Alum Inducted into Georgia Hall of Fame
November 24, 2015 in Alumni, Articles, Awards
One of golf’s lowest profile superintendents from the highest profile club in the land is among three men recently inducted to the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Hall of Fame.
Marsh Benson, an alumnus of the 2-year Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program at Penn State, (pictured in the center) spent 26 years at Augusta National Golf Club, home of the Masters Tournament, before retiring in April this year. Benson was inducted along with two other veterans of the profession: William Smith, CGCS, (pictured on the right) from the Country Club of Columbus in Columbus; and Chuck Underwood, CGCS, (pictured on the left) from Northwood Country Club in Lawrenceville.
The inductions were a high point of the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association’s annual meeting and awards banquet at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. More than 200 people were on hand to see the trio inducted by Hall of Fame committee chairman Anthony Williams, CGCS.
It was a rare public appearance by Benson, who, because of Augusta National’s media protocols, was largely anonymous to the average golfer yet his work was arguably the best known and most scrutinized. In addition to preparing the golf course for some of the greatest chapters in the game’s history, Benson is credited as the creator of the SubAir subsurface system that removes excess water from greens.
“What a great honor. I’m a blessed man,” Benson said at his induction. “I truly feel like the support I’ve had is just unbelievable. I think you could cut my legs off and I’d still be standing because of the support I’ve enjoyed from all the people in this room and in this industry.”
