The competition and stakes in the Apple TV+ show Stick have been quietly building all season, but Episode 8 kicks things into high gear. Just when some viewers were starting to lose interest, the series pulled them right back in, especially with the arrival of Pryce’s longtime rival, Clark Ross, played by the legend Timothy Olyphant.
Clark isn’t just an old enemy; he’s the very reason Pryce was booted from the world of professional golf. But the game changes once Santi sets his sights on the PGA Tour. The only person who can make that dream a reality? Clark. The problem? These two can’t stand each other. Luckily, Pryce is a hustler at heart, and after the chaos of Episode 7, and reuniting the crew, he is ready to pull off the perfect con, one that could redeem him and launch Santi’s future.
Pryce Proves to Clark That He Will Always Be the Better Golfer
Pryce (Owen Wilson) and Clark go way back. Clark is the guy who came out on top when Pryce’s golf career collapsed, and he never lets Pryce forget it. But Pryce won’t let an old rivalry get in the way of Santi’s(Peter Dagger) dream of making it to the PGA Tour. So, Pryce and the crew set out to convince Clark Ross, now running his own academy, to give Santi a sponsor exemption.
Pryce knows Clark won’t respond to a direct ask. So he creates a plan where Zero, played by Lilli Kay, poses as a sports journalist and flirts her way into Clark’s good side. The idea is that Clark, eager to impress her, will go along with a few small challenges, like a mini-golf game at his bar. It’s classic Pryce: get inside his head without letting him see it coming.
At the bar, Pryce pretends to drink too much, then challenges Clark to a putting game using whiskey glasses. And it starts to work. But things get shaky when Santi, jealous of Zero cozying up to Clark. And in response, Zero lashes out and exposes the whole plan. It looks like everything is about to fall apart. Or is it?
Instead of backing out, Clark starts paying attention. He sees how far Pryce is willing to go for Santi, even making a fool of himself if it helps the kid. Clark recognizes the value in that kind of commitment. Santi isn’t just another promising player; he’s a golden ticket, and Clark wants in.
This episode dials back the chaos and drama we saw with Elina and Zero’s Gen Z overload in earlier episodes. Instead, it focuses on passion, rivalry, and the soul of the game. And it works. It’s fun, emotional, and actually delivers on the heart the show has been teasing.
Eventually, the Santa Clarita Diet actor offers a deal: one swing each at God’s Thumb. If Pryce loses, Santi signs an exclusive seven-year contract with Ross Golf Academy. But if Pryce wins, Santi gets the sponsor exemption, no strings attached.
Right before swinging, Clark makes a cruel jab about Pryce’s late son, Jett. But Pryce doesn’t flinch. He takes the shot, and the ball skips across the water and lands closer to the hole. Just like that, Santi gets the deal he dreamed of.
Turns out, the real plan wasn’t the mini-golf hustle. It was showing Clark that Pryce would do anything for Santi, and that was enough to close the deal.
Honestly, it’s the best episode of Stick so far. Quick, sharp, and packed with heart.
Does Pryce’s Plan Fail, or Was That the Plan All Along?
Right before the final swing, Clark throws some low blows at Pryce, even mocking his late son, Jett, whom we briefly learned about in Episode 7. It’s a nasty move, but it lights a fire in Pryce. He steps up, takes the shot, and skips the ball over the water like a skipping stone. It lands closer to the hole than Clark’s, proving that even after all these years, Pryce is still the better golfer.
But was that really the plan?
Zero had been pretending to be a sports journalist, the crew set up a hustle, and it looked like the goal was to manipulate Clark into giving Santi the deal. But back at the RV, after the dust settles, Santi and Zero talk it out. When Santi asks, “Did you mean it when you said you loved me?” and she says “Yes,” it’s clear there was never any real tension between them.
The mini-golf con wasn’t the real win. The actual plan was to make Clark see how far Pryce would go for Santi. That level of loyalty, that investment, that’s what sold the deal. Clark saw a golden opportunity to back a rising star and couldn’t resist. Pryce used that moment to stick it to him and win on every level.
Honestly, it’s the best episode of the series so far.
Stick is available to stream on Apple TV+ in the U.S.
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