Peter Alliss - The Voice of Golf and proud PGA Professional passes away

A host of tributes from members of the golfing fraternity, world of sport, showbusiness and many other walks of life have been paid to Peter Alliss, one of The PGA’s most distinguished, recognisable and senior Members who has passed away at the age of 89.

Broadcaster, author, golf course designer, tournament winner, Ryder Cup player, Peter’s career was as varied as, spanning eight decades, it was long.

Throughout it all, however, he remained a proud PGA Member. The son of a PGA Professional, Percy, and the father of another, Gary, Peter turned pro when he was 16.

Initially he worked as an assistant to his father at Ferndown Golf Club in Dorset and, as a portent of what was to follow, revealed his ability as a player by winning the PGA Assistants’ Championship in 1952.

The following year he finished third in the Irish Open and made his debut in the Ryder Cup after impressing during a series of trial matches arranged by The PGA at Wentworth. 

Alliss senior had played in three Ryder Cup matches, his son was to participate in eight. And when Great Britain and Ireland prevailed in 1957, they became the first father and son to both play in and win the Ryder Cup.

Peter was appointed PGA Captain 10 years later and became one of the few to serve a second term when he undertook the role again in 1987.

Aside from the PGA’s founders, J H Taylor, Harry Vardon and James Braid, who held the role 11 times between them, Peter was one of just four members invited to captain the Association twice.

His second term coincided with The PGA undergoing a period of transition and at a crossroads.

“Colin Snape, the executive director, had just left,” recalled Alan Walker, a PGA Master Professional and former Captain.

“I was on the board of directors at the time and Derek Nash, the chairman, and I met with Peter at his house to interview and appoint his successor, John Lindsey.”

Peter continued to take a keen interest in the Association’s affairs, was presented with The PGA Recognition Award in 2010 for his outstanding contribution to the game of golf and was an avid reader of the Members’ magazine.

“He never forgot his roots as a PGA Professional despite his high-profile standing in the world of golf or successful career as a player,” said Robert Maxfield, The PGA’s chief executive.

“He was a proud PGA Member and never missed an opportunity to fly the flag for the Association. We have lost a friend as well as a valued Member.

“Our thoughts and condolences go to Jackie, his wife, his children Gary, Carol, Sara, Simon and Henry and all his family members at this desperately sad time.”

Gary, who went on to captain the Great Britain and Ireland PGA Cup team on two occasions, was born in 1954, three years before his father left Ferndown to succeed Reg Whitcombe as head professional at nearby Parkstone Golf Club.

That decade and the one that followed marked Peter’s golden age as a player: he won more than 30 tournaments worldwide, a tally that included a trio of triumphs in the PGA Professional Championship and winning the Italian, Spanish and Portuguese Opens in three successive weeks in 1958.

He also played in the Open on 24 occasions, achieving his best finish at Royal Birkdale in 1954 when he was four shots adrift of Peter Thomson, the champion, represented England 10 times in the World Cup, and was twice winner of the Harry Vardon Trophy as the leading European player of the year.

Peter Alliss (right) was presented with the PGA Recognition Award for his outstanding services to golf by Jim Farmer, one of his successors as the Association's Captain, in 2010

Plagued by putting problems, Peter retired as a player at the relatively young age of 38 in 1969. It was a mark of his ability to be self-deprecating and not take himself too seriously, however, that his car bore the personalised number plate PUT 3.

Similarly, he turned down an appointment as Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and, when inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame in 2012, he claimed: “I’ve done very little in my life, just waffled a lot. Loving the game of golf, and being observant, things have always just come my way.”

His ability to ‘waffle’ had first surfaced in 1961 when the BBC approached him at the end of his round in The Open at Royal Birkdale to venture into the commentary box and describe how the course was playing.

In addition to being paid six guineas (£6.30) for his insight, he had successfully sown the seeds for a career change that resulted in him succeeding his great friend Henry Longhurst in 1978 as the BBC’s lead commentator.

He went on to provide the soundtrack to many of golf’s most prestigious tournaments and memorable occasions, most recently at The Masters a handful of weeks before his passing which was described by his family as 'unexpected but peaceful'.

Annual assignments included the Open Championship and The Masters and, biennially, the Ryder Cup, four matches of which were staged at The Belfry, one of more than 50 courses he had a hand in designing.

Peter and another former PGA Captain and Ryder Cup player Dave Thomas were responsible for designing the Brabazon course at The Belfry along with several others.

“They were a double act,” said Walker, a fellow course designer. “Peter was the entrepreneurial door-opener and set up the deals and Dave saw them through. They both learned their trade from Bernard von Limburger, a German course architect.

“I had quite a lot of contact with Peter during the latter years of Dave’s life. He assisted Peter at events we held in Spain to raise funds for a particular charity.

“We had cabaret nights which featured the likes of Bruce Forsyth but Peter was the star act.

“His TV programmes ‘A Round with Alliss’ and ‘Pro-Celebrity Golf’ attracted many of the biggest entertainment and sports stars of the 1970s and '80s, such as Jimmy Tarbuck, Terry Wogan and James Hunt, the racing driver.

“He definitely put golf on the map by showing the famous playing the game and bringing it to people in their living rooms.

“His genius was he could speak and deliver at any time in any circumstances. He was also a great story-teller and there were times when he was mesmerising to listen to.”

Walker’s comments were echoed by Brian Huggett, a fellow PGA Professional and team-mate of Peter in three Ryder Cups and a host of the game’s legends and current stars, some of whom Peter was not afraid to admonish publicly for what he perceived as adopting the ‘wrong’ attitude towards the game.

"Peter did so much for golf, both on and off the course. His wonderful voice, humour and knowledge will be missed by golfers everywhere,” said Huggett.

Other stars, past and present, also weighed in with tributes on social media.

“Golf has lost one of its great players, broadcasters, writers, ambassadors and, most important, one of the game’s true friends,” wrote Jack Nicklaus on Twitter. “Peter was a dear friend to Barbara and me for probably over 60 years.”

“I wanted to say how appreciative I am for the joy and entertainment he brought to so many people,” posted five times major winner and 2013 Open champion, Phil Mickleson.

The R&A also paid tribute, as did Keith Pelley, the European Tour’s CEO.

“He was a wonderful servant to golf over many years and will be greatly missed,” said the former.

“Peter made an indelible mark on everything he did in our game, but especially as a player and a broadcaster,” added the latter. “He leaves a remarkable legacy.”

For Fawlty Towers creator, actor and comedian John Cleese, Peter’s reassuring voice and calm delivery was key.

“The most sane and comforting voice I ever heard,” he posted on Twitter. “I always thought that I could cope with the ending of the world if only Peter was commentating on it.”

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