Peter Alliss facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peter Alliss |
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|---|---|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Peter Alliss |
| Born | 28 February 1931 Berlin, Germany |
| Died | 5 December 2020 (aged 89) Hindhead, Surrey, England |
| Nationality |  England |
| Spouse | Joan McGuinness (m.1953) Jackie (m.1972) |
| Children | 6 |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1947 |
| Professional wins | 31 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
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| The Masters Tournament | CUT: 1966, 1967 |
| U.S. Open | DNP |
| The Open Championship | 8th/T8: 1954, 1961, 1962, 1969 |
| PGA Championship | DNP |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 2012 |
| Harry Vardon Trophy | 1964, 1966 |
Peter Alliss (born 28 February 1931 – died 5 December 2020) was a famous English professional golfer. He was also well-known as a television presenter, commentator, author, and golf course designer. Many people called him the "Voice of golf" after another famous commentator, Henry Longhurst, passed away in 1978. In 2012, Peter Alliss was honored by being added to the World Golf Hall of Fame for his amazing achievements throughout his life.
Between 1952 and 1969, Peter Alliss won 20 professional golf tournaments. These included three British PGA Championships in 1957, 1962, and 1965. He also finished in the top 10 five times at The Open Championship. His best finish was in 1954, when he came in eighth place.
Alliss played for Great Britain in the Ryder Cup eight times, from 1953 to 1969. He was part of the winning team in 1957. Peter and his father, Percy Alliss, were the first father and son to both play in and win the Ryder Cup. Peter also represented England in the World Cup of Golf ten times.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Peter Alliss was born in Berlin, Germany, on 28 February 1931. His father, Percy Alliss, was a top British professional golfer in the 1920s and 1930s. Percy was working as a golf club professional at the Wannsee Golf Club in Berlin when Peter was born. Peter was a very big baby, weighing 14 pounds and 11 ounces!
Peter had an older brother named Percy Alexander, who was called Alec. Alec was also a professional golfer. When Peter was about one year old, his family moved back to England. Peter went to a private boarding school and left when he was 14, which was the youngest age you could leave school back then.
Becoming a Golf Champion
In 1946, Peter Alliss played golf for England's boys' team against Scotland and won both his matches. He then turned professional in 1947, at the age of 16. He started as an assistant to his father at Ferndown Golf Club in Dorset.
In 1947, Peter and his father both tried to qualify for The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. Peter didn't qualify, and neither did his father.
In 1948, Peter started to get noticed. He finished tied for 9th place in the Manchester Evening Chronicle Tournament. He also won the assistants' prize in a few other championships. In 1949, he finished second in the PGA Assistants' Championship.
From 1949 to 1951, Alliss served two years in the Royal Air Force (RAF) for his National Service. This meant he couldn't play as much golf, but he still managed to play in some tournaments.
In 1952, Peter Alliss won the Gor-Ray Cup, which was the Assistants' Championship. He played very well, winning most of his matches easily.
Ryder Cup Debut
In 1953, Alliss had a strong July, finishing tied for 9th in The Open Championship and third in the Irish Open. Because of his good play, he was chosen to be part of the 1953 Ryder Cup team. He was only 22 years old, making him one of the youngest British Ryder Cup players ever at that time.
The Ryder Cup was a very close match. Alliss played against Jim Turnesa in a singles match. The British team needed to win or tie to keep the Ryder Cup. Alliss's match came down to the very last hole, but he ended up losing, which meant the USA won the Ryder Cup.
First Major Wins
Peter Alliss's first big win came in 1954 at the Daks Tournament. He played two excellent rounds on the final day, scoring 70 and 67. He won by one stroke. Two weeks later, he finished tied for 8th place in The Open Championship.
In 1955, he won the 5-round Dunlop Tournament. However, the rest of that year was not as successful, and he wasn't chosen for the Ryder Cup team. In 1956, he won the Spanish Open by six strokes.
The year 1957 was much better. He won the PGA Close Championship and finished second in several other tournaments. His good performance earned him a spot on the 1957 Ryder Cup team. This time, the British team won, which was a rare victory!
In October 1958, Alliss had an amazing run, winning the Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese Opens in three weeks in a row.
His career was winding down by the time the European Tour officially started in 1972, but he did play in a few events until 1974.
Life as a Broadcaster and Designer
Peter Alliss started his television career with the BBC at the 1961 Open Championship, even while he was still playing golf. After he stopped playing professionally, he became a full-time television commentator. In 1978, he became the main BBC golf commentator.
Alliss even gave golf lessons to actor Sean Connery for the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger. This started Connery's lifelong love for golf.
Alliss also worked for American TV channels like ESPN and ABC Sports from 1975 to 2010. He was known as the most famous golf broadcaster in Britain. He hosted 140 TV shows called Pro Celebrity Golf, where he played golf with famous people.
From 1979 to 1986, Alliss hosted a show called Around with Alliss. In this show, he played golf and chatted with various celebrities on different golf courses in the UK. Later, in 1997, he made a similar series called A Golfer's Travels, where he visited golf courses around the world.
Peter Alliss was also involved in designing golf courses. He worked with Dave Thomas to create over 50 courses, including The Belfry, which has hosted the Ryder Cup many times. Later, he partnered with Clive Clark and designed another 22 courses. He was the Club President at Old Thorns Golf Club in Hampshire and Castlemartyr Links Golf Club in Ireland.
Alliss was the captain of the Professional Golfers' Association for a second time in 1987. He was also the president of the British Greenkeepers' Association and the first president of the European Women's Professional Golfers' Association.
In 2002, he received an honorary degree from Bournemouth University. In 2003, his book Peter Alliss's Golf Heroes won an award for 'Best Illustrated Book'. In 2005, he received another honorary degree from the University of St Andrews.
In 2012, Peter Alliss received the 'Spirit of Golf award' for making golf fun for young people and for supporting junior golf. He also revealed that in 1993, he turned down an award called the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to golf.
In 2014, Alliss helped create videos for the Seaton Carew Golf Club, describing it as one of the oldest and most challenging links courses in England.
He was also a supporter of the Wildlife Ark Trust, which works to protect red squirrels and water voles in the UK.
Personal Life
Peter Alliss was married twice. His first wife was Joan McGuinness, and they had two children, Gary and Carol. In 1972, he married his second wife, Jackie. They had two daughters, Sara and Victoria, and two sons, Simon and Henry. Sadly, Victoria was born with a severe disability and passed away at age 11. His son Gary is also a professional golfer and teacher.
For over 30 years, Alliss lived in the village of Hindhead in Surrey, England. In 2010, at 79 years old, he said he could still play a round of golf with fewer shots than his age, which is a great achievement for a golfer!
Death
Peter Alliss passed away peacefully at his home in Surrey, England, on 5 December 2020. He was 89 years old. Many people, including Barbara Slater, the director of BBC Sport, remembered him as "the voice of golf" and one of the greatest broadcasters of his time.
Team Appearances
- Ryder Cup (representing Great Britain): 1953, 1957 (winners), 1959, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1967, 1969
- World Cup (representing England): 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1967
- Joy Cup (representing the British Isles): 1954 (winners), 1955 (winners), 1956 (winners), 1958 (winners)
- Amateurs–Professionals Match (representing the Professionals): 1957 (winners), 1958, 1959 (winners)
- R.T.V. International Trophy (representing England): 1967 (winners, captain)
