Head Men's, Women's Golf Coach

Office: O-16 (O building is located between The Dome and the tennis courts)

Phone: 760-744-1150 X 3708

e-mail: mhalda@palomar.edu

Mark Halda, the assistant coach during the 2009 season when the Comets won the Southern California community college championship, was named Palomar's head men's coach prior to the 2010 season.

 Halda also took over the women's program this Fall, taking over a program that won the state community college championship in 2011 and has been a state power since the sport was added.

 IDuring the 2015 men's season, Halda's Comets captured the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference team title over runner-up College of the Desert, snapping the Roadrunners' streak of 24 consecutive titles in conferences in which they have been a member over the years. Palomar also won the conference tournament.

 In his first season heading the men's program, Halda coached freshman Sejun Yoon, who is now playing on a satellite pro tour, to the 2010 Southern California Community College individual championship and, the following week, a tie for medalist honors with a 70-70 -- 140 score in the CCCAA State Community College Championships.

 Santiago Canyon's Connor Covington also shot a 140 and won  the state title over Yoon in a card-off -- preventing Yoon from joining future 22-year PGA Tour golfer Mark Wiebe (1977) and Scott Oxandaboure (2001) as Palomar's third state individual champion

 Halda is a graduate of Torrey Pines High School in 1976 and received his B.A. in Physical Education from San Diego State University in 1981. Halda joined Palomar's men's golf coaching staff as an assistant in 2002. He'll also serve as an assistant for Palomar's women's golf team beginning this fall. He also served two stints as an assistant football coach in Palomar's football program, the most recent from 2002 through 2013..

 Halda has an SCGA Index of 3.1.

 After an outstanding prep football career at Torrey Pines, Halda was a quarterback at San Diego State from 1976-1980. He was the only Aztec starting quarterback to beat both Florida State and Miami, and still appears on several SDSU Top 10 passing lists.

 Halda  is the fifth head men's golf coach in Palomar history, following in the successful footsteps of the late Ward "Rusty" Myers, Mack Wiebe, Bob Lusky and Jonas Crawford. The Comets have produced two state community college individual champions, future PGA Tour golfer Mark Wiebe in 1977 and Scott Oxandabore in 2001. Wiebe went on to play for San Jose State before turning professional. Oxandabore went on to lead USC to the 2002 Pac-10 Conference championship.

 Halda has lived in San Diego County for 40 years and currently is a resident of  San Marcos. He has two sons, Aaron, a former volleyball player at Palomar, and Nathan.