The South Staffordshire Golf Club
Peter Baker - Head Professional
Born in October 1967, Peter Baker joined The South Staffordshire Golf Club as a junior in 1980 aged 13 years old. Having learned the game at his father's nine hole Himley Hall course and taught by the late Alex Lyle, father of Sandy, Peter's golfing aspirations were really inspired by a meeting with Seve Ballesteros on trip to La Manga when aged 14. In 1982, and still only aged 14, he won the The South Staffordshire Golf Club Championship. An outstanding amateur, Peter was twice England Boys Champion and played for England School Boys. In 1985 Peter won The Brabazon Trophy, The Carris Trophy, The Tillman Trophy and represented Great Britain & Northern Ireland in the Walker Cup. In 1986 he turned professional and in 1988 won the Benson and Hedges International Open, eagling the 18th twice on the last day to beat Nick Faldo. 1993 saw Peter win both the Dunhill British Masters and the Volvo Scandinavian Masters before going on to win Ryder Cup honours in the 1993 Ryder Cup matches at The De Vere Belfry, beating Corey Pavin in the singles on his way to earning three points out of four. Peter finished 1993 ranked 7th in the European Tour Order of Merit and represented England in the Alfred Dunhill Cup along side Nick Faldo and Mark James, losing 2-1 to the United States in the final.
Peter Captained England in the 1998 Alfred Dunhill Cup and in 1999 he partnered Mark James in the World Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A consistent 2001 saw Peter register his best finish in the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth Club where he tied for eighth thanks largely to an excellent final round 65.
In 2005 Ian Woosnam, European Ryder Cup Captain, announced that Des Smyth and Peter Baker, both former Ryder Cup players, would be his Vice Captains for The 36th Ryder Cup at The K Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare, Ireland, from September 22-24, 2006.
Woosnam said;
"Peter is everybody's friend
"Peter is everybody's friend on the Tour and has been since he first
played in 1986. He has a great sense of
humour and as we all know each European
Team has a togetherness, allied to fun, so
important in bonding team spirit."
Baker said: "Ian and I have been good friends ever since I joined the Tour - and I've never forgotten that experience with him at the 1993 Ryder Cup. I was extremely proud to be part of his 'team' at The K Club and to retain the trophy by a record equalling margin made the occasion very sweet indeed."
Peter had a very successfull season on the Challenge Tour in 2007, winning the Open AGF-Allianz Cotes d'Armor Bretagne and the Credit Suisse Challenge, enabling him to finish 12th on the Challenge Tour Order of Merit and so regaining his playing privilages on the European Tour for 2008.
At the end of the year Peter also won the Mauritius Open.
On 5th July 2009, Peter won the Credit Suisse Challenge on the European Challenge Tour for the second time.
A lifelong supporter of Wolverhampton Wanderers FC, Peter has the Wolves emblem stitched into his golf shoes.