Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-16
HOW TRAVIS WON TITLE.
Champion Golfer on the British Long
and Short Game

Before leaving London for the United
States yesterday on the Oceanic Walter j.
Travis, the American and British golf
champion. said:
Il am naturally pleased at the result Of
my trip. did not expect to win the cham
pionship, especially l was in very bad
form prior to the contest. l have not yet
made up my mind whether to come over
| next year and endeavor to retain the title
Some of the younger men ought to have
chance. 1 would like to see some of our
leading professionals enter the open Eng
lish championships. willy Anderson,
Stewart, Gardner and Auchterlonie are ev-
cry bit as good as Fardon and Taylor and
other British cracks They have got
greater number of good professionals than
we, but our best equal to theirs. Our
men would need, however, at least two
three months to get accustomed to the eli
mate and changed conditions. We scarcely
realize in America what strides we have
made in the game. When We saw Vardon
playing on the other side few years ago
we thought he was marvel. Today Var
don and Taylor scarcely seem the same.
The fact is that they have not improved
and our men have. 1t is only matter of
time when the professional, as well as the
amateur, championship will be won by
Americans.
The criticism that my victory was en-
t1rely due to putting is quite natural,
though hardly true. The English players
have not quite realized that putting has a
proportion of 80 per cent in the game.
They blaze away in drives that 1 confess
are splendid, but which are seldom calcu-
lated to win. An harmonious combination
of driving, approaching and putting can
alone be successful. Putting they have al
most entirely neglected for the spectacular
drive. In the championship did not at
tempt to equal, even if | had been able.
some of their long drives, but what 1 did
was to sacrifice length of drive for acou-
racy. If my driving had not been toler-
ably sure, it is scarcely likely that 1 would
have won. think that within the next
year the English players are likely to pay
lot of attention to putting. They natu-
rally were surprised at my winning, and
when the unexpected happens there are ale
ways lots of reasons forthcoming. You
will see that putting Mill get its true pro-
portion o!r In the British game before long.
The CHIEF dlferepcee in their greens and
ours is the undula tfpI., Some of the Amer
lean players. who are -accustomed to bill
lizard board green's, might find the change
trying Personally i.Iiked it, as a slightly
undulating green reduces the distance in
which the ball must, travel absolutely true.
Maxwell is woIlder He was not play
ing up to his form In the championship,
For many reasons,rI WOULD like to have
met Robert MAXWELL. The former holder of
the amateur golf Chain pionship. Reade,
the Irish champion. gave me the tightest
game. At one Tina Things looked very
black, but l won out. -.
There has been E0ft.e talk about fouls.
When was playing, Robb he shouted to
my caddie to pick I'm a flag, instead Of
which the caddie plcked up my ball Robb
could scarcely havs ss1ftmed a foul under
vided by the club, and did not know any
thing about the game. While have been
treated in the most hospitable manner. I
must say that a man coming over to play
for championships might expect to get
caddte who knew something about golf.
The mistake I mentioned, even If foul
had been claimed. would have meant the
loss of only one hole. and / scarcely think
1t would have altered the result Of the
match"