Apple TV+ announced the highly anticipated new comedy series starring Owen Wilson as a washed-up golf pro will debut on June 4. Go ahead and say it. “Wow.”

In addition to the release date, the streaming platform also revealed the name of the new show (“Stick”), the cast, and some fun PGA Tour cameos. Wilson plays Pryce Cahill, an ex-pro golfer whose career was cut short prematurely 20 years prior, who takes a 17-year-old golf prodigy named Santi (played by Peter Dager) under his wing.

Marc Maron, Mariana Trevino, Lilli Kay, Judy Greer and Timothy Olyphant also star in the series created by “Ford v. Ferrari” writer Jason Keller. And PGA Tour stars Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, Wyndham Clark and Keegan Bradley are just some of the golf-related people playing roles in the show. Have a look!

CBS announcers Jim Nantz and Trevor Immelman are also involved. Fun!

Here are a couple more first-look photos of the show provided by Apple:

According to Apple, “Stick” is a heartfelt, feel-good comedy about a found family and their relationships set within the world of golf as it has never been shown before. And as Apple TV+ has shown with “Ted Lasso,” they know a thing or two about heartfelt, feel-good comedies.

Anyway, the first three episodes will drop June 4 with one new episode airing per week every Wednesday through July 23. OK, now back to winter for us northeasterners at The Loop. This brutal, brutal winter. Sigh.

Images: Apple

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Jordan Spieth hopped on SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio with Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz and spilled at least a few beans regarding the long-awaited sequel. Spieth confirmed that he will be a part of the movie along with several other current tour pros as well as some of the game’s biggest legends.

Well, if his part doesn’t get cut, that is. Spieth was asked about his acting skills and if he has a speaking role, and here was his response.

“If they use it, yes,” Spieth said. “I was up there with Rickie. When I was up there it was like Lee Trevino, Nicklaus, Freddie, we had Corey Pavin. In our scene next to me was Rickie and Collin and Xander and Keegan. So, I mean, you know, yeah, it was really fun. It was super cool to see. There’s a lot of other guys that were there before and after that have bigger parts. But it was just, it was wildly entertaining. I’m interested to see what comes out of it.”

Those are some big names. And that’s not even counting the “lot of other guys” Spieth mentions. Or John Daly, who also confirmed he was part of filming. Not that we should be surprised considering the original ‘Happy Gilmore’ also serves as a time capsule for the 1990s PGA Tour.

https://twitter.com/SiriusXMPGATOUR/status/1864029226795511962

“I’m not actually sure how much I’m allowed to say to be honest, but it was something that, I mean, I was such a fan,” Spieth continued. “Weren’t we all growing up? Like, people who don’t know golf are like, ‘Oh, have you ever seen Happy Gilmore?’ And it’s like, well, we get the opportunity I’m gonna go try and be in it. And Adam Sandler was like just exactly what everyone says about him. I mean, the nicest guy, the funniest guy, just comes natural to him, and he’s so involved, he’s so appreciative. It was really a cool experience.”

Yeah, probably best to leave it at that, Jordan. As we learned from Christopher McDonald, AKA Shooter McGavin, movie studios take those NDAs pretty seriously.

Main Image: Icon Sportswire

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Five years since we learned Mark Wahlberg's harrowing daily schedule, in which he gets up at 2am, has lunch 10½ hrs later, spends more time with snacks than his kids, and takes an hour in the cryo chamber after his 30min golf game. pic.twitter.com/Z7UMtW6VJx

— The author, Séamas O'Reilly (@shockproofbeats) September 12, 2023

As you can see, that’s quite the timetable. And we here at Golf Digest have to point out the 7:30 a.m. golf, which ends promptly at 8 a.m. for a good old-fashioned snack. When we had the chance to find out more about Wahlberg’s peculiar habits, we needed to ask his new friend Wyndham Clark. The two have partnered up with Municipal—a clothing brand co-founded by Wahlberg—and now Marky Mark and Clarky Clark have gotten pretty close.

“He’s an amazing person and so fun to be around,” Clark said on The Loop podcast. “We’ve got to play golf a few times. I feel like he FaceTimes me every couple months, especially when I play well or when I’m not playing well. He’ll FaceTime me and do kind of a pep talk.

“Mark plays a ton, but also he didn’t really grow up with the game. The swing probably could use some work, but I think having all those muscles kind of makes it tough for him to swing.”

We’d love to hear those pep talks and know if Wahlberg goes full Masshole. If we’re setting an over-under on “wicked,” it would have to be O/U 10.5 for a 15-minute call.

It’s always great when famous people mingle, but more importantly, what about the golf? What’s it like teeing off with Wahlberg knowing he has a complete agenda planned down to the millisecond? Well, Clark had plenty to say about that as well.

“The funniest thing playing with Mark is the speed. Honestly, nothing else really matters. It’s about just playing fast. And so you usually ride in separate cars. You hit and you basically get in the car and you go and you get to your ball and a guy might still be hitting or you’ll be way ahead and you just go and then you get to the green and you almost sometimes don’t even know what you shoot.

“You’re just like, ‘All right well we played in an hour and 40 minutes let’s go work out or something.’ But it’s fun playing with him and he has so much passion for it. He does everything at a hundred percent.”

That’s kind of beautiful in an unorthodox way. It’s just about the golf for Wahlberg. No time for chit-chat or idle thoughts, just hit and run. One must wonder how many times the renowned actor has gotten stuck behind a slow group, shaking with anticipation to keep things moving. It would be a perfect situation to bust out his best line from “The Departed”: “I’m the guy who does his job. You must be the other guy.”

Main Image: Cliff Hawkins

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As a resident of New Jersey who frequents the city of Morristown, I’ve waited on a few lines over the years. Waiting on long lines to get into bars on Thanksgiving Eve, New Year’s Eve and St. Patrick’s Day in Mo’Town was a rite of passage as a young 20-something. Now, at 31, I avoid those occasions like the plague. Just thinking about those nights sends a shiver down my spine.

RELATED: Pamela Anderson’s son kicked out of famous country club after fight

And yet, no around-the-block line to get into Iron Bar or The Laundromat could EVER compare to the never-ending line of folks who showed up in Morristown on Tuesday to audition to be an extra in “Happy Gilmore 2.” Apparently, the entire Garden State had read last week’s news and reacted accordingly.

Check out the wild video:

https://twitter.com/ForePlayPod/status/1826056101693108708

Boy, I’m not sure there is an amount of money you could pay me to wait on this one, especially with the knowledge that your chances of getting in this movie are slim to none. Not to mention the fact that even if you do, you are an extra in the background of the film. This isn’t going to be some big break where if you just nail your one line you’re immediately whisked away to Hollywood.

At least on Thanksgiving Eve, there is ultimately a few drinks, blaring music and a potentially awkward chat with your old high school fling where you have to shout in his or her ear at point blank range waiting for you at the end of the line. Actually, that sounds way worse than potentially being rejected by a casting agency now that we think about it. Much more quick and painless, and much easier on your wallet.

That said, imagine waiting on that line, getting rejected, and finding out someone who auditioned online got in the film? Brutal.

RELATED: CW broadcast of LIV Greenbrier beat out by … pickleball?

The post You had to have a screw loose to wait on this never-ending line for ‘Happy Gilmore 2’ casting appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Things are different in Los Angeles. The weather, the food, the lifestyle. Heck, even the sidewalks are bedazzled. So you may think you know the US Open, but the truth is you don’t know Jack (he’s the guy sitting courtside at the Lakers game). Don’t worry, though, we’re here to help, breaking down all the West Coast wordplay at this year’s tournament. Just memorise your lines and you’ll be speaking like a native Californian (if there is such a thing) in no time.

Kale cleanse — An up—and—down from the rough
Traffic on the 405 — A backup on the tee box
Walk of Fame — The leader’s stroll up the 18th fairway on Sunday
Barranca — A really fancy ditch
Marine Layer — Really fancy fog
Nip-tuck — The LACC restoration
“Avocado Toast!” — What the idiots yell instead of “Mashed Potatoes!”
Red Carpet — Burnt greens
Box-Office Flop — A perfect flop shot from just off the green
An Anthony Davis — A WD with injury
The Real Housewives of Orange County — Rickie Fowler’s fan club

Four birdies in a row for @RickieFowler.

He's -6 on the day. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/qzLZz8aomz

— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 15, 2023

Mulholland Drive — A high, arching tee shot into the wind
Hollywood Bowl — A long birdie bomb
Ensemble Cast — A stacked Sunday leaderboard

The post A very LA US Open glossary appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Alex Myers
Between his acting and producing credits, Mark Wahlberg has one of the most extensive résumés in Hollywood. But beyond the box office blockbusters and award nominations, we’ve long been more impressed by one thing: his backyard golf setup.

The avid (speed) golfer has a five-hole setup that will make your jaw drop more than any scene in “The Departed.” Have a look:

Anthony Barcelo

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mark Wahlberg (@markwahlberg)

Yeah, yeah, so what if it’s artificial turf? That makes it easier to maintain. Which gives you even more time to practice. Plus, you think Mark Wahlberg has just any artificial turf? That stuff was probably made by a team at NASA.

Anyway, Wahlberg has put his incredible backyard/turf up for sale. And it can be yours for $87.5 million. The price is a bit steep, but think about how much better your short game will be! Oh, you also get Wahlberg’s house:

Anthony Barcelo

Decent little spread, huh? According to the L.A. Times, it’s 30,500 square feet and includes 12 bedrooms, 20 bathrooms, a full fitness centre, wine cellar, and, of course, a movie theatre to watch your favourite Mark Wahlberg flicks. The six-acre property also features a skate park, grotto, and basketball court (that Boston Celtics logo might be a dealbreaker, though).

We just wonder why in the world Wahlberg would ever sell this amazing property—especially after turning 50. Seems like the perfect place to live if you’re going to make a run at the senior tour.

The post Mark Wahlberg’s incredible backyard golf course (oh, and his house) can be yours for a cool $87.5 million appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By John Strege
Los Angeles calls itself the entertainment capital of the world, Hooray for Hollywood and all that jazz, though sports in this melange of lights, camera, action has always been hit or miss.

A city of four million in a county of 10 million, for instance, loves its Dodgers but went without an NFL team for 20 years and responded with a collective whatevs.

This is the landscape the LPGA is re-entering this week with the inaugural HUGEL-JTBC LA Open. It will be played in the heart of Hollywood, at Wilshire Country Club, less than a mile from Paramount Studios, the famous Hollywood sign visible in the distance, parking at the Hollywood Bowl.

There’s no business like show business, so they say.

The question is, based on past performance, whether the LPGA has no business returning to a region in which it has never been able to establish traction. We posed it to Los Angeles’ resident LPGA expert, World Golf Hall of Famer Amy Alcott, a native of Santa Monica.

“From my experience in close to 40 years of playing the tour,” she said Tuesday, “I always found that it was the small cities — Corning, New York, Rochester, New York, Birmingham, Alabama, Dubuque, Iowa — those are the cities that have smaller populations where the LPGA becomes the biggest show in town.

“When it’s not the biggest show in town, New York or Los Angeles, where there’s so much going on, it becomes a little different animal. It’s not that it can’t thrive and be amazing. But a lot of it is promotion and just getting the golf people [in the area] behind it.”

The last time the LPGA came to what is called the Southland (incorporating Los Angeles and Orange counties) was seven years ago when the Kia Classic was played one time at Industry Hills in the City of Industry. Before that is was 2005, the last year of a five-year run of the Office Depot Championship, this one at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes.

The previous three were hosted by Amy Alcott at El Caballero CC in Tarzana. “Out at El Cab we drew very well,” Alcott said. “The last year of the contract, out at Trump National, it didn’t draw very well at all.”

That has often been the case since the first LPGA event, the Los Angeles Open, was played in 1955 at Inglewood Country Club (which no longer exists).

Since then, the LPGA has had tournaments in Whittier, Montebello, Buena Park, Pasadena, Calabasas, Los Angeles (Rancho Park GC), Costa Mesa, Simi Valley and Glendale, four years its longest run in any one place.

Now for the optimism on the eve of the inaugural HUGEL-JTBC LA Open. “I have no doubt this tournament will be successful with this sponsor and where it’s located,” Alcott said.

The two sponsors are Korean companies and Wilshire CC is adjacent to Los Angeles’ Koreatown. Moreover, the Southland has the largest population of Asian-Americans in the United States, 10 of the top 21 players in the Rolex Rankings are Korean, and 13 of the top 21 are from Asian countries, including the No. 1-ranked player, Shanshan Feng of China.

The LPGA is returning at the right time in the right place, in more than one way the right place. One of the sponsors, HUGEL, produces Botox, among other beauty products, and intends to expand into U.S. markets.

Could there be a better place to market Botox than on Los Angeles’ west side that includes Hollywood and Beverly Hills?

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