He originally attended Georgia Tech before transferring to Valdosta State University where he won the NCAA Division II individual golf championship in 1994 and 1995.

Although he has never won a PGA Tour event, he has finished second on six separate occasions, most recently at the 2013 McGladrey Classic.

On May 19, 2009, Baird hit a 230-yard shot from the top of the Omni San Diego Hotel to a bulls-eye in the center of Petco Park in order to give everyone a free chicken wrap at P. F. Chang's China Bistro.

Despite the loss, the finish moved Baird from 148th to 93rd on the Tour's money list, which meant avoiding Q School.

Baird had the distinction of being the richest golfer never to win a PGA Tour event, earning over $13 million during his career, but coming up short six times.