George Archer 50th Anniversary of his 1969 Masters Win




Club Historian Mike Jamieson Reports...

Monday April 8 is the start of Masters Golf Week in Augusta, Ga. The winner receives a Green Jacket and one of golf’s most honored titles. 2019 marks the 50th Anniversary of George Archer’s victory. The San Francisco native started his golf career as a caddy at The Peninsula Golf & CC and played an amazing 40 years on the PGA and Senior TOUR. 

Perhaps the most incredible part of his life didn’t become known until after his passing in 2005. George’s wife Donna Archer announced in a magazine article that due to severe dyslexia George had never learned to read or write beyond the third grade level. No one outside the family had known how difficult it had been to cope with traveling the world without being able to read. 

George’s life is closely intertwined with the Peninsula Golf & CC. He was first introduced to golf here as a caddy, made a lifelong friend of Mr. Eugene Selvage who sponsored him on Tour, became an Honorary Member in 1969, and the Club has hosted The George Archer Memorial Foundation for Literacy Tournament every October since 2008 with many Members participating to raise money to help Children’s Literacy. Mrs. Donna Archer, a PG&CC Honorary Member in her own right Chairs the Foundation and is aided by Friends, Members and PGA Pros such as Dave Stockton

This year‘s Masters will draw a lot of attention to George Archer because of the 50th anniversary of his victory. A recent Golf Digest article gives a realistic accounting of his win that week and the struggles he faced throughout his life.

Click here to read the Golf Digest article by Curt Sampson

John Abendroth’s Hooked on Golf radio show recently interviewed Donna on air with some old recordings of George. 

Click here to link to and enjoy the Pod Cast

In addition, it is expected that KPIX will run another story on their news channel about George and the PG&CC, as well as possible articles in the British newspaper Guardian and the Augusta Constitution. So sit back and enjoy the Masters.… And make sure you take a look at the Archer display in the hallway of the Clubhouse for a close-up look at personal photographs of George and his life and the actual Master trophy that he won in 1969.

Click here to read a recent Morning Read article by S.F Chronicle golf writer Ron Kroichick

Click here to read an article by our very own historian Mike Jamieson  that appeared in Senior Golfer.

Click here to link to actual 1969 Masters TV footage featuring George.

Click here to read a new article ( April 7)  in the Guardian by Ewan Murray

Click here to view a local CBS story on George featuring the PG&CC that ran on Masters weekend.