About Bret Hartman

Bret Hartman is the Head of Instruction with the Rick Smith Golf Academy at Oakland University in Rochester, MI. The facility has a state of the art driving range, short game course, club fitting with TrackMan and two golf courses to give on course instruction and course management. He was recently nominated for MI PGA Teacher and Coach of Year. Bret has been heavily involved locally and nationally both as a instructor and player for the past 20 years, becoming one of the top sought after PGA Teaching Professionals in the country. Bret is associated with the following:

• PGA™ of America
• Certified Club Fitter
• Certified Track Man Fitter

  • Taylor Made

  • Greyson Clothiers'

Junior Golfer

Bret started the game a 5 years of age through his grandfather who owned multiple golf courses and a lawn equipment company. He fell in love with game and desired a life love passion for the game. He started his life -long career as a 4-time all-state golfer and was named to the All-State Super Team, which consisted of Michigan's top eight junior golfers. He then accepted a golf scholarship to Ferris State University. He also worked as a Professional Golf Association (PGA) Apprentice in the country clubs of Oakland Hills, Cordillera, and Foxfire. Bret graduated from Ferris State with a Bachelor's Degree in Business, and from the Professional Golf Management School, where he earned a "Class A PGA Professional" title. He was graduated with many honors, but furthermore was named to the National Dean's List upon graduation.

Golf Tournaments

After graduating with honors and turning pro, Bret competed in various professional mini-tours and has brought home top 10 finishes and 8 professional victories. In 2012, he qualified for the PGA Professional National Championship, which consisted of the top 312 PGA Professionals in the country. He has been mentored by some of golf's greatest instructors, such as:

• Rick Smith
• Jim Flick
• Dave Pelz
• Tom Stickney
• Steve Brady
• Todd Anderson

Golf Instructor Career

After becoming a Class "A" PGA Teaching Professional he instructed at Carl's Golfland™ and Royal Oak Golf Center, before being named the Head of Instruction with the Rick Smith Golf Academy at Oakland University . He recently shot a commercial on the Golf Channel for Swing Caddie and was nominated for MI PGA Teacher and Coach of the Year in 2022! He has been teaching for more than 20 years and has mentored some of the greatest players and athletes, in the game such as:

  • Gary Nicolaus, PGA Champions Tour

  • Willy Pumarol, PGA Latino Tour 

  • Ryan Brehm, PGA Tour Canada (Mackenzie Tour)

  • Josh Bauer, PGA Tour Canada (Mackenzie Tour)

  • Derek Berg, PGA Tour Canada (Mackenzie Tour)

  • Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions

  • Doug Brown, Detroit Red Wings

  • Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings

  • Multiple Mini-Tour Players

Contact Head of Instruction, Bret Hartman today at the Rick Smith Golf Academy in Rochester, Michigan, for more information about his lessons and services.