Bart's Message: "I am not a 32 year old woman." This refers to Nancy Cartwright, who was 32 when the episode was produced.
For this episode, the animators went on a field trip to a local miniature golf course to study the mechanics of a golf club swing. Moore commented that the reason for this was that much of the humour in the series comes from making the scenery look lifelike; "The realism of the background serves as the straight man for the absurd situations."
This episode was the first to prominently feature Ned Flanders and the rest of the Flanders family, and contained the first appearances of Maude and Rod Flanders also the first time the inside of the Flanders house is seen.
Homer tells Bart to name his putter in an homage to Full Metal Jacket (1987), where Gunnery Sgt. Hartmen tells the recruits to name their weapons; Vincent D'Onofrio's character Private Pyle names his rifle "Charlene," the same name Homer gives to Bart's putter.
Krusty is seen in the pool hall with no clown make up and wearing his prison uniform from Krusty Gets Busted (1990) therefore it is the second time in the series where Krusty is seen without his makeup.