There's romance, conflict, self-discovery and a surprising amount of comedy. And, for a change, it's sports done well. Studios usually avoid the sports-movie tag because they think it's a negative qualifier, that it can only diminish the stature of a film and limit its potential audience. But that theory is out of bounds. People don't shun films with sports themes because they are inherently unappealing.
Batters look like the only thing they've ever hit is the books.
Every tackle puts somebody in the hospital. And the last game is always won by the home team as time runs out. Golf is perhaps the movies' most abused game, its rules and traditions simply ignored if they're not convenient to the plot, and the caliber of play is about what you would see in a charity scramble. And it does so by achieving the authenticity its main character is seeking throughout the film and largely because of the sports element involved. The best acting is by the golfers, who capture the sport's simultaneous fellowship and competitiveness.