Hey, everyone! How’s it going? Today I’m here to review the drama Stick, which brings us Owen Wilson in a heartwarming sports comedy that’s much more about human connection than perfect golf swings.
The series premiered on June 4, 2025, and is set to have 10 episodes, created by Jason Keller exclusively for Apple TV+. Pryce Cahill (Owen Wilson) was headed for golf greatness when an on-course meltdown derailed his career. Now struggling to stay afloat, he goes all in to mentor Santi—a teenage phenom with immense potential—and maybe save himself.
This isn’t your typical sports drama. It’s like a cross between Happy Gilmore and Ted Lasso, focusing on broken people finding healing through unlikely mentorship. The show features a stellar cast with Judy Greer, Marc Maron, and Timothy Olyphant having supporting roles they all excel in, creating an ensemble that brings depth to what could have been a simple underdog story.
When Life Gives You a Mulligan
An over-the-hill ex-golfer, fired from his job, sees hope in coaching a troubled teen prodigy after his wife leaves him, staking his future on the youth’s success. Pryce Cahill’s life has become a series of bad breaks and missed opportunities. Once a promising professional golfer, he now works as a golf club salesman, barely keeping his head above water financially and emotionally.
Peter Dager as Santi Wheeler, a gifted golfer who quit after his father left his mother, becomes the catalyst for Pryce’s potential redemption. Santi possesses the raw talent that Pryce once had, but carries his own emotional baggage that threatens to derail his promising future. When these two damaged souls cross paths at a driving range, an unlikely partnership forms that could save them both.
The series takes its time developing this central relationship, showing how both mentor and student learn from each other. It’s not just about perfecting a golf swing; it’s about confronting personal demons, rebuilding trust, and finding purpose when life seems to offer only disappointments.
Pryce Cahill: Owen Wilson’s Career Renaissance
Owen Wilson delivers one of his most grounded and emotionally honest performances as Pryce Cahill. Gone are the typical Wilson quirks and verbal tics that have defined many of his comedic roles. Instead, we get a man genuinely wrestling with failure, regret, and the fear that his best days are behind him.
Pryce is a complex character who could easily become a cliché, but Wilson finds the humanity in his struggles. He’s dealing with divorce, financial problems, and the crushing realization that his professional dreams are over. Yet Wilson never lets Pryce become completely pathetic or unsympathetic. There’s a resilient spirit underneath all the disappointment, and watching Pryce slowly rediscover his passion through teaching Santi becomes genuinely moving.
The writing allows Wilson to showcase his dramatic range while still incorporating moments of his natural charm and humor. It’s a career-defining performance that shows Wilson can carry a series with depth and emotional weight.
Santi Wheeler: The Prodigy with Trust Issues
Peter Dager brings remarkable authenticity to Santi Wheeler, a gifted golfer who quit after his father left his mother. Dager, making his acting debut, holds his own alongside the veteran cast with a performance that feels naturally lived-in rather than performed.
Santi’s relationship with golf is complicated by abandonment issues and a protective instinct toward his mother. He has the talent to go professional, but emotional barriers keep him from fully committing to the sport. His dynamic with Pryce becomes a delicate dance of trust-building, as both characters have been hurt by father figures in different ways.
The chemistry between Wilson and Dager forms the emotional core of the series. Their scenes together crackle with the tension of two people who desperately need what the other can offer but are afraid to fully invest in the relationship.
The Heart of Sparling Meadows
Lilli Kay as Zero, a bartender at Sparling Meadows, provides grounded support and occasional reality checks for both Pryce and Santi. Mariana Treviño, Jamie Neumann and Lilli Kay would be added to the cast to create a ensemble that feels like a real community rather than just plot devices.
Marc Maron brings his signature neurotic energy to his supporting role, while Judy Greer and Timothy Olyphant round out a cast that elevates every scene they’re in. Each character feels fully realized with their own motivations and backstories that enrich the central narrative.
Success on Apple TV+
Stick is the perfect show for viewers seeking another heartwarming sports comedy while awaiting the next season of Ted Lasso. The series has found its audience on Apple TV+ with viewers praising the wonderful but broken characters bonding and healing. Owen Wilson’s new golf show ‘Stick’ has premiered with three episodes on Apple TV+. New episodes will arrive weekly, allowing audiences to savor each installment of this character-driven story.
Love Owen Wilson and Marc Maron. Have come to love all the characters (yes, even the annoying one!) and I cannot wait for Season 2 perfectly captures the show’s appeal. While golf provides the backdrop, the real story is these wonderful but broken people bonding and healing. The series strikes the perfect balance between sports action and human drama, making it accessible to both golf fans and those who couldn’t care less about the sport.
If you love stories of second chances and unlikely mentorship, Stick is the perfect series to binge on Apple TV+. It’s a show that understands that sometimes the most important victories happen off the course, in the quiet moments when people choose to trust each other again.
A beautifully crafted series that uses golf as a backdrop for a deeper story about healing, redemption, and the power of believing in someone else when you can’t believe in yourself.
Series Details:
Number of Episodes: 10
Platform: Apple TV+
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Genre: Sports Comedy-Drama
Protagonists: Owen Wilson (Pryce Cahill), Peter Dager (Santi Wheeler)
Antagonist: Personal demons and past failures (internal conflicts)