There’s no questioning the golf credentials of Rico Riciputi, owner of Coach Club, located in North Hampton, New Hampshire, and now in Newburyport. A class A PGA member who was named a 2022 New England PGA Teacher of the Year and one of Golf Digest’s Best Young Teachers in America from 2021-2025, Riciputi knows his way around a golf course, so much so that after years of working at private clubs, he decided to branch out on his own and bring Coach Club to life.
From leagues to tournaments, coaching programs and member events, Coach Club is for both the serious golfer and the recreational player all at once. One step through the doors into their Newburyport location and you are immediately in the zone. The decor is Cuban-inspired with a vintage vibe, was professionally designed by interior designer Katie Goodrich of Ivory & Bone Interiors, and comes complete with a lounge area where golfers can relax before or after a session.
Blending the game of golf with modern day technology and quality golf instruction is the driving motivation behind Coach Club. For Riciputi, “having everyone feel comfortable walking in here was a major goal. Whether you are a seasoned golfer or a beginner looking for your very first lesson, you can’t enjoy it or improve if we don’t immediately put you at ease.”
One of the ways Riciputi ensures this experience is by making Coach Club as fun as it is beneficial to many types of golfers. TrackMan simulators offer large bays for coaching, practicing and playing and capture ball and club data, impact location and 3D trajectory all in real time. TrackMan technology also provides instant video analysis and accounts for factors that golfers regularly encounter on real courses all over the world, including weather, wind direction and more. Says Riciputi, “Our bays are conducive to the environment of learning, you can be in your bay hitting shots and not feel like you are on display—you can really focus on your own swing and your goals.”
Other perks of bringing your golf game to Coach Club include the opportunity to schedule lessons with a coach and the ability to engage with players worldwide in interclub tournaments. “The interclub tournaments especially are such a learning opportunity,” says Riciputi, who adds that “being able to play on courses you have heard of but never been to is such a unique experience in itself.”
Weather can be a major factor for any golfer, which is another one of the things that makes a Coach Club membership so beneficial. The access and ability to work on your golf game year-round can’t be overstated in the middle of a New England winter. Club rates vary and allow individual golfers to decide what type of membership works best for them. “My goal is to keep our overall membership small enough that our members always have access,” explains Riciputi.
While great for the individual golfer, the club is also ideal for events, whether corporate or private. The club has a beer and wine license and an outing to Coach Club is a way for companies and organizations to get together outside of the office and enjoy something different.
Riciputi has always been involved in mentoring and coaching young golfers, which isn’t something he is giving up. From lessons for junior golfers to involvement with local high school golf teams, he remains committed to helping develop the next generation of local golf professionals both inside of Coach Club and out.