Fore Play mourns NBC golf voice Dan Hicks

The news broke Thursday morning, and the Fore Play account put out a long statement on what Hicks meant to a group that came up from outside the golf establishment.

That one line is the whole tribute: "Dan always made us feel right at home." Fore Play spent close to 10 years as the podcast guys trying to get a seat at the table in golf media. Plenty of people in that world could have looked past a Barstool show. They say Hicks never did, and that the more people they met, the clearer it got that he treated everyone that way. The statement also brings up Kevin Kisner, who they call a dear friend and colleague this year. Kiz has been part of the crew all through Internet Invitational season, and they say story after story from him showed how far Hicks's kindness went.

Riggs

@RiggsBarstool

Dan was always incredibly generous with his time with us. Kiz speaks so highly of him. Devastating news today 💔

Fore Play

@ForePlayPod

The Fore Play family is devastated to learn of the passing of the great sportscaster Dan Hicks. For nearly a decade we’ve tried to find our place in the golf media world; Dan always made us feel right at home. The more people we’ve continued to meet, the more we’ve learned this was not unique to us. Dan was that way with everyone. We’ve been fortunate this year to share Kevin Kisner as a dear friend and colleague, and story after story continues to show the extent of Dan’s kindness, friendship, and eagerness to help others. Our thoughts today are with Dan’s wife, Hannah, and his three daughters, Hannah, Ellery, and Riley. A devoted family man, a cherished friend, and an iconic sportscaster, Dan will be missed by millions. But thanks to his over four decades of work, Dan will forever be immortalized through so many of golf and sport’s most iconic moments.

Riggs put it in plain terms: Hicks was generous with his time, and Kiz speaks very highly of him. In TV, the lead play-by-play guy doesn't owe a podcast crew anything. That he gave them his time anyway is the part they keep coming back to.

Jake Marsh

@JakeMarsh18

No way. This is absolutely heartbreaking. An absolute legend on the call for golf, football, and the Olympics. So, so sad. Thinking of Dan’s family and friends.

NBC Sports PR

@NBCSportsPR

t.co/nEscSk889a

Jake Marsh pointed out how much ground Hicks covered: golf, football and the Olympics. He started at CNN as a national sports anchor and joined NBC Sports in 1992. In 2000 he became NBC's lead play-by-play voice for golf. He worked 16 Olympics for the network and won a Sports Emmy for the Paris Games coverage. He also called Notre Dame football twice, from 2013 to 2016 and again starting in 2024. His family said he died suddenly after an acute illness.

Riggs

@RiggsBarstool

As always, perfectly said @RichLernerGC.

Golf Central gave Hicks the send-off he earned, and Riggs called it "perfectly said." Hannah Storm, his wife of more than 30 years, said in her statement that Dan was "the person everyone wanted to be around," someone who brought "the energy, the laughter and the people together" when he walked into a room. That matches what the Fore Play guys described from the outside. Hicks leaves behind Hannah and their 3 daughters. For a crew that spent a decade finding their place in golf media, he was one of the first people who made them feel they had one.