Serial Golf Entrepreneur, Marc Bender, Shares Views on Best Courses in The World

golf SMARTER

Josh Karp

Golf, Sports, Society & Culture

4.3 • 577 Ratings

🗓️ 22 July 2025

⏱️ 84 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

GS#1009 Summary: This week we speak to Marc Bender, Managing Partner for multiple golf companies including Hidden Links Travel, Golfpac Travel, TeeTimes USA, Go Play Golf Card, and Upper Deck Golf. In this episode, Fred and Marc discuss their connection at the Masters, the intricacies of golf course architecture, and the evolution of golf greens. Marc is well connected in the golf industry and has met and played with some of the top names in our sport. He's also traveled extensively to golf courses throughout the world so he's well equiped to discuss the evolution of golf course greens, particularly focusing on the advancements in green speeds and their impact on players. The discussion highlights how technology and agronomy have transformed the game, and how this has affected different types of players.They delve into the debates surrounding historical versus modern courses, and the importance of understanding the nuances of putting on different types of greens. The conversation highlights the passion for golf and the community that surrounds it.Please check out this article about Fred's golf and podcast journey called "A Lifetime On The Air" that was published in the NCGA Magazine (Northern California Golf Association) recently! Get more when your visit the refreshed golfsmarter.com! Introduce an Upcoming Episode: Receive free gifts for recording a show opening by clicking on "Record Your Show Open Here!" tab on the right side of golfsmarter.com. Watch Daily Video Highlights from Our Interviews: Follow @golfsmarter on Instagram, X, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube daily to see our highlights and helpful insights from our interviews on the podcast. Post a Review: you'll receive three free gifts when you post an honest review about Golf Smarter the podcast. Fill Out a Listener Survey: It only takes a few minutes to fill out our survey, which helps us to better serve your interests in the podcast. You'll receive a free link to Tony Manzoni's video and Justin Tang’s summary of Tony’s Lost Fundamental on pdf! This episode is brought to you by BreakfastBalls.Golf. Visit BreakfastBalls.Golf for the best quality and pricing on premium used golf balls. Find your favorite brand at half the price of new balls! Use GOLFSMARTER at checkout for 20% off your order!This episode is brought to you by the Tour Striker Golf Academy. Visit tourstriker.com/TSGA and use the code GOLFSMARTER to get your first month of the Tour Striker GolfAcademy Online free, plus instant access to two bonus courses—'The Recipe for Better Golf' and 'Bombs: How to Consistently Smash the Driver”: a $194 value for free.This episode is brought to you by 5Hour Energy. 5-hour ENERGY Transfusion flavor is available online or in stores. Head to 5hourENERGY.com and order yours today!Check out "Invested in the Game", a new original podcast from Charles Schwab. This podcast is their way of sharing the incredible stories behind the game. Listen now at schwab.com/TheGame or wherever you get your podcasts.This episode is sponsored by Indeed. Please visit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, I'm Richard Ladadio from North Caldwell, New Jersey.
0:06.6	I play at Montclair Golf Club, established in 1893.
0:11.3	Welcome to Golf Smarter.
0:12.9	Hi, this is Bill Farmer from Cincinnati, Ohio, and I play at Sharon Woods Golf Course.
0:19.0	And this is Golf Smarter number 1009.
0:22.4	Gary Player, who's one of the most gregarious, friendly people you could ever meet,
0:27.0	loves to talk, loves to live life to the fullest at 89 years old.
0:31.0	He'll be 90 in November, and he is a true scratch golfer.
0:35.7	I had the thrill of a lifetime playing with him in May.
0:38.7	Watched him shoot 73 like it was nothing and hit his drive 240 to 250 yards at 89 years old.
0:45.1	But the thing that he told Adam and I when we played with him, he was not that level of friendly
0:50.3	when he was playing tournament golf. He was focused. He didn't talk the way he talks now, and he was focused on winning
0:56.4	tournaments and nine major championships on the regular tour and nine major championships
1:01.6	on the senior tour.
1:02.7	He won the Grand Slam on both tours, the only player ever to do it.
1:06.2	He has that track record to show for that laser focus.
1:21.4	Serial golf entrepreneur Mark Bender shares his views on the best courses in the world.
1:23.6	This is Golf Smarter.
1:31.4	Sharing stories, tips, and insights from great golf minds to help you lower your score and raise your golf IQ.
1:33.9	Here's your host, Fred Green.
1:36.7	Welcome to the Golf Smarter Podcast, Mark.
1:38.9	Great to be here with you, Fred.
	...

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