Meet Marty

 

Born with cerebral palsy, Marty Turcios’s lifelong relationship with golf began in childhood. He taught himself to play at age six and quickly noticed something that would shape the rest of his life: golf was quietly teaching him about balance, center of gravity, power, and agility. Even then, it was clear that golf was not just a sport. It was a way to build confidence, coordination, and a sense of control over his own body and choices.

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Over time, golf became more than an activity for Marty. It became a way of thinking - about persistence, self-direction, and how people stay engaged in their own lives. That perspective eventually led him to earn degrees in Therapeutic Recreation from Fresno State and San Jose State, and to spend his career working in settings where recreation, learning, and rehabilitation intersect.

 

Across the years, Marty’s work has taken many forms. He has taught able-bodied students at UC Berkeley, served as an assistant coach in high school golf programs, helped establish therapeutic recreation programs, and developed programming for rehabilitation hospitals and academic institutions. He has given demonstrations and presentations around the country, and his work has been featured by outlets such as the Golf Channel. As an instructor, he has been acknowledged by leading figures in the sport, including Arnold Palmer. Through all of this, his focus has remained steady - not on golf as performance, but on golf as a way to help people move, adapt, and stay engaged in their own lives.

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Building on Success

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In 2010, Marty founded Marty Turcios Therapeutic Golf (MTTG), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in California, to focus his work more intentionally on using golf as therapeutic recreation. Some of his earliest classes worked with autistic teens and adults, and several students progressed to a functional level that allowed them to qualify for the Special Olympics. He also worked with hospitalized veterans recovering from traumatic brain injuries, where he observed improvements in balance and mobility, including progress from wheelchairs to canes - changes the participants themselves attributed, in part, to their work with golf. These early experiences reinforced what Marty had sensed for years: that leisure activities and sport, when used intentionally, can play a meaningful role in recovery, confidence, and participation.

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Success in Augusta, GA

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In 2016, Marty brought MTTG to Augusta, Georgia, where he established a long-standing partnership with Wedges & Woods Golf Center, an organization that shares his belief that golf should be accessible to all. Nearly a decade later, that partnership continues, and Marty still leads clinics and on-course experiences year-round for individuals across the CSRA.

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Along the way, MTTG has also grown into partnerships with rehabilitation centers seeking community-based therapeutic recreation opportunities not available within their existing services. Whether through clinics at the driving range or sessions brought directly to partner facilities, Marty continues to do what he has always done - show up, adapt the game to the person in front of him, and use golf as a way to help people find their footing again, in every sense of the phrase.

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Profile last updated: January 2026