Golf, generations & heart - Owen Wilson's new Stick series inspires!

Golf, generations & heart - Owen Wilson's new Stick series inspires!

On June 4, 2025, the new series “Stick” premiered on Apple TV+. The story revolves around Santi (Peter Dager), a talented teenager who doesn't care about performance and prefers to go his own way. Santi is supported by his mother Elena (Mariana Treviño) and the old caddy Mitts (Marc Maron). The ambitious coach Pryce Cahill (Owen Wilson) sees in him the potential to revitalize his career and return to the top of golf. The series combines elements of humor and conflict as the characters travel across golf courses. Golf serves as a metaphor for various life problems that seem to be easily solved, which casts the series in a warm-hearted light.

“Stick” is often compared to the popular series “Ted Lasso” due to its similar tone and warm, humorous portrayal of the characters. Particularly highlighted is the generational conflict between Boomers and Gen Z, which becomes clear through the interactions between the characters. In addition, a gender-fluid character is adopted: Zero (Lilly Kay) joins the group and brings additional momentum to the narrative, although the impact of her role on the plot is considered to be minor.

Characters and plot

Pryce Cahill, played by Owen Wilson, is a former professional golfer who is struggling with the abandonment of his wife, Amber-Linn (Judy Greer), and dealing with his personal issues. He discovers Santi's talent and convinces his mother to support her son's golf ambitions. While Pryce is the focus of the story, other characters such as Santi and Elena are criticized as their emotional developments and motivations are perceived as superficial. In particular, Santi's emotional fluctuations often seem contrived and unconvincing, and Caddy Mitts remains underutilized in the narrative.

The review also points out the sentimental and sometimes distracted plot. The relationship between characters doesn't always develop organically, and the deeper conversations often seem to be missing. The attempt to incorporate sports clichés and the use of musical numbers into the plot adds less emotional depth than originally intended. Furthermore, product placements and cameos from well-known golfers are significant, distracting from the story.

Criticism and conclusion

Although “Stick” aims to fill the gap left by “Ted Lasso,” it only succeeds to a limited extent. Reviews point out that there is too much focus on Pryce Cahill's character, while the other characters are not given the depth they need. This is seen as a lack of emotional connection to the story. Lettend is that despite the humorous approaches and the potential of the cast, “Stick” does not have the expected impact on the audience and is often described as sentimental and uncoordinated. The warm tone could be enough to win over some viewers, but whether the series can survive in the long term remains to be seen.

Overall, “Stick” offers a charming but perhaps weak narrative compared to the expectations placed on a follow-up to “Ted Lasso.” With a mix of comedy and conflict, golf becomes a symbol of life's questions that are not always easy to solve, which could make viewers think.