Player Profile: Nick Hanson
For many of us, there is a path that we take in Disc Golf. First, we are introduced to the sport, and then we fall in love with the sport. The passion takes over and we obsess and practice and practice and putt and putt and putt until we get better. We move up the ranks, and finally we come to this idea: “Maybe I can get sponsored!”. Sure, some of us will make the street team, or the squad, and that feels great. You get to represent a brand that you love and get a few perks along the way. But a real bonafide, pay-for-your-tournament-entries-and-give-you-a-salary-while-you-tour-sponsorship? That’s not going to happen for many of us. But when it does, it’s an amazing feeling. Just ask Nick Hansen, one of the two member sponsored team at Gatekeeper Media. I caught up to him to talk about his journey and being on such an elite team.
Born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Nick is 32 years young. Like countless others, Nick was introduced to Disc Golf when a few of his high school buddies showed him the game in 2008. Nick recalls, “We would go to Tuthill after school, and later that summer I made my first connection in the DG community on hole three.” It was there that Nick met Rob East, a local legend in the game, and the two played their first round together. “I was solo with a bag, and I figured I could learn a few things”, Nick says. Nick picked up the sport in quick fashion and was hooked.
When asked about his playing style, Nick says he likes to think of himself as a well-balanced player; he’ll be aggressive when he needs to be, but he also has the patience and maturity to play it safe. “It really depends on the situation”, he says. “My favorite throw is when I can see the disc fly. Watching what can happen once the disc is in the air is one of my favorite things.” And of course, nobody can argue that Nick has some of the best putt and approach skills on tour right now. “My putting is what has saved me this year, and it has come a long way”, he says. Indeed, so long in fact that Nick was crowned 2013 Memorial Armature Champion, and most recently the 2022 Polecat World Champ in San Francisco, CA. Now that is a coveted title indeed!
I asked Derek Scull, owner of Gatekeeper Media, to share how he discovered Nick. Derek says, “Technically Nick is one of two players we sponsor, but he’s the only one we sponsor that is on the Pro Tour.” Derek and Nick met at the 2021 303 Open in Fort Collins, CO. Derek recalls, “We covered a feature card there very last minute and Nick was on said card with local legend Joe Rovere. Watching Nick play that round showed us the kid could throw. And his vibe was great the whole round. After seeing the competitive razzing between Nick and Joe and getting great recommendations from friends of mine whose opinions I hold in high regard, it seemed like a good fit. And here we are, one Polecat World Champion title later and getting ready to head down under as a team!” When the stars align and the timing is right, you must take that leap of faith, and in Nick’s case, it appears that choice was a good one.
It is partnerships like this one that are fueling the continued growth of the sport. So, what is it like to be right in the mix during this explosive time in disc golf? “I think it’s incredible, it was only a matter of time, and with the power of YouTube, I am excited to see where the next five years take us”, Nick says. And when he’s not touring, Nick stays involved in his local community. Over the last few years, he has helped with course projects, logged assistant TD duties, volunteered for cleanup days, and much more. He is excited to participate in the Winter Warrior series this winter in Denver. Nick says, “It’s a weekly doubles league, with all proceeds going to the Food Bank of the Rockies.” It’s great to see that even with all his success, Nick is still willing to give back to his community.
Finally, as a rising young star, people want to know what worked for Nick, and how they can do the same. To that end Nick has one huge piece of advice. “Race to make everything inside of 40 feet before throwing 500 feet of distance”, Nick says. Wise words indeed. As they say, throw for show, putt for dough. Thank you, Nick, for sharing with our readers your amazing journey, and we wish you the best of luck and skill in Australia!
