From the Marx Brothers’ Horse Feathers to Ted Lasso, the sporting comeback comedy has always had legs. And golf, with its intimations of secret societies and barely concealed wealth, is perhaps its richest seam. As that great American anthologist and poet Bruce Lansky said: ‘we learn so many things from golf; how to suffer, for instance.’ 

Owen Wilson is washed-up ex-pro Pryce Cahill. Once the pride of the greens, now he’s reduced to selling overpriced sticks to ageing amateurs. There’s mystery and pain in his backstory but possible redemption comes in the form of angry young golfer Santi (Timothée Chalamet lookalike Peter Dager). Cahill is convinced there is greatness in the boy and persuades his mother (Mariana Trevino) and grumpy best mate Mitts (Marc Maron) to hit the Tin Cup trail with him. 

Taking its lead from stand-up-scene comedy Hacks, Stick is free and easy with the motifs of the road movie, notably chaos, turmoil and misunderstandings, but is equally observant of feelgood traditions and connections that bind any motley crew together. Created by playwright and screenwriter Jason Keller (Ford v Ferrari), Stick also arrives with some impressive pedigree. Keller’s lovingly honed script was clearly developed over many hours with producers and directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine, Battle Of The Sexes, Fleishman Is In Trouble). 

Ultimately though, this is Owen Wilson’s show and he knows it. Astutely balancing 25 years of quirk, vulnerability, mischief and optimism, he is the momentum of this televisual fairway. His relentless drive pushes the viewer out of the long grass and beyond the bunkers.

Episodes of Stick are available on Apple TV+ from Wednesday 4 June.