The General Committee of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has announced that John Jacobs O.B.E. and Peter Alliss have accepted invitations to become Honorary Members of the Club.
John Jacobs, 79, has served a lifetime in golf and is generally recognised as being a pioneering architect of Europe’s united approach to the present day game.
Born in Yorkshire, the son of a golf professional, Jacobs‘ golf career included playing in the 1955 Ryder Cup and winning both the Dutch Open and the South African Match Play Championship. However, it is for his work in teaching and in golf administration that he is perhaps more widely recognised.
He was the first Tournament Director General of the PGA, which led to the formation of the present PGA European Tour, and his services to golf have been recognised by the award of the O.B.E. in 1997 and by induction to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2001.
Peter Alliss, born in Berlin in 1931, was also the son of a golf professional and at the age of 16 followed his father Percy into the professional game. During his distinguished playing career that lasted until 1974, he won three British PGA Championships, played in eight Ryder Cup teams, represented England in ten World Cup teams and won a total of 23 major tournaments.
Peter Alliss‘ early retirement from tournament golf has led to a successful triple career as a broadcaster, writer and golf course designer. It is for the first of these that he is best known and it was in 1961 that he first commentated for the BBC and went on to become the most widely recognised voice in the world of television golf broadcasting.
With the acceptance of John Jacobs and Peter Alliss, the total number of Honorary Members is now fifteen. The others are:
- His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, K.G., K.T.
- His Royal Highness The Duke of York, K.C.V.O., A.D.C.
- His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent, K.G., G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O.
- President George Herbert Walker Bush, K.G.C.B.
- Tony Jacklin, C.B.E.
- Kel Nagle
- Jack Nicklaus
- Arnold Palmer
- Gary Player
- Peter Thomson, C.B.E.
- Lee Trevino
- Roberto De Vicenzo
- Tom Watson
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews www.RandA.org