Roy McAvoy is a failed pro golfer who lives in a Winnebago, at a crummy driving range that he owns in the west Texas town of Salome. One day, a beautiful woman, Dr Molly Griswold, appears at his driving range for golf lessons. She turns out to be the new girlfriend of McAvoy's long-time nemesis, the smarmy PGA superstar David Simms. Molly inspires Roy to start taking himself seriously again, and he decides to try to qualify for the US Open.