Rick Martino Joins Motion Golf

PR Log (Press Release) – Feb 23, 2009 – Motion Golf, LLC is pleased to announce that PGA Master Professional Rick Martino has joined the industry leader in game improvement products and services as Director of Instruction.  

At Motion Golf, Mr. Martino will manage the golf instruction activities of the newly created Motion Golf Performance Institute, as well as lead instruction programs at Motion Golf’s Palm Beach Gardens, FL facility.  The Institute will provide instruction training and certification courses specific to golf teaching professionals, fitness instructors and members of the healthcare community such as Chiropractors and Physical Therapists.  Our mission is to provide the most effective program for game improvement in the market today.

Motion Golf Chairman Peter Christensen says, “We are delighted to have Rick join our company and leverage his incredible knowledge and experience in the fields of swing instruction and education programs.  With Rick’s leadership, we expect to provide the industry’s most complete game improvement products and services based upon our next-generation swing analysis technology.  The Institute will offer the highest quality training for instructors, ensuring that a Motion Golf certification carries the most credibility in the industry!”

During his 10 year tenure as PGA of America Director of Instruction, Mr. Martino’s many accomplishments included designing and overseeing construction of the PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, FL.  He also created, updated and taught the curriculum for the PGA of America Golf Schools, PGA member continuing education programs, and Professional Golf Management programs.  He is the author of the PGA Manual of Golf (Warner Books) which is used in the education of all PGA Teaching Professionals.

Most significantly for his new role with Motion Golf, the PGA Learning Center was a test site for motion capture technology.  He was instrumental in the development of its golf-specific software and served as a consultant on the creation of golf instruction tools for the system.  

Prior to joining the PGA, Mr. Martino served as the Director of the internationally recognized University of Pittsburgh Golf Swing Research Development Lab for 10 years.  Under his direction, the Lab’s research in swing bio-mechanics, technique and equipment was instrumental in raising the quality of golf instruction.  During this period, he concurrently served as the Director of Instruction for Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh, PA.
Over the course of his illustrious career, Mr. Martino has garnered almost every award possible from the PGA of America and the golf community, including PGA National Teacher of the Year, Golf Digest “50 Greatest Teacher”, and GOLF Magazine “Top 100 Teacher”.
He has trained many golfers from amateurs to Tour players such as Fred Funk.  Russian Cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin’s preparation for hitting a golf ball in space was perhaps Mr. Martino’s most unique experience which drew heavily from his biomechanics background.


Mr. Martino’s base will be at the Motion Golf flagship studio at PGA Commons in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Motion Golf is headquartered in Fairfield, NJ, with corporate studios and partner sites throughout the United States and in South Africa.  For more information or to experience Motion Golf, please visit www.motiongolf.com.