You've heard the voice. It’s that crisp, authoritative baritone that usually signals a Sunday afternoon is about to get very stressful for a guy standing over a ten-foot putt. Dan Hicks isn't just another guy in a blazer. For over three decades, he’s been the steady hand at NBC Sports, navigating the highs and lows of the PGA Tour and the Olympics with a style that’s kind of rare these days.
Honestly, in an era where every broadcaster seems to be trying to out-shout the highlights, Hicks does something different. He waits. He lets the crowd noise do the heavy lifting. Then, right when the ball disappears into the cup, he drops a line that sticks. Think back to 2008 at Torrey Pines. Tiger Woods, essentially playing on one leg, sinks a birdie on the 72nd hole to force a playoff. Hicks didn’t give us a lecture. He just asked: "Expect anything different?"
That’s the magic of a pro.
The Voice of the 18th Tower
Since 2000, Hicks has held down the lead play-by-play spot for NBC’s golf coverage. He took over the "18th tower" seat from the legendary Dick Enberg, which is basically like being handed the keys to a Ferrari and told not to scratch it. He didn't just keep it on the road; he made it his own.
For years, his partnership with Johnny Miller was the gold standard. You had Miller—the outspoken, "choking-is-part-of-the-game" analyst—and Hicks, the disciplined navigator who kept the broadcast from veering off a cliff. It was a classic "odd couple" dynamic that worked because Hicks knew when to push Johnny and when to let him cook.
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Nowadays, the booth looks a bit different. Whether he's working with Kevin Kisner, Brad Faxon, or Paul Azinger, Hicks remains the anchor. It’s a tough gig. You’re on the air for eight or nine hours sometimes. You’re dealing with rain delays, rogue bats flying into the booth—literally, that happened at The Open recently—and the constant pressure of calling a major championship.
More Than Just a Golf Guy
It’s easy to pigeonhole him as the "golf announcer," but Hicks is a bit of a Swiss Army knife for NBC.
- The Olympics: He’s the guy who has called Michael Phelps’ entire historic run. If you remember the "Lezak closing ground!" scream during the 4x100 relay in Beijing, that was Dan.
- Notre Dame Football: He’s had a "back and forth" relationship with the South Bend booth. He took over in 2013, took a break when Mike Tirico arrived, and then made a big return to the Notre Dame package in 2024.
- Winter Sports: From speed skating to alpine skiing, he’s proven he can handle sports where things move a lot faster than a 3-mph putt.
The Arizona Roots and the CNN Grind
Dan Hicks didn't just wake up in the 18th tower. He’s a Tucson kid, a University of Arizona grad who started out making five bucks an hour in local radio. He was a SigEp brother who initially thought he’d be the shortstop for the Yankees. When that didn't pan out, he pivoted to journalism.
There’s a great story about him convincing his news directors in Tucson to let him cover sports because they only did "hard news" at the time. He had that itch. By 26, he was at CNN in Atlanta, hosting CNN Sports Tonight. That was the era of the "big break," and NBC snatched him up in 1992.
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What’s cool is that he’s part of a massive broadcasting power couple. He’s been married to ESPN’s Hannah Storm since 1994. Imagine the dinner table conversations in that house. You’ve got two of the most recognizable voices in sports history trying to decide who’s picking up the kids from soccer practice.
Why the "Dan Hicks Style" Works
A lot of people ask what makes a "great" golf announcer. It’s not just about knowing the difference between a flop shot and a bump-and-run. It’s about storytelling.
Hicks has often said that the viewer needs to feel the magnitude of the moment. If a guy is playing for a $20 million FedEx Cup bonus, or a life-changing U.S. Open win, Hicks makes sure you feel the weight of it without being melodramatic. He uses "dead air" as a tool. In a world of 24/7 noise, his silence is intentional.
Putting It Into Practice: How to Watch Like a Pro
If you’re a fan of golf or just a student of broadcasting, there’s actually a lot to learn from watching a Dan Hicks broadcast. Next time you tune into a PGA Tour event on NBC, pay attention to these three things:
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- The Lay-Up: Watch how he introduces a shot. He gives the yardage, the club, and the stakes, then gets out of the way for the analyst.
- The Reaction: Notice how he doesn't talk over the roar of the crowd. He lets the "atmosphere" tell the story for three to five seconds before he speaks.
- The Crossover: Look at how he treats golf like a mainstream sport. He brings the same intensity to a birdie putt that he brings to a Michael Phelps world record.
If you're looking to improve your own communication or even just enjoy the game more, studying how Hicks manages tension is a masterclass in "less is more."
Keep an eye on the schedule for the next U.S. Open or the upcoming Winter Olympics. Chances are, Hicks will be there, headset on, waiting for that one moment that requires exactly three perfect words.
Next Steps for Golf Fans:
To get the most out of Dan’s commentary, try watching the final round of a major with the sound up but your phone away. Focus on how he builds the narrative from the 14th hole onwards. You’ll start to see the "scripts" he’s building in real-time. If you want to dive deeper into his history, look up the 2008 4x100 swimming relay—it's widely considered one of the best play-by-play calls in the history of televised sports.