A Quick 18 with Peter Alliss
Peter Alliss with Game of Thrones extras during a pre-Open shoot for the Northern Ireland Tourist Board in 2019
Alliss through the looking glass
The Open returns to Royal Portrush this year for only the second time since 1951. Peter Alliss played that year, but while he admits he doesn't remember much about it, having missed the cut comfortably, he believes this could go down as one of the most memorable championships of all time.
1 Do you remember your first trip to Ireland?
Yes, it was for The Open in 1951. I didn't qualify. It was two weeks after I completed my national service in the RAF and I came over with my brother as a chaperone.
2 What do you remember?
Well, I have no idea how we got here and no idea where we stayed. But I think I opened up with a qualifying round of 76 at Portstewart and had a 69 at Portrush. Then my brother and I went to the only dancehall in Portrush and met a couple of girls on holiday from London. I think I shot 79-80 to miss the cut comfortably. But we stayed on to watch the last 36 holes of the Championship and Max Faulkner winning.
3 Can you see the boys playing 36 holes in a day now?
That's it. It started with qualifying on Monday and Tuesday. Then there was one round on Wednesday, another on Thursday before 36 holes on the Friday. If you try telling them today you had to play 36 holes in a day, they look at you as if they were mad.
4 What do you remember of that final day?
People say Max Faulkner was a colourful character and all of that and he was. But he was also a beautiful striker. Of course, others played a big part — Bill Shankland and Tony Cerda, Frank Stranahan, Charlie Ward. Fred Daly up there. Fred was wonderful. It was very exciting with big crowds.
5 What can we expect in July when The Open returns?
Well, you can't control the weather, but financially and television-wise it will be a huge success, and it will promote Northern Ireland to the world. If everything goes right, it could be amongst the most memorable championships of all time. It could be fantastic.
6 An Irish win would go down well.
Well, you have always had some wonderful players, all my lifetime. I played golf with Jimmy Bruen, who was extraordinary. Christy O'Connor was a wonderful player, Fred Daly, Harry Bradshaw, Norman Drew. They were amazing players in their time and did great things. And now you have Rory McIlroy.
7 What about golf today and the new rules?
I don't make much of them. I think they fiddle with everything and it slows the game down. They make wonderful efforts to try and play quicker, and they play slower. They allow players to have maps of the greens and maps of distances and dropping the ball from the knee and some of them are bending. It's all become a bit silly. I don't think they have improved things very much. Putting with the flagstick in the hole. You want it in; I want it out. To-ing and froing. It just doesn't fit my eye. Shall we put it like that?
8 Name your dream fourball?
In Ireland, I'd have Jimmy Bruen, Philomena Garvey and Joe Carr, probably. But then I could make up another six fourballs that would be equally as enchanting. There have been so many wonderful characters.
9 What the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Royal Portrush?
It's one of the great links course. The sand dunes, the sea. It's one of the greatest settings. Ireland has some of the most spectacular links courses in the world. That will probably send the Scots into apoplexy, but it's true.
10 So links or parkland?
Well, I like heather, pine and silver birch. Perhaps links golf was too difficult for me. I love it on a nice day with good companions. But I prefer the Sunningdales of the world to the great links golf courses.
11 If you had just one more golf to play, where would it be?
It's about the company. I once remember playing nine holes with Joe Carr on the head at Howth, which wasn't bad for a nice day our with the birds twittering, the sun shining and the thought of having something comforting afterwards. I enjoyed that very much. Nobody would ever mention Howth as a great course, but it's the people and the place and the day that counts.
12 Did your father Percy have a big influence on you?
Well, he was just there. Nobody influenced anybody in those days. The person who did more was probably Henry Cotton because he married a very wealthy woman and was able to put his prices up. He'd won the Open Championship, so he became a figurehead in the game, and the other pros followed suit. If Henry Cotton charged £1, they charged 12 and sixpence.
13 Palmer heralded the start of a new era. Then Tiger Woods did came along and changed it again. Do you see him winning another major?
He might do. It's unlikely, but you never say no. He's had a remarkable career.
14 If I gave you a mulligan in your career, what would it be?
I know my father would have loved his second shot again on the 72nd hole at Carnoustie in 1931. He went out of bounds and lost the championship by a couple of shots. I would have like to have played a better chip shot onto the 18th green at Wentworth in the 1953 Ryder Cup matches. Had I won my game instead of losing my game, we would have won the Ryder Cup. But those things happen, and you live with it.
15 Do you miss playing?
I do. I have spinal problems and haven't hit a ball for five years. So yes, I miss it. But I enjoy that I can still sit and watch and have an opinion.
16 Did you have heroes growing up?
I'm afraid not. Life wasn't like that. I was only good at golf, and I went into it to make a living. There were no heroes. Heroes didn't come until Arnold Palmer in 1960. There were no heroes in golf, just people who had done very well and became heroes because people talked about them.
17 What did Palmer have?
Charisma. Ballesteros had it too. If the press like you and write about you, you become famous. If they don't like you, they make life difficult.
18 What's your idea of perfect happiness?
Good health, a happy home and continuity of income. Behave like a squirrel with his nuts. Have one now and put one away for the winter.
