Travis Ingstad

Hearing about the passing of my good friend Dan Hicks this morning completely took the wind out of my sails. My thoughts immediately went to his family, who he loved more than anything in the world. His wife, Hannah, and his three girls meant everything to him. I always loved hearing about where he and Hannah had just traveled or what concert, ball game, or marathon he had just been to with one of his daughters. There was nothing Dan loved more than spending time with his family, and I know he’ll be watching over them with a smile. One of the greatest joys of my broadcasting career has been getting to call Dan a teammate on NBC’s golf coverage. What a remarkably talented broadcaster he was. His ability to deliver his best in the biggest moments was his superpower, and what an incredible legacy of calls he leaves behind. I’ll forever be amazed by his natural ability to tell a story on air. I can still hear our producer Tommy Roy saying, “Let’s personalize this player, Danny.” And Dan would do just that. He had this incredible gift of making you feel like you truly knew the player he was talking about and giving you a reason to root for them. But what I’ll miss most about Dan, and I’m sure the rest of our team would agree, are the dinners after the show. Dan was never afraid to treat himself to the best meal in town. More often than not, it was a local steakhouse, sitting at the bar. “I’ll have a Johnnie Walker Black with a big rock if you got it.” I can hear him saying it now. Those were some of my favorite nights. We’d sit there talking about that day’s broadcast like we had just walked off the golf course after playing a round ourselves. Dan was always looking for ways to get better, even after all the years he had been doing it at the highest level. Those dinners meant so much to me. I was always trying to pick his brain, asking questions and figuring out how I could improve. And Dan always took the time to listen. He never made me feel like a question was too small or that he didn’t have time for me. That’s the kind of teammate and mentor he was. At the beginning of this year, I called Dan and asked if he wouldn’t mind doing the voiceover for the intro to The Smylie Show. Of course, Dan didn’t hesitate. Not only did he do it, but he delivered it like he was introducing the final pairing on Sunday at the U.S. Open. That was Dan. He never did anything halfway. Every time I hear that intro, I’ll be reminded of our friendship, his incredible voice, and how much he loved the game of golf. It’s something I’ll treasure forever. Dan had an enormous impact on my career, but more importantly, he had an impact on me personally and as a father. Seeing how much he loved his family and how proud he was of his girls is something that will always stick with me. I’ll forever be grateful for the time we spent together, the conversations we had, and the kindness he always showed me. My heart breaks for Hannah and the entire family. We lost a great one today, and I know I’m just one of so many people who will miss him dearly. Will you miss ya partner ♥️