The episode opens with Clark Ross, a charismatic and confident former PGA Tour player turned golf academy owner, preparing for a high-profile golf event. Clark is portrayed as charming but arrogant, with a history that deeply intertwines with Pryce Cahill, the protagonist. Pryce harbors resentment toward Clark because Clark once made a cruel remark about Pryce's late son, Jett, which contributed to Pryce's downfall in professional golf.

Pryce, along with his friends Zero and Santi, devises a plan to secure a sponsor exemption for Santi to enter the Ready Safe Invitational PGA Tour event. They know Clark has the power to grant this exemption, but convincing him will be difficult due to their fraught history. The group decides to hustle Clark by exploiting his vanity and ego.

Zero first approaches Clark under the guise of a sports journalist seeking an interview. Clark, intrigued by Zero's charm and appearance, agrees to the interview, revealing his confident and somewhat self-absorbed nature. This interaction sets the stage for the larger con, as Clark's willingness to engage with Zero shows his susceptibility to flattery and distraction.

Meanwhile, Pryce prepares to confront Clark directly. The episode shifts to show Clark's perspective as he navigates the hustle, unaware of the full extent of Pryce's plan. Pryce's internal conflict is evident; he struggles with his lingering bitterness toward Clark but also recognizes that this confrontation is necessary for Santi's future.

The group's scheme unfolds with careful coordination. Pryce challenges Clark to a golf match, aiming to prove he was always the better golfer despite Clark's success. The match is tense and competitive, with both players demonstrating skill and determination. Clark's arrogance is on full display, but Pryce remains focused and strategic.

In a pivotal moment, Pryce makes an improbable shot using an ill-suited club, winning the match and securing Clark's reluctant agreement to provide the sponsor exemption for Santi. Clark's reaction is a mix of disbelief and begrudging respect, highlighting the complexity of his character.

The episode concludes with a warm, heartfelt scene between Santi and Zero, emphasizing the emotional core of the series beyond the golf and hustling. Pryce's plan has succeeded, but the lingering tension between him and Clark suggests unresolved issues that will carry into the season finale.

Throughout the episode, the narrative cleverly reveals the hustle from Clark's point of view, adding layers to the story and deepening the audience's understanding of the characters' motivations and relationships. The episode balances humor, tension, and emotional moments, making it a standout installment in the season.

At the end of Stick Season 1, Episode 8, titled "Clark the Mark," Pryce successfully hustles his old rival Clark Ross in a mini-golf showdown inside Clark's steakhouse, winning a sponsor exemption for Santi to play in a PGA pro tournament. The episode closes warmly with Santi and Zero sharing a moment of genuine connection, emphasizing the show's focus on human relationships beyond golf.

The episode begins with Clark Ross, a once-great pro golfer now running a golf academy and steakhouse, struggling with the pressures of his public persona and obligations. Clark is charming but carries a sense of emptiness beneath his confident exterior. Pryce and his crew plan to hustle Clark into granting Santi a sponsor exemption to enter a PGA tournament, a key step for Santi's career.

Zero first approaches Clark posing as a sports journalist, securing an interview by leveraging her charm. Clark is patient and affable during this interaction, showing a side of himself that is not immediately hostile. The hustle unfolds with Pryce challenging Clark to a mini-golf competition inside the steakhouse, where the stakes are Santi's sponsor exemption.

During the game, Clark appears boastful and self-assured, but his true colors emerge when he delivers a harsh personal insult to Pryce. Clark claims Pryce's emotional breakdown at Sawgrass was inevitable because Pryce is a "loser who was never meant to amount to anything," revealing lingering bitterness and insecurity despite his own success. This moment intensifies the rivalry and adds emotional weight to the contest.

Despite Clark's provocation, Pryce remains focused and ultimately wins the mini-golf challenge. Clark, incredulous at his loss, honors the agreement, granting Santi the sponsor exemption. The episode ends on a heartfelt note with Santi and Zero sharing a warm moment, underscoring the show's core theme of genuine human connection beyond the competitive and often harsh world of professional golf.

Regarding the fates of the main characters involved at the end:

• Pryce reclaims a sense of personal and professional victory by besting Clark and securing the exemption for Santi, reinforcing his resilience and skill.
• Clark Ross is left humbled by the loss, his confident facade cracked by Pryce's win and the exposure of his bitterness.
• Santi gains the opportunity to compete in the PGA tournament, a crucial step forward in his golf career.
• Zero remains a supportive figure, her role in the hustle and her connection with Santi highlighted in the closing warmth.

This ending ties together the episode's themes of rivalry, redemption, and the importance of relationships amid the hustle and pressures of the golf world.

There is no indication of a post-credit scene in Stick, Season 1, Episode 8 ("Clark the Mark"). The available detailed recaps and reviews of the episode do not mention any post-credit content or scenes after the main episode concludes. The episode ends on a warm note between characters Santi and Zero, emphasizing the show's focus on human emotion rather than golf or rivalry, but no extra scene after the credits is reported.

The main scheme in episode 8 involves Pryce and his group hustling Clark Ross to secure a sponsor exemption for Santi to play in a PGA pro tournament. The episode shows the heist from Clark's perspective, with the characters playing different roles in the con, culminating in Ross winning a game with a lucky shot to grant the exemption.

Clark Ross is Pryce's old golf nemesis who once said something cruel about Pryce's late son, Jett, which led to a viral incident and ended Pryce's career. This backstory adds tension to their interaction in the episode.

Clark Ross is portrayed as handsome, charming, annoyingly fit, and generally likable, though he is disliked by the main Stick cast. He is a former PGA Tour player and a spokesperson, with a smarmy but charismatic demeanor.

Pryce orchestrates the hustle against Clark Ross, aiming to prove he was always the better golfer. He also participates in the final game where Ross makes the lucky shot, and Pryce's plan ultimately succeeds in securing the sponsor exemption for Santi.

The episode ends on a warm moment between Santi and Zero, emphasizing that despite the golf and hustling plot, the core of the show is about earnest human emotion and their relationship.

The episode "Clark the Mark" from Stick Season 1 is not fully family friendly and carries a TV-MA rating in the United States, indicating it is intended for mature audiences. It contains mild sexual content and nudity, mild profanity, and mild alcohol use. There is no violence or gore, and no frightening or intense scenes are reported.

Potentially objectionable or upsetting aspects for children or sensitive viewers include:

• Mild sexual references or nudity
• Mild use of profanity
• Mild depiction of alcohol consumption

There are no scenes of violence, intense drama, or frightening content, but the mature themes and language suggest it is better suited for adult viewers rather than children or those sensitive to mild adult content.