Ex-Bulldog standout Larkin headlines new Georgia Golf Hall of Fame inductees

Former University of Georgia standout and longtime amateur Jack Larkin Sr. headlines four notables who will be inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame.

Larkin will be joined by superintendent William “Marsh” Benson, golf executive Steve Mona and LPGA Master Professional Carol Preisinger in the Class of 2027. They will be inducted Feb. 13 at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek.

“It came as a complete surprise,” said Larkin, who received the news from former Georgia State Golf Association President Ralph Stokes. “I was like, ‘Wow, that’s really cool. That’s kind of fun.”

Larkin moved to Georgia and finished his final two high school seasons at Riverwood. He won the 1978 Georgia Junior Championship and, one year later, the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship.

He went on to play at Georgia, where he helped the Bulldogs win the SEC Championship in 1982 and 1983, when he served as team captain in 1983.

He spent a short time as a professional before joining the family business, the Pacific Southern Wine Company, in 1994. His golf activity slowed when he and his wife, Leanne, raised three sons in the Atlanta area.

“When my wife and I started having children, golf kind of took a back seat,” Larkin said. “I figured I had one chance to be a parent and my whole life to be a golfer. No question it was the right decision for me.”

He had his amateur status restored and went on to qualify for seven U.S. Amateurs, four U.S. Mid-Amateurs and three U.S. Amateur Four-Ball championships. Since moving into senior competition, he has participated in three U.S. Senior Opens and five U.S. Senior Amateurs.

Larkin won the Georgia Public Links Championship in 1996 and 2001 and the Georgia Senior Championship in 2021, 2023, 2024 and 2025.

Now 65 and still robust, he plans to compete as long as possible. He has qualified for the U.S. Amateur in five consecutive decades and would like to add another in 2027.

“I’d like to get a sixth decade, but I may be aging out of that a little,” he said.

‘Marsh’ Benson

Benson interned at Augusta National in 1981 under Hall of Famer Billy Fuller, a relationship that guided him toward a career in turf grass management. He was superintendent at The Country Club of Florida and Jennings Mill Country Club before returning to Augusta National as senior director of golf course and grounds in 1990, a position he held for 25 years.

Perhaps his most significant contribution came as the inventor of the SubAir System in 1994. The technology was designed to manage moisture and air movement beneath the putting greens and has been installed at most of the world’s premium golf courses and sports venues.

Benson retired in 2015 but remains active in design, construction and project consultation.

In 2020, he received the Don A. Rossi Award, the highest honor given by the Golf Course Builders Association. He was inducted into the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association’s Hall of Fame in 2015.

Steve Mona

Mona was only 26 when he was hired as executive director of the Georgia State Golf Association. He held the post for 10 years and saw the membership grow from 30,000 to 75,000 and the staff grow from one to 10 employees.

He helped implement the USGA’s GHIN Handicap System and in 1994 helped establish the GSGA Foundation, the organization’s charitable arm, with the Yates and Moncrief Scholarships. Those programs have since awarded more than $7 million in scholarships.

In 1994, Mona became CEO of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, a position he held until 2008, when he became CEO of the World Golf Foundation. He is currently director of governance and leadership for Club Benchmarking, a business intelligence platform that provides tools and data for private clubs.

Carol Preisinger

Preisinger is the daughter of George T. Preisinger Sr., the former PGA professional at Marietta Country Club and Bent Tree Golf Club. She played on the boys’ golf team alongside her brother Mark at Marietta High School and went on to compete at the University of Georgia.