Dr. Frank Jobe, MD

Dr. Jobe was co-founder of the Kerlan-Jobe Sports Medicine Orthopedic Group. He is best known for the "Tommy John" surgery. Tommy John was a MLB pitcher who reaped the benifits of Dr. Jobes' first surgery followed by thousands of athletes.

Dr. Jobe was intimately involved in planning the Wright Balance® research. He provided his Biomechanics lab and 4 biomedical technicians at Centinela Hospital in Los Angeles for the four years the study ran.

Michael Mellman, MD

Dr. Mellman has been the team Physician for the Los Angeles Rams, Kings, Dodgers and Lakers. He has championship rings with each of these teams. He is currently still with the NHL LA Kings.

Dr. Mellman and Dr. Wright worked closely together for 2 years prior to beginning the Wright Balance® study laying the foundation for all phases of the research. In particular, Dr. Mellman brought the “Carrying” or “Power Angle” to the research setting. This angle has been significant in subsequent research in everything from Grip to Range of Motion to Power to Symmetry across multiple sports. This photo was taken of the measurement of the "Carrying Angle" during the original research in Dr. Jobe's Lab.

Dr. Mellman was present every day of the research in the Biomechanics lab during the 4 year project. This project would not have been possible without his direct involvement at every phase from planning to execution. The photo below shows Dr. Mellman after making a setup correction consistent with the research protocol.

Robert Watkins, MD

Dr. Watkins is a Spine Surgeon who has treated numerous professional athletes. He is the Spine Surgeon / Consultant to the PGA Tour and University of Southern California athletics. He did NFL Quarterback Peyton Manning’s neck surgeries and back surgery for NBA's Dwight Howard & NFL's Rob Gronkowski. Other clients include Troy Aikman, Wayne Gretzky, Don Mattingly, Joe Montana, and many more.

Dr. Watkins developed what he referred to as Trunk Stabilization 30 plus years ago. He prescribes this 30 to 45 minute back exercise program for his patients both before and after surgery. Many consider Dr. Watkins the ”Father of Core Training”. This exercise program was one part of the biomechanics lab Balance research protocols.

This is a photo illustration of from the original Wright Balance® study testing Dr. Watkin's Core Exercise.

Drs. Wright, Mellman and Watkins published the results of this research protocol in an international journal. The title page of this article appears below.

James M. Smith, Ph.D.

Dr. Smith has been a research physicist for over 30 years, receiving a variety of professional awards. He has a Doctorate in Experimental Physics and he completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biophysics. He has served on numerous national committees and advisory boards, and he has authored over 100 technical research papers and reports. Dr. Smith has been a consultant to Wright Balance® Golf Academy for over 20 years.

Dr. Smith is shown in the above illustration setting up the launch monitor during the testing of the in-sole foot sensor system in Dr. Frank Jobe’s Biomechanics Lab. He continues to work with Dr. Wright on the Stance Width and Grip Size formulas for all sports & activities that require balance applications.

In the illustration below, Dr. Smith and Dr. Mellman are shown testing the launch monitor used during the original research.

David F. Wright, Ph.D., PGA

Dr. Wright holds two doctorates. His areas of specialization are research, learning & psychophysiology. He was a full time member of the faculty of the University of Southern California School of Medicine for 4 years and a member of the clinical faculty for over 25 years. He has been a Class A PGA Professional since 1992.

Dr. Wright was inducted into the California PGA Teacher's Hall of Fame in 2017.

He did the research design, wrote the protocols and ran the balance of the study with Dr. Mellman for the duration of the project.

Each of the research subjects had 40 light sensors on their body...

...and 1000 force sensors in each shoe. Below is an illustration of the force sensors cut to each subject's shoe size and set in the insoles of their shoes.

Dr. Wright has done all of the subsequent research on Core Optimization and Strengthening, identification of the 3 primary Core Regions changes in balance through the Core in the 9 Stance Widths, 3 in each of the 3 primary Core Regions.

Dr. Wright is show below in 2008 researching grip and pelvic rotation while standing on a balance mat, also with 1000 force sensors under each foot.

Robert J Giombetti, MD

We know for certain that Power is recruited from the Ground by Core Region. Neurologist and Wright Balance® Professional Dr. Robert Giombetti (pictured above) has a Neurology outpatient / inpatient practice. He works with Dr. Mellman, Dr. Watkins and the Kerlan-Jobe Neurology Department. Dr. Giombetti also owns The Neuroforce Golf Center where he does research and training.

Dr. Giombetti conducted a study with over 100 Elite Lower, Middle and Upper Core Players in 2018. Dr. Giombetti began researching Core Region Swings and the patterns of Ground Reaction Force in 2017 using the Wright Balance® measurements to set Stance Widths by Core Region. He has shown a defined pattern of use of the Ground (Horizontal / Linear; Torque / Rotational and Vertical) by the Wright Balance defined Upper, Middle and Lower Core Regions.

John Sattler

John Sattler (1924-2015) was a PGA Professional who devoted his life to golf as a caddy a player and a teaching professional. Following military duty during WWII, he worked with hospital patients teaching golf as therapy. He published and co-authored the first of two books in 1994, Anatomy in Golf. In his first book he described 3 types of swings: The right-sided person, the centered person and the left-sided person. (Interestingly, John Sattler’s swing styles correspond to the Wright Balance® Lower, Middle and Upper Core.) Sattler also described the same ball positions as the Wright Balance® Lower, Middle and Upper Core Swings.

Sattler believed that either the right or left rotator cuff needed adjustment so the arms could work together in the swing. He developed a correction of the rotator cuff at address prior to each swing or putting stroke.

Dr. Wright pursued further research to understand what John Sattler was correcting. He also began to look at PGA Tour Player Matt Wolff's shoulder roll at address to determine how it impacted the Core. Out of that research Dr. Wright discovered "Optimization" of the entire Core. The Wright Balance® Optimization includes the 9 Regions recruited by 9 Stance Widths of the horizontal (Transverse) plane, front and back and the 9 Regions of the Obliques, front and back. The 4 exercises that comprise Wright Balance

The Wright Balance® Optimization includes the 9 Regions recruited by 9 Stance Widths of the horizontal (Transverse) plane, front and back and the 9 Regions of the Obliques, left and right, front and back. The 4 exercises that comprise Wright Balance Core optimization take a total of 4 minutes and last for 12 to 24 hours. This discovery marks a major breakthrough in balance and Core Symmetry.

Based upon his early applications and related contribution, John Satller has been included in the Wright Balance® Brain Trust posthumously.