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ABOUT US
MASTER THE SIMPLE BASICS
Extreme dedication to the technical fundamentals of the short game to simplify the basics, build unflappable confidence and perform under pressure.
Neutralize the wrists in the short game as much as possible to thrive with Dead Hands.
Personalized Guidance
Gleaned from honest and positive relationships, the secret to great leadership is the right type of leadership in the right type of situation. Coaches convey what champions need to hear, not what they want to hear.
Character is Everything
Effort, irrational positivity and respect are the pillars of champions and is the foundation of a winning culture
Toughness Under Pressure
Strengthen an impenetrable mind and body to perform in any circumstance by pushing yourself to safely suffer through mental and physical obstacles Learn to detach from results of pressure situations; freeing skills to naturally happen while being comfortable and confident.
Protect Your Hunger
Stay motivated with a growth mindset obsessed with competitive greatness and execution of controllable variables. Detach and block out the noise; Achieve external results seemingly on accident through an unwavering commitment to incremental internal improvement.
MEET
Travis Niesen
Coaching out of the Bay Area in California, Travis was an accomplished high school athlete with dozens of collegiate basketball scholarship offers. At Santa Clara University (SCU), under the experienced coaching and tutelage of Dick Davey, he was a 4-year starter, 3-year captain and the 11th leading scorer in Division 1 college basketball during the 2006 season. In 2005, Travis scored 26 points and 31 points in SCU wins over the University of North Carolina and Stanford University. In 2006, he was first team all-conference and the SCU male athlete of the year for the university. Coach Davey later described Travis as being one of the top 5 toughest-minded players he had coached in his over 25-year career.
Travis has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with a minor in History from SCU and a master’s degree in Public Administration from Villanova University. As a law enforcement professional for 18 years, he has been a sergeant and leader in critical team environments including SWAT, counter-terrorism intelligence command post operations at Levi’s Stadium, lethal force encounters, undercover narcotics and the investigations detective bureau.
Travis has been studying golf’s short game for over 15 years and worked his way to a +1 index. As a scratch golfer and member of Pasatiempo Golf Club since 2012, Travis is currently the golf swing, short-game and mental coach for his son who was the 9th ranked junior golfer in the world for 8th graders in 2024 according to Junior Golf Scoreboard. Travis’ athletic career, leadership experience under duress, mental toughness and coaching success is uniquely positioned to provide actionable guidance toward lasting meaningful improvement in mental sports performance and golf short-game fundamentals.
SERVICES
ATHLETIC DEVELOPMENT
ACROSS DISCIPLINES
Excel at the highest level of competition. Dead Hands Sports and Travis Niesen focus on Basketball, Volleyball, Golf, Cross Country, Track and Field and other sports that require immense mental and physical focus.