UNCW men’s golf head coach Blake Taylor has announced the addition of experienced golf professional Chris Byrd as an assistant coach ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Byrd brings more than 30 years of golf experience to the defending Coastal Athletic Association Champion Seahawks, including several stints as a golf professional at several nationally
recognized facilities, including Cape Fear Country Club (Wilmington, N.C.), Chechessee Creek Club (Okatie, S.C.), Secession Golf Club (Beaufort, S.C.), Carnoustie Golf Links (Carnoustie, Scotland), Roaring Fork Golf Club (Basalt, Colo.), Iron Horse Golf Club (Whitefish, Mon.) and Linville Golf Club (Linville, N.C.)
Byrd is a Class “A” PGA Professional with a background in player development, teaching, philanthropic initiatives, tournament operations and golf administration. He previously worked with NXT Level Golf, an indoor training facility focusing on high-level junior and collegiate coaching, to include technology, recruitment platforms, and golf-specific fitness training.
A past President of the Carolinas PGA Section, Byrd spent 12 years on the organization’s Board of Directors, including eight years as an officer. He has been awarded the PGA Carolinas Section Golf Professional of the Year and Assistant Professional of the Year and was a recipient of the Horton Smith Award.
Byrd holds a Bachelor of Science degree in History from Lees-McRae College.
