, and an invitation to attend the Judge's boat christening. Lacey and Danny slip away from the ceremony for a tryst at the Judge's house, but are discovered by the Judge and his wife. Expecting to be fired or to have the scholarship revoked, Danny is surprised when the Judge only wants his promise that the incident with Lacey will remain secret.

Unable to bear the continued presence of the uncouth Czervik at the club (and after Czervik sank Smails' small sloop during the christening ceremony), Smails confronts him and announces that Czervik will never be granted membership. Czervik counters by announcing that he would never consider being a member, he is merely there to evaluate buying Bushwood and developing the land into condominiums. After a brief scuffle, Webb suggests they discuss a resolution over drinks. After Smails demands satisfaction, Czervik then proposes a team golf match with Smails and Dr. Beeper (Dan Resin) against Czervik and Webb. Against club rules, they also agree to a $20,000 wager on the outcome of the match.

The match is held the following day. Word spreads of the stakes involved and a crowd builds. Smails and Beeper are ahead at the end of the 9th hole. In response to Smails' snide remarks, Czervik proposes to double the stakes. Smails happily agrees. Czervik's game, however, continues to spiral downward, so when a ricocheting ball strikes him, he feigns injury in hopes of having the contest declared a draw. Lou (Brian Doyle-Murray), the course official who is acting as an umpire, tells Czervik his team will forfeit unless they find a substitute. Webb chooses Danny. Smails threatens to revoke his scholarship, but Czervik promises Danny that he will make it "worth his while" if he wins. Danny eventually decides he'd rather strike a blow at the uptight Smails than take the scholarship. At the final hole, the score is tied. Smails makes his putt, putting Smails and Beeper ahead by one shot. Danny must now sink his very long putt in one stroke. Czervik proposes to increase the stakes to $80,000, based only on Danny making the putt, which Smails accepts. Danny's putt reaches the very edge of the cup and stops, and Smails and Beeper begin celebrating.

While the match has been going on, Carl's previous efforts to kill the gopher have failed, and he has now wired much of the course with plastic explosives in a final scorched earth tactic. As Danny's putt hangs on the edge of the cup, Carl pushes the detonator and explosions shake the whole course. The force of the explosions causes Danny's ball to drop, so Webb, Danny and Czervik win the $80,000. Smails refuses to pay, which Czervik has anticipated; he asks a couple of very large men from his entourage to "help the Judge find his checkbook." As Smails is chased around the course, Czervik leads another wild party attended by all of the onlookers at the match, inexplicably shouting, "We're all going to get laid!". The gopher emerges, unharmed by the explosives, and dances amid the smoldering ruins of the golf course.