‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Filmed in New Jersey, Premieres on Netflix

Happy Gilmore, starring Adam Sandler, was released in theaters 29 years ago. On July 25, 2025, Happy Gilmore 2 will premiere on Netflix. What may come as a surprise is that a majority of the film was shot in New Jersey.

Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club, located in Bedminster, New Jersey, was where the production filmed most of the golf scenes, according to Matt Donovan. His family owns the club, and he currently serves as the club’s treasurer.

Donovan said he first heard about the movie through a family friend, who told him producers were looking for a golf course filming location in New Jersey. She connected Donovan with Berry Bernardi, an executive producer for the film.

“I didn’t really think anything was going to come of it,” Donovan said.

During their first phone call, they discussed the movie’s plot and how Fiddler’s Elbow might be used. Donovan said he initially thought it might be too big of an undertaking for the club.

“Thankfully, the more conversations we had, the more trips they took to Fiddler’s to check out the property, the more we realized it could work,” Donovan said.

The film was originally scheduled to shoot for seven days at Fiddler’s, but filming ultimately lasted 23 days. Donovan attributes this to the growing relationship between the club and the film crew — although it wasn’t always easy.

“It was definitely disruptive and a little chaotic at times,” Donovan said. “Whatever course they were filming on for the day, we shut that down, and the other courses were mostly open.”

He said the Fiddler’s staff was extremely helpful during the process, working together each morning to address any disruptions. The filming itself was one of the most surprising parts for Donovan.

“I would say the sheer volume of people and equipment moving around. It was eye-opening,” Donovan said.

Donovan said there were anywhere from 400 to about 1,000 people on the property, depending on the scene being filmed. Crews also brought in extensive equipment and set pieces, including grandstands.

He noted that Happy Gilmore 2 made use of some “movie magic” for certain scenes.

“Some shots you’ll be able to recognize [the course], and some will be very different,” Donovan said. “There’s some craziness at the end of the movie that you wouldn’t realize was actually filmed on a golf course.”

Donovan declined to share further details to avoid spoilers.

Producers, directors and Adam Sandler have returned to the club since filming wrapped. Donovan said the positive relationship with the cast and crew made the experience a memorable one for him and the club.

His family was invited to the premiere this month, and the course is hosting an event for members to watch the film. They expect a crowd of more than 1,000 people.

Donovan said other productions have expressed interest in filming at Fiddler’s or at other properties his family owns, though they have not committed to any future projects — yet.

“I certainly wouldn’t say no.”

Opportunities for Locals

Allan Lynn spent one day on the set of Happy Gilmore 2 as an extra. As a member at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club, Lynn was invited to participate in the shoot.

“I was curious about the whole process myself, so I volunteered to go,” Lynn said.

The day was full of surprises, starting with a 5:30 a.m. call time at Raritan Valley Community College. From there, he was bused to the club to what he described as a compound of tents. There, he found food, makeup, wardrobe and his first surprise of the day.

“You were told to wear any clothes you wanted. So I wore a sort of red, white and blue American flag-looking pair of shorts, a white shirt, and one of those safari helmets,” Lynn said. “I went into the wardrobe and one of the guys looked at me and said, ‘Oh my god, perfect.’”

Thanks to his outfit, the wardrobe sent him to stand on the green near the 18th hole, rather than in the grandstand with the other extras. From there, he described the experience with one word.

“We just waited and waited and waited,” Lynn said.

He was surprised by how much downtime there was compared to actual filming. While activity buzzed around him, it seemed like only a small portion of the day was spent rolling cameras.

Lynn said that after one scene was filmed, extras were shuffled around for continuity purposes.

“There’s an 18th hole scene for Saturday, and an 18th hole scene for Sunday. They filmed both those scenes that day while I was there,” Lynn said. “They would run around and move people to different locations so you didn’t see the same clothing in one spot.”

At the end of the day Lynn said he walked away with a new appreciation for why films cost so much to produce. He noticed how many people it took to make the scene work, something he hadn’t thought about before.

With the movie now streaming on Netflix, Lynn said he’ll be watching and keeping an eye out for himself.

“I mean, I’m sure it’ll be quick,” he said. “I’ll know exactly where to look.”

Would he do it again? Lynn said definitely not.

New Jersey's Growing Film Industry

Happy Gilmore 2 is not the only production that has been filmed in New Jersey recently. Netflix broke ground on its state-of-the-art studio in Monmouth County, and Robert De Niro’s next film, The Whisper Man, is also shooting in Montclair. If you're a Severance fan, you might know that Lumon Industries is actually located in Holmdel, New Jersey.

So why are productions choosing New Jersey?

It’s a complicated question to answer, but Matt Donovan believes one major reason may be the tax credits offered by the state. New Jersey provides tax credits of up to 35 percent on qualified film production expenses. For comparison, California offers up to 25 percent, though the two states provide different types of credits.

Productions must meet eligibility requirements to receive the credits.

According to the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), eligibility includes:

New Jersey previously offered an additional 2% to 4% tax credit for productions that met certain diversity standards, either in front of or behind the camera. However, according to NJEDA, that incentive has ended.

The NJEDA website states: “The Diversity Bonus was removed from the program for applications submitted after June 30, 2025.”

However, when reached for clarification, NJEDA did not directly confirm the program's cancellation, instead outlining the previous qualifications for the incentive.

The state also offers separate incentive programs for film studios that build sound stages in New Jersey, as well as for digital media production. These programs were launched in 2018, and since then, the state’s film industry has grown rapidly.

According to Variety, New Jersey film spending revenue was about $67 million in 2017. That figure was expected to reach approximately $600 million in 2024.

The current tax incentive program is set to run until 2039, when it is scheduled to expire.