Chris Saltmarsh enters his 12th year as head coach of the Florida Tech men’s golf program in 2022-23. He was hired as the head men’s and women’s golf coach for the Panthers in August 2010 and has 20 years of intercollegiate golf participation and coaching experience on his resume.
As the head coach of the men’s golf team, Saltmarsh has guided the program to eight NCAA Regional Championship Appearances from 2011-15 and 2017-19 as well as one National Championship Appearance in 2017. The Panthers finished 6th overall during the 2017 National Championship, making it past the stroke play rounds and eventually falling in match-play.
The men’s golf team has accumulated seven tournament victories during his time at Florida Tech including winning the program’s first Sunshine State Conference Championship in 2018 at Grande Oaks Golf Club in Fort Lauderdale. Florida Tech totaled a 19-under par 833 (278-287-268) during the championship, which tied a school record and the SSC tournament record. The Crimson & Gray's final round score of 16-under (268) stands as the greatest team single round score in SSC tournament history and program history. Two Panthers, Max O’Hagan and Han Xue both earned All-Tournament medals for finishing within the Top-5 at the championship.
During the 2017-18 campaign, the men’s golf team set school records for scoring average (1.03 versus par), total birdies (522), total eagles (20), par 3 scoring (3.1493), par 4 scoring (4.1482), par 5 scoring (4.7883), ranked 4th nationally in scoring rating over 33 rounds and ranked as high as No. 5 in the national polls, according to GolfStat.
In addition to the wins, the men’s golf team has compiled 55 Top-5 finishes, 60 rounds under par and 10 school records under Saltmarsh’s tutelage. Four former golfers combined for six individual victories. In total, Saltmarsh has coached nine GCAA All-Americans, 23 GCAA All-America Scholars, 13 All-South Region selections, seven All-SSC selections and one Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year Award Finalist (Max O’Hagan, 2020).
On the women’s side, Saltmarsh guided the team to an NCAA National Championship in 2019, the first team championship in the program’s history. Saltmarsh guided the Panthers to seven consecutive appearances in the NCAA South Regional Championship from 2013-19, including the program’s first ever appearance in 2013. The women’s golf team had its best-ever finish at the SSC Championship in 2017 where they tied for 2nd overall.
Additionally, the women’s golf team tallied 14 tournament wins, 51 Top-5 finishes and seven team records under his guidance. Florida Tech golfers also compiled 15 WGCA All-Americans, one WGCA National Freshman of the Year Award (Johanna Larsson, 2014), 26 WGCA All-America Scholars, six All-South Region selections, 12 All-SSC selections, one SSC Freshman of the Year (Johanna Larsson, 2014), 19 individual medalists and 50 Top-5 finishers.
Saltmarsh has served on numerous committees at the south region, WGCA and conference levels. He was on the All-South Region Team committee from 2016 to 2019 served as the WGCA Director for Division II in 2015-16 and 2017-18. Additionally, Saltmarsh was The Sun Conference Chair for Men’s Golf in 2008.
Prior to coming to Florida Tech, Saltmarsh served as the head men’s and women’s golf coach at Northwood University in West Palm Beach, Florida from 2006 to 2010. He guided the men’s team to a Sun Conference Championship in 2009, one tournament win and an NAIA National Championship appearance in 2009. The Northwood women’s team made two NAIA National Championship appearances in 2009 and 2010, had two tournament wins and was an NAIA Scholar Team in 2010. During the tenure, the men’s and women’s teams combined for one NAIA Academic All-American, one NAIA All-American, two GCAA All-South Region selections, 12 All-Sun Conference selections, and seven individual medalists.
Before his time at Northwood, Saltmarsh was the head women’s golf coach at Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio from February 2006 to August 2006. In his one spring season at Tiffin, the golf team made a NAIA National Championship berth and had three Academic All-Americans.
Saltmarsh started his coaching career at his alma mater, Walsh University, as the graduate assistant coach for men’s and women’s golf from 2004 to 2006.
Saltmarsh was a four-year member of the Walsh University men’s golf team from 2000 to 2004. He posted a 74.3 career stroke average during his four years at Walsh and ranked 10th individually in the NAIA in 2003, according to GolfStat. He was the AMC Conference Player of the Year in 2002. Additionally, he was a four-time AMC All-Conference Team selection, four-time PowerAde All-Tournament Team, earned two NAIA All-American awards including the school’s first in 2003, and made an appearance at the NAIA National Championship in 2002.
He earned 10 medalist honors during his career and recorded 30 Top-10 finishes in 43 career tournaments at Walsh.
As an amateur golfer, Saltmarsh won the Coshocton Invitational in 2006 and twice won the Eastern Ohio Amateur Championship in 2003 and 2009.
