Opinion & Analysis

Preview: “The Short Game” Netflix Documentary

Published

12 years ago

Dec 7, 2013

I’ve worked in the film business for some time now I have access to an abundant amount of great stories. Rarely does something come along that unexpectedly smashes me over the head and leaves me with a feeling that I never want this to end.

On Dec. 12 at 12:01 a.m. Netflix will release its first original documentary entitled “The Short Game,” which gives viewers a sweet and humorous glimpse inside the lives of the world’s best 7-year-old golfers at the Kids World Championship in Pinehurst, N.C. It is executive produced by Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel and directed by Emmy award-winner Josh Greenbaum. His feature debut premiered at South by Southwest (SXSW) and won the 2013 Audience Award. It was Academy qualified in a limited theatrical release through Phase 4 Films and Samuel Goldwyn Films.

Without revealing too much, I will say that “The Short Game” is the most compelling documentary I have seen in a very long time. It will make you laugh, cry, cheer and will remind you of why we love the game of golf so very much.

The characters (7-year-old golf giants) are priceless and the parents are a great compliment to the action. It’s not the story of parents pushing their kids to unattainable lengths but very much the story of pride, love and pure sportsmanship. I was proud to be a part of the golfing community after I finished it.

Bottom line, the game’s future is in very good hands.

TRAILER and NETFLIX press release below:

NETFLIX ADDS AWARD-WINNING FILM “THE SHORT GAME” TO ITS ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY SLATE

Beverly Hills, CA — Netflix will launch “The Short Game” on Thursday, December 12th at 12:01 AM PT. The documentary, which will be the first original documentary available on the service, follows eight of the most competitive golfers around the globe, all who happen to be under the ripe age of seven years old, as they train for and compete in the World Championship of Junior Golf. The Netflix original documentary will be available to stream in all territories where Netflix is available – U.S., Canada, the UK, Ireland, Latin America, the Nordics and the Netherlands.

“‘The Short Game’ provides a highly entertaining, family friendly and joyful vantage into a unique world that most people fantasize about: being the best in the world at something. The fact that this dream is pursued by children playing a grownups’ game is intriguing and inspiring,” says Lisa Nishimura, Netflix VP of Original Documentary and Comedy. “We seek to provide the very best storytelling within the documentary filmmaking category and ‘The Short Game’ is the rare example of a beautifully told and heart-warming tale which appeals to all generations.”

“As a filmmaker, you hope your work will reach as many people as possible and that’s what’s so exciting about partnering with Netflix, who are presenting some of the most original and cutting edge programming on the planet right now,” said director Josh Greenbaum. “The idea of people all across the world being able to watch the film is a dream come true.”

“The Short Game” is produced by Rafael Marmor, Christopher Leggett, and Josh Greenbaum, and executive produced by Jessica Biel, Justin Timberlake, Timm Oberwelland, John Battsek and David Frankel.

Hold on to your hats, it’s quite a ride!

Related Topics:

Up Next

Hit driver, not 3 wood for better scoring on tight holes

Don't Miss

Rory McIlroy pals around with another sports superstar in a Nike…soccer ad?

John Wunder

8 Comments

JDee

Dec 23, 2013 at 5:16 pm

My wife & I volunteered at Pine Needles this past summer, one of the US Kids World Championship sites.. Two of the players featured in the Short Game Movie, Allan Kournikova and Alexa Pano also won again this year for the 3rd straight year.

Was interesting watching both play, then to watch the movie later. The movie was filmed in 2011 & 2012. So, 1-2 years later was interesting to see differences from those shown in movie. Both players were much more independent, receiving less input from their caddy or father, often choosing their own club and type of shot.

Made me wonder IF, the movie producers overplayed the parental involvement in some cases, as these 2 had awesome relationships, on and off the course until…..

I watched HBO “Trophy Kids”, I watched the father of Amari Avery call her every name in the book [ really bad stuff], and she appears to have his disposition also. Very disturbing….VERY.

But overall, this movie awesome representation of junior golf, and the players top level. Alexa , may be the best young female junior I’ve ever seen in 40 years of instruction. Hits it 210 at 8 years old, but also her short game off the charts, easily can play with girls twice her age. Allan, strong, hits it very long, but plays with an intensity you do not teach. Watching him play, you could feel his desire.. One of the parents said the same about Jed Dy,,an incredible talent.

Yet off the course…young kids who love the game. That, is much healthier than sitting in front of computer every day.

Reply Report comment
John kuczeski

Dec 11, 2013 at 4:30 pm

I have been counting the days for the release! Our entire family will be watching it! Thanks for the review!

Reply Report comment
David

Dec 10, 2013 at 6:30 am

“Rarely does something come along that unexpectedly smashes me over the head and leaves me with a feeling that I never want this to end.” is an unusual way to describe pleasure.

If someone punched you in the face would you have the feeling that you never wanted that to end either?

Reply Report comment
Henry Stetina

Dec 10, 2013 at 12:51 am

This is really neat. I am excited to see it.

Reply Report comment
Corrie-Lynn's Dad

Dec 9, 2013 at 12:38 am

I will be watching this. I have a 2 year old daughter and I can’t wait to give her the chance I never had. I din’t pick up the game till I was 27. 31 now.

Reply Report comment
Ken Chang

Dec 8, 2013 at 1:27 pm

As a parent I’m looking forward to seeing this. Your child doing well is a bonus. Seeing them enjoy what they do and watching their process of discovering their talent at whatever level is the prize.

Reply Report comment
TheLegend

Dec 7, 2013 at 7:33 pm

Looking forward to watching this!

Reply Report comment
Greg Hunter

Dec 7, 2013 at 4:21 pm

been waiting for something like this

Reply Report comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Opinion & Analysis

5 Things We Learned: Thursday at the PGA Championship

Published

2 weeks ago

May 15, 2026

Ronald Montesano

Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.

Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.

First, meet Min Woo Lee

Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.

Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter

The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.

Third, meet Martin Kaymer

Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.

Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler

Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.

Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger

Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!

Club Junkie

Club Junkie’s Titleist GTS driver fitting results!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.

I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.

To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.

Follow Club Junkie everywhere:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clubjunkiepod/
X: https://x.com/ClubJunkiePod
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@clubjunkiepod
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@clubjunkiepod

Club Junkie

Club Junkie WITB, week 16: New Titleist GTS woods!

Published

2 weeks ago

May 14, 2026

Brian Knudson

Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.

Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s

3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s

5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s

Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff

Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto

Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour

Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag