Originally, the lead roles were going to be played by Morgan Freeman and Robert Redford. But, after careful consideration, Redford decided that the movie would work better with younger men playing Bagger Vance and Rannulph Junuh.
Although the film is based on fiction, both Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen were real golfers. Jones was the more famous because, among other things, he founded the Masters tournament in Augusta, Georgia.
"Bagger Vance" and "R. Junuh" are representations of Bhagavan (Krishna) and Arjuna, from the Hindu text "The Bhagavad Gita". The lessons learned by Rannulph are loosely based on those Krishna teaches to Arjuna while masquerading as his lowly chariot driver.
Matt Damon did not have any previous experience playing golf; he spent a month with golf pro Tim Moss in Hilton Head, South Carolina, to prepare for the role.
Jack Lemmon: [mantra] When The Narrator tees up at the beginning of the movie, he says, "It's magic time." That is the phrase Lemmon would say before every take in every movie he ever did.