ATHENS — Georgia announced that Mookie DeMoss would be the next men’s golf head coach. Chris Haack, who has been the program’s head coach since 1996, announced on Friday that he would be retiring at the end of the season.

DeMoss has been an assistant with the program since 2024 after playing for and graduating from the University of Georgia in 2015.

“Georgia Golf is the best program in the country, and I’ve been incredibly fortunate to be a part of it,” DeMoss said in a statement put out by the school. “What Coach Haack has done here over the last 30 years is truly incredible. I’ll always be grateful to him for giving me the chance to play for him and later to coach alongside him. I’ve learned so much from him over the years, and I’m thankful to call him a mentor and a friend. ”“I also want to thank Josh Brooks and President (Jere) Morehead for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to lead this program. We have an awesome group of guys on this team and a special group coming in. I’m grateful for the chance to be part of their journey and help them grow on and off the course.”

DeMoss served as a captain of the 2015 Georgia Men’s Golf team, which advanced to the Final Four at the NCAA Championships.

Following his time at Georgia, DeMoss competed on the PGA Tour, the Korn Ferry Tour and the PGA TOUR Canada. He also worked as a caddie for PGA Tour golfers Sepp Straka, Chris Kirk, Brendon Todd and Keith Mitchell.

DeMoss helped Georgia land the No. 1-ranked recruiting class for 2026 according to CollegeGolfCommits.com. The haul is led by Mason Howell of Thomasville, Georgia, who won the 2025 U.S. Amateur Championship

“Mookie understands the proud tradition of Georgia men’s golf and what it takes to be successful at the national level,” Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks said of DeMoss. “As a former student-athlete and now assistant coach, Mookie has been a part of great teams here at the University of Georgia and is someone our alumni and current student-athletes will connect with. We are thrilled that Mookie will be the leader of our Bulldog golf program.” 

DeMoss will have big shoes to fill, as Haack won two national championships in his reign at Georgia. The Bulldogs also won eight SEC championships under Haack’s direction.

“I am excited about the future of our program under Mookie’s leadership,” Haack, who will be an adviser to DeMoss for 2026-27, said. “While I cherish the memories we’ve made over the last three decades, I am thrilled about where this program is headed.”

Georgia finished in eighth place at the Puerto Rico Classic tournament last week. The Bulldogs are next scheduled to compete at the Southern Highlands Collegiate in Las Vegas, Nevada.