Meet the Real Happy Gilmore

If you’re a fan of Adam Sandler movies (and even if you’re not), you have heard of Happy Gilmore, the hockey player turned golfer who goes on to win a Green Jacket at the Masters. Of course, it’s all fiction, but Sandler actually drew the inspiration for the Gilmore character from one of his oldest friends.

If you didn’t know, Sandler rekindled the cast from the original Happy Gilmore and released Happy Gilmore 2 in July. Many of the same antics that viewers witnessed in 1996 are part of the second film, but one thing remains true. There is a real Happy Gilmore. Well…almost.

New Hampshire, Early 1970s

When Sandler was five years old, his family moved to Manchester, N.H. It was there that Sandler met one of best lifelong friends. “McD,” as he is known to Sandler, is Kyle McDonough, who came from a family of athletes. His older brother Hubie played nearly 200 games for the Islanders, Kings, and Sharks in the NHL. 

McDonough was the guy in Sandler’s friend group that was the best at everything. He was the best football player, the best baseball player, he could do more pushups, pullups; you name it and Kyle McDonough was better than everyone. He was especially good at hockey.

University of Vermont, Late 1980s

Unlike the portrayal of Happy Gilmore in the movies, the real Happy could skate. And, he could score. McDonough played four seasons at the University of Vermont (1985-89). He led the Catamounts in scoring in three of his four seasons and he is sixth all-time in points. McDonough was named an All-American his senior season as he led Vermont to its first-ever NCAA hockey tournament.

At the same time, Sandler was trying to make his way in Hollywood. In 1987, Sandler played Theo Huxtable’s friend Smitty on The Cosby Show. He also did a stint as the “Stud Boy” on an MTV show called Remote Control. Sandler was hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live in 1990. McD was off doing something else.

Professional Hockey in Europe

For the better part of 13 years, McDonough would live the dream of playing professional hockey. He played in Europe in a number of countries, including Denmark, Sweden, Scotland, and Norway.

It was in Norway where McDonough found the most success. He spent six seasons in Norway’s top professional league. He scored 33 or more goals in three of his six seasons in Norway and won one league championship. He retired from the sport and returned home to the States in 2002.

The Real Happy Gilmore Today

While Sandler and his good friend and writer Tim Herlihy took some different angles in the creation of Happy Gilmore, the real Happy is about as regular a guy as you can get. He moved back to his childhood home of Manchester and is now a high school social studies teacher at Manchester Memorial HS.

Every school year, about halfway through, his students start to figure out that he’s friends with Adam Sandler. “Somebody had to go to school with him” or “I think I remember him” are popular McDonough responses when kids ask. 

Most students know that McD was very good at hockey. In fact, McDonough spent 20 years as the hockey coach at Manchester Memorial. After last season, he decided it was time to move on. He will no longer coach hockey, but he will continue to coach. The sport? Golf, of course.

If you have yet to see Happy Gilmore 2, it’s worth it just for the number of cameos made by athletes like Travis Kelce, Reggie Bush, golfers Bryson DeChambeaut, Rory McIroy, and others like Bad Bunny and Eminem. There is a scene in the movie with professional golfer Charles Howell III. His caddy? The real Happy Gilmore, Ryan McDonough.