Men's Golf
Zach Barlow
- Title:
- Head Coach
Zach Barlow enters his eighth season as head coach of the University of Michigan men's golf program. A Big Ten veteran as both a player and assistant coach, Barlow has spent nearly a decade building the Wolverines' culture and guiding the program's continued growth in Ann Arbor.
*****
After guiding the Wolverines through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic during his first two seasons, Barlow has overseen one of the most successful stretches in recent program history. Over the last four seasons, Michigan has recorded 25 top-five finishes in 47 tournaments, including five team championships and five runner-up finishes.
Among those victories were the 2022 Desert Mountain Intercollegiate, the 2023 Big Ten Match Play Championship, the 2023 Island Resort Intercollegiate and back-to-back Virtues Intercollegiate titles in 2023 and 2024. Michigan's run to the 2023 Big Ten Match Play crown was particularly noteworthy, as the Wolverines captured the championship as the tournament's No. 8 seed.
Beyond the team's success, Barlow's squads have rewritten portions of the Michigan record book. The Wolverines have posted the three lowest season scoring averages in school history, highlighted by a program-record 285.75 average in 2025-26. Individually, Jordan Hwang (72.84) and RJ Arone (71.00) established Michigan freshman and sophomore scoring-average records, respectively, while Hunter Thomson set the program's junior (70.56) and senior (70.24) scoring-average marks.
Michigan's individual accomplishments have matched its team success under Barlow's guidance. Wolverine golfers have claimed 11 individual tournament titles during his tenure, highlighted by Thomson's victory at the 2025 NCAA Urbana Regional. Thomson became the first Wolverine to win an NCAA Regional championship and later earned honorable mention All-America recognition from both the GCAA and Golfweek.
Barlow has coached three PING All-Midwest Region selections in Brent Ito, Thomson and Arone, while Thomson became Michigan's first two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection since Kyle Mueller. Additionally, Wolverine golfers have combined for 14 Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors during Barlow's tenure, including seven by Thomson.
Academic excellence has remained a hallmark of Barlow's program. Michigan golfers have earned 45 Academic All-Big Ten honors during his tenure, highlighted by a program-record 10 selections in 2022-23. The Wolverines have also garnered 13 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar awards, led by three-time recipient Pier Francesco De Col (2021-22-23).
Nationally, Michigan golfers have combined for 15 Golf Coaches Association of America All-America Scholar selections. Four Wolverines -- Will Anderson (2022-23-24), Ben Hoagland (2023-24-25), Yuqi Liu (2023-24-25) and Thomson (2023-24-25) -- earned the distinction three times, while Jude Kim was a two-time honoree (2023-24) and Patrick Sullivan received the award in 2022.
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Before taking over the Wolverine program, Barlow spent five seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Illinois, where he helped head coach Mike Small build one of the nation's premier programs. During his tenure, the Fighting Illini captured five consecutive Big Ten Championships, three NCAA Regional titles and advanced to five straight NCAA Championships, reaching the NCAA Match Play semifinals three times.
A finalist for the Jan Strickland Assistant Coach of the Year Award in 2018-19, Barlow was part of 31 team victories, including school-record nine-win seasons in both 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Individually, Illinois golfers earned 10 All-America honors, 21 All-Big Ten first- and second-team selections, 17 PING All-Midwest Region accolades and three GCAA All-America Scholar awards during Barlow's tenure. The program also produced 15 Academic All-Big Ten honors from nine student-athletes.
Barlow coached four Big Ten Players of the Year -- Thomas Detry (2015), Charlie Danielson (2016), Dylan Meyer (2017) and Nick Hardy (2018) -- while guiding Illinois golfers to five straight Big Ten individual titles: Hardy (2015, 2018), Detry (2016), Meyer (2017) and Adrien Dumont de Chassart (2019). Hardy (2015) and Michael Feagles (2017) also earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.
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A two-time PING All-Midwest Region selection, Barlow was a key contributor to Illinois' Big Ten championship teams in 2009 and 2010 during his four-year collegiate career (2007-10).
An All-Big Ten second-team honoree as a senior in 2010, he finished his career with a 74.06 stroke average, the eighth-lowest mark in program history. Barlow also earned individual medalist honors at the 2008 Olympia Fields Country Club/Fighting Illini Invitational and the 2009 Marshall Invitational.
Away from the course, Barlow was a member of the Illini Leadership Academy, participating in both the Emerging Leaders program as an underclassman and the Veteran Leaders program as an upperclassman.
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Before returning to Illinois, Barlow spent the 2013-14 season as a teaching professional at Kokopelli Golf Club in Marion, Illinois, while also competing professionally on the eGolf and NGA Tours. He played in nine professional events in 2012, advanced through local qualifying for the U.S. Open in both 2012 and 2013, and competed in the first stage of PGA Tour Q-School.
Prior to his professional career, Barlow enjoyed a decorated amateur career. He captured the 2008 Illinois State Amateur title and advanced to the championship match of the 2009 Western Amateur. As a prep standout at Trico High School, he won the 2003 IHSA Class A state championship as a junior.
Barlow and his wife, Abby, have two children, daughter Shay and son Beckham.
*****
*****
After guiding the Wolverines through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic during his first two seasons, Barlow has overseen one of the most successful stretches in recent program history. Over the last four seasons, Michigan has recorded 25 top-five finishes in 47 tournaments, including five team championships and five runner-up finishes.
Among those victories were the 2022 Desert Mountain Intercollegiate, the 2023 Big Ten Match Play Championship, the 2023 Island Resort Intercollegiate and back-to-back Virtues Intercollegiate titles in 2023 and 2024. Michigan's run to the 2023 Big Ten Match Play crown was particularly noteworthy, as the Wolverines captured the championship as the tournament's No. 8 seed.
Beyond the team's success, Barlow's squads have rewritten portions of the Michigan record book. The Wolverines have posted the three lowest season scoring averages in school history, highlighted by a program-record 285.75 average in 2025-26. Individually, Jordan Hwang (72.84) and RJ Arone (71.00) established Michigan freshman and sophomore scoring-average records, respectively, while Hunter Thomson set the program's junior (70.56) and senior (70.24) scoring-average marks.
Michigan's individual accomplishments have matched its team success under Barlow's guidance. Wolverine golfers have claimed 11 individual tournament titles during his tenure, highlighted by Thomson's victory at the 2025 NCAA Urbana Regional. Thomson became the first Wolverine to win an NCAA Regional championship and later earned honorable mention All-America recognition from both the GCAA and Golfweek.
Barlow has coached three PING All-Midwest Region selections in Brent Ito, Thomson and Arone, while Thomson became Michigan's first two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection since Kyle Mueller. Additionally, Wolverine golfers have combined for 14 Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors during Barlow's tenure, including seven by Thomson.
Academic excellence has remained a hallmark of Barlow's program. Michigan golfers have earned 45 Academic All-Big Ten honors during his tenure, highlighted by a program-record 10 selections in 2022-23. The Wolverines have also garnered 13 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar awards, led by three-time recipient Pier Francesco De Col (2021-22-23).
Nationally, Michigan golfers have combined for 15 Golf Coaches Association of America All-America Scholar selections. Four Wolverines -- Will Anderson (2022-23-24), Ben Hoagland (2023-24-25), Yuqi Liu (2023-24-25) and Thomson (2023-24-25) -- earned the distinction three times, while Jude Kim was a two-time honoree (2023-24) and Patrick Sullivan received the award in 2022.
*****
Before taking over the Wolverine program, Barlow spent five seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Illinois, where he helped head coach Mike Small build one of the nation's premier programs. During his tenure, the Fighting Illini captured five consecutive Big Ten Championships, three NCAA Regional titles and advanced to five straight NCAA Championships, reaching the NCAA Match Play semifinals three times.
A finalist for the Jan Strickland Assistant Coach of the Year Award in 2018-19, Barlow was part of 31 team victories, including school-record nine-win seasons in both 2014-15 and 2015-16.
Individually, Illinois golfers earned 10 All-America honors, 21 All-Big Ten first- and second-team selections, 17 PING All-Midwest Region accolades and three GCAA All-America Scholar awards during Barlow's tenure. The program also produced 15 Academic All-Big Ten honors from nine student-athletes.
Barlow coached four Big Ten Players of the Year -- Thomas Detry (2015), Charlie Danielson (2016), Dylan Meyer (2017) and Nick Hardy (2018) -- while guiding Illinois golfers to five straight Big Ten individual titles: Hardy (2015, 2018), Detry (2016), Meyer (2017) and Adrien Dumont de Chassart (2019). Hardy (2015) and Michael Feagles (2017) also earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors.
*****
A two-time PING All-Midwest Region selection, Barlow was a key contributor to Illinois' Big Ten championship teams in 2009 and 2010 during his four-year collegiate career (2007-10).
An All-Big Ten second-team honoree as a senior in 2010, he finished his career with a 74.06 stroke average, the eighth-lowest mark in program history. Barlow also earned individual medalist honors at the 2008 Olympia Fields Country Club/Fighting Illini Invitational and the 2009 Marshall Invitational.
Away from the course, Barlow was a member of the Illini Leadership Academy, participating in both the Emerging Leaders program as an underclassman and the Veteran Leaders program as an upperclassman.
*****
Before returning to Illinois, Barlow spent the 2013-14 season as a teaching professional at Kokopelli Golf Club in Marion, Illinois, while also competing professionally on the eGolf and NGA Tours. He played in nine professional events in 2012, advanced through local qualifying for the U.S. Open in both 2012 and 2013, and competed in the first stage of PGA Tour Q-School.
Prior to his professional career, Barlow enjoyed a decorated amateur career. He captured the 2008 Illinois State Amateur title and advanced to the championship match of the 2009 Western Amateur. As a prep standout at Trico High School, he won the 2003 IHSA Class A state championship as a junior.
Barlow and his wife, Abby, have two children, daughter Shay and son Beckham.
*****
The Zach Barlow File
Born: December 30, 1986
Hometown: Percy, Illinois
High School: Trico High School
College: University of Illinois, 2010
Degree: Recreation, Sport and Tourism
Family: Abby | Children: Shay and Beckham
Coaching Record
| Year | College | Position | Big Ten | NCAA Regional | NCAA Finals |
| 2014-15 | Illinois | Assistant Coach | 1st | 1st (Noblesville) | 1st / t-3rd MP |
| 2015-16 | Illinois | Assistant Coach | 1st | 1st (Kohler) | 2nd / t-3rd MP |
| 2016-17 | Illinois | Assistant Coach | 1st | 3rd (West Lafayette) | 3rd / t-3rd MP |
| 2017-18 | Illinois | Assistant Coach | 1st | 2nd (Columbus) | 11th |
| 2018-19 | Illinois | Assistant Coach | 1st | 1st (Myrtle Beach) | t-27th |
| 2019-20 | Michigan | Head Coach | n/a* | n/a* | n/a* |
| 2020-21 | Michigan | Head Coach | 13th | -- | -- |
| 2021-22 | Michigan | Head Coach | 13th | -- | -- |
| 2022-23 | Michigan | Head Coach | 13th | -- | -- |
| 2023-24 | Michigan | Head Coach | t-10th | [1] Individual | -- |
| 2024-25 | Michigan | Head Coach | 15th | [2] individual | [2] individual |
| 2025-26 | Michigan | Head Coach | 11th | -- | -- |
| 2026-27 | Michigan | Head Coach | -- | -- | -- |
* In 2020, the final three spring events and Big Ten/NCAA postseason were canceled due to COVID-19
[1] Hunter Thomson was invited to the 2024 NCAA West Lafayette Regional as an individual (tied for 27th)
[2] Hunter Thomson won the 2025 NCAA Urbana Regional to advance to the NCAA Finals
Wednesday, April 29
Saturday, October 18
Friday, May 10
Tuesday, June 29
