The inimitable voice of golf, Peter Alliss, charmed a packed Perth Concert Hall when his An Evening With tour stopped off in the Fair City.
The veteran BBC commentator, sat on stage at Perth Concert Hall with just a table and a glass of water beside him, spent two hours reminiscing about the life of his golfing father, Percy Alliss, and his own formative years, before taking questions from the audience.
Little known facts emerged about the famous golfing family. For example, who knew that in 1931 Peter was born the heaviest baby in Europe at the time at 14 pounds and 12 ounces? Or that one of Percy’s early teaching professional jobs was in Germany, where Marlene Dietrich was among his students?
A veteran of several Ryder Cups in his own playing days, Alliss offered his own thoughts on the recent event in Wales, as well as his worry that the contest could ultimately perish if the game’s money men have their way.
He had started the evening by suggesting, “I know very little about the game of golf nobody tells me anything.”
The insight he showed about the game today, as well as his unashamed love of the traditions of yesteryear, proved that to be a lie of course.
He may be the last of a dying breed as far as sports commentary is concerned, but all those who hung on his every word in Perth this week, and the tens of thousands who do likewise when watching golf on the BBC, will hope the day when he hangs up his microphone is a long way off yet.