Stick Review: Owen Wilson swings big in Apple TV’s heartwarming and endearing golf comedy

The story follows Pryce Cahill (Owen Wilson), once the 18th-ranked golfer in the world, now mostly drifting through life.

It’s a bit of a shame that ‘Stick,’ Apple TV’s latest sports comedy, is going to be held up against ‘Ted Lasso.’ Sure, they’re both about washed-up men finding purpose through sport, but the comparison is lazy. ‘Stick’ is its own thing entirely—quieter, less glossy, and not trying to win you over with charm every five seconds. It’s more of a slow burn, a low-key comfort watch that sneaks up on you emotionally.

The premise—a former golf pro stumbling into a mentorship with a teenage prodigy—is simple, even familiar. But there’s warmth here, a sincerity that feels earned. Like an Alexander Payne film set in heartland, it shows us an America of decency and small second chances. And by the end of the first episode, you might find yourself oddly invested in the game of golf.

Journey of a washed-up golfer and his prodigy

The story follows Pryce Cahill (Owen Wilson), once the 18th-ranked golfer in the world, now mostly drifting through life. He’s about to get divorced, but he and his wife Amber Linn (Judy Greer) still get along—there’s real affection between them, just no future. Pryce isn’t bitter, just kind of lost. Then one day he spots a kid at a driving range—Santiago Wheeler (Peter Dager), a 17-year-old working at a super store—who’s got a swing that stops him in his tracks. Santiago used to be coached by his father, but burned out from the pressure.

When Pryce talks to Santiago’s mom, Elena (Mariana Treviño), about taking him under his wing, she agrees—but not without laying down terms: $100,000, or no deal. Pryce, driven more by instinct than logic, says yes. And just like that, he, Santiago, Elena, and a couple of tagalongs—his old caddy and best friend Mitts (Marc Maron), and a punkish drifter named Zero (Lilli Kay)—hit the road in a caravan to chase golf tournaments.

Characters are heart and soul of the show

What makes ‘Stick’ click isn’t so much the plot as the people. This is a show that lives and dies by its characters and the odd little world they inhabit. Owen Wilson plays Pryce with the kind of worn-in likability he does so well—he’s a guy who’s messed up, knows it, and is still trying to do right, even if he goes about it the wrong way.

Marc Maron is excellent as Mitts, the cranky sidekick who’s been there since the glory days and knows all of Pryce’s faults but sticks around anyway. Their love-hate dynamic is funny, sad, and completely believable. Mariana Treviño, as Elena, is a standout—funny, tough, and fiercely protective of her son. And Peter Dager (Santiago) and Lilli Kay (Zero) hold their own, giving the show a youthful counterbalance to all the middle-aged regret.

A slow paced road trip through heart of America

Each episode is a tidy 30 minutes, and the pacing is leisurely—but intentionally so. The show isn’t in a rush, and that works in its favour. Much of it takes place on the road, giving us glimpses of an America that feels real: motels, cheap diners, quiet moments in parking lots. The caravan setup allows the characters to bounce off each other, and some of the best scenes are just them sitting around, bickering, bonding, or quietly watching the world go by.

While golf is the hook, the show’s real concern is how people come together—how they push, prod, and eventually believe in one another. Maron, especially, gets some of the best lines, and his dry delivery adds a layer of humour that never feels forced.

A heartwarming and low key gem

The writing’s strength lies in how naturally it builds relationships. Pryce and Santiago’s mentor-mentee dynamic is central, as is the long-standing tension between Pryce and Mitts, but it’s the quieter stuff—like the slow-blooming understanding between Mitts and Elena—that really lands. Nothing is overly explained or hammered home; the show trusts you to notice the shifts.

And just when you think you’ve got it figured out, it throws in a genuinely funny, slightly wild turn in the penultimate episode, involving an old golfing rival and a bit of scheming that plays like a mini-heist. It’s the kind of payoff that works because the show’s done the work to make you care.

In the end, ‘Stick’ isn’t trying to blow your mind or reinvent the wheel. It’s a story about messed-up people doing their best, one shot at a time. It’s messy, funny, kind, and occasionally moving. Not every joke lands, and not every subplot is fully fleshed out, but it doesn’t really matter. What you’re left with is something warm and weirdly comforting—a show that doesn’t shout, but still manages to be heard.

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Cast: Owen Wilson, Peter Dager, Marc Maron, Mariana Treviño, and Lilli Kay

Directors: Jonathan Dayton, David Dobkins, Valerie Faris, Jaffar Mahmood, MJ Delaney

Rating: 4/5

(‘Stick’ is streaming on Apple TV+)