PGA Director of Instruction Rick Martino, at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., and 2004 PGA Teacher of the Year Hank Johnson, PGA Director of Golf at Greystone Golf and Country Club, in Birmingham, Ala., will be the featured instructors at the second annual Play Golf America Academy, Sunday, Aug. 7, 2005, at Hyatt Hills Golf Complex in Clark, N.J. The first 225 to pre-register online at www.playgolfamerica.com and attend the Academy will receive two tickets each to any one of the three practice rounds during the 87th PGA Championship.
Martino and Johnson, two of America's foremost golf instructors, will appear from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. EDT, in a multifaceted event for the entire family that is held in conjunction with the 87th PGA Championship, Aug. 11-14, 2005, at Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, N.J. There is no admission charge.
Play Golf America Academy features golf clinics by 25 New Jersey PGA Section Professionals, 2-Hole Family Scrambles, contests and prizes. All registrants after the first 225 will be placed on a wait list. Tickets to those who pre-register and not attend the event will be distributed to those attending and on the wait list.
Hyatt Hills Golf Complex features a regulation nine-hole course, full-length practice range, 11 covered and heated practice stalls, practice putting and chipping greens, practice bunker, 18-hole mini golf course, golf shop, repair center, snack bar and fine dining restaurant.
Martino and Johnson will give golf instruction to spectators in three programs: "Everything About Golf Except the Swing" - 4:15 p.m. EDT; "Developing Your Short Game" - 5:15 p.m. EDT; and "Developing Your Golf Swing" - 6:15 p.m. EDT.
The 2-Hole Family Scrambles, which begin at 6 p.m. EDT, provides a quick experience for families to see how fun and easy it is to play golf together.
"The Play Golf America Academy is a unique learning opportunity for the entire family to get expert assistance with their game and to share in the PGA Championship Experience," said Martino, the 1997 PGA Teacher of the Year, and PGA Director of Instruction since 1998. "The Academy brings together outstanding PGA Teaching Professionals, who will expand your golf knowledge, aid your game and to enhance your ability as a spectator to view the game."
The Play Golf America Academy at the PGA Championship is one of the many events supported by Play Golf America, a national golf industry campaign led by The PGA of America to increase golf participation among new and occasional adult golfers.
"The New Jersey PGA Section is excited to be a part of the Play Golf America Academy and to help kickoff the 2005 PGA Championship with this excellent golf instruction program," said New Jersey PGA Executive Director Scott Kmiec. "Our Section members are looking forward to sharing their expertise for what is a wonderful family event."
Begun in January 2004, Play Golf America's goal is to reach 17 million golfers who have expressed a desire to play golf and the 14 million occasional golfers who play between one and seven times per year. The campaign focuses on the adult population of families, couples, women and business professionals. Play Golf America is supported by the National Golf Course Owners Association, PGA Tour, LPGA, USGA and GOLF 20/20.
About the Play Golf America Academy Instructors
RICK MARTINO
The PGA of America's Director of Instruction since 1998, and based at the PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla., Rick Martino has been listed among Golf Digest's 50 Greatest Teachers and GOLF Magazine's Top 100 Teachers. A resident of Stuart, Fla., Martino graduated from the University of Maryland in 1970, and was elected to PGA membership in 1975. He was elected a PGA Master Professional in 1987. He served as Director of Instruction at Oakmont (Pa.) Golf Club from 1988-98. He is a regular contributor to many national golf publications, a three-time presenter at the World Scientific Golf Congress, and from 1998-2002, was television analyst for TNT Network at the PGA Championship. Martino is a three-time chair of the PGA Teaching & Coaching Summit. He is the author of the revised PGA Manual of Golf (2002, Warner Books), and is a frequent guest on The Golf Channel's Academy Live, and is an instructor to Tour professionals Fred Funk, Tammie Green and Carol Mann, along with guiding 1988 PGA Golf Professional of the Year Bob Ford, a member of the 2005 U.S. PGA Cup Team.
HANK JOHNSON
In his 14th season as PGA Director of Golf at Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham, Ala., Henry (Hank) Johnson is one of the most traveled clinicians and innovative PGA Teaching Professionals. Johnson has been a popular instructor to PGA and LPGA Tour professionals, including Steve Lowery, Tom Kite, Hubert Green, Tom Purtzer, Nancy Scranton, Shani Waugh, Siew Ai Lim, Marisa Baena and Michelle Estill. In 1979, he co-founded the Tuscaloosa Junior Golf Tour, introducing more than 200 juniors to golf instruction and competition. In 1982, the Tour was honored by Golf Digest as the "Best Junior Golf Program in America." Since 2002, Golf Digest has listed Johnson on its "Top 50 Teachers" roster and as the No. 1 teacher in Alabama. Since 1999, Johnson has been selected among the Top 100 U.S. golf instructors by GOLF Magazine. For more than 20 years, he has been a frequent contributing author to Golf Digest and published How to Win the Three Games of Golf in 1993.
Play Golf America is an industry-wide national marketing campaign, developed and led by The PGA of America to increase participation among new and existing golfers and to grow the number of people who play the game. Play Golf America's campaign is focused on offering a variety of adult player development programs to connect consumers with local programs and more affordable playing opportunities through the national consumer Web site www.playgolfamerica.com
The PGA of America, founded in 1916, is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the game of golf, while continuing to enhance the standards of the profession. The Association is comprised of more than 28,000 men and women PGA Professionals who are dedicated to growing participation in the game of golf.
