The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-01
WHY ARE BEST PUTTERS
USUALLY WEAK DRIVERSs
Harold H. Hilton Asks Question, Then Proceeds to An
swer-Places Travers and Travis Among Five
Best Putters Golf Has Produced.

A discussion that is likely to prove
interesting to golfers on both sides Of
tho Atlantic has been begun by Harold
". Hilton in the British golfing maga-
zine of which he Is editor. The former
holder of both British and American
titles wants to know why 1t Is that
the good putter is generally al indiifer-
cnt driver.
At first blush the premise that good
putters are of Indifferent skill with the
wood may not seem true. but Hilton
anticipates this objection and names the
five men no considers the best putters
the game has produced, and then points
out that not one OF the Nv was in
the topmost rank as an exponent Of
play with tho wooden clubs.
To Americans. Hilton's selection of
tho five leading putters OF h world
will be interesting, even though II Is
brought into the argument incidentally.
He selects three amateurs and two
professionals n two OF the five
are Americans. a striking tribute
10 the progress OF rho game in
the United States. The members
Of the great quintet are John L.,
Low. the only one of the FIVE who
was never a champion, but who was
runner up for the British amateur title
in 1901 and a semi-finalist vice before
that Jerome d. Travers. four times
amateur champion of the United States {:
Walter 7. Travis. three times holder of
the same title and British amateur
champion in 1904 Willie Park, British
open champion in 1875. 1887 and 1889;
and Jack White. who won the British
open in 1904. That Hilton should place
two Americans on such a small n
select list shows that on the putting
green's Travers and Travis have few
equals In the estimation OF one OF the
worlds greatest golfers.
or the skill with the wooden club
displayed by his fine great putters Hi
ton has THE TO say
But Notwithstanding the success
Of Walter Travis on what Is gen.
orally assumed TO be a drivers
course (Sandwich) we are probably
correct in saying hat the critics
on the other side have less respect
for his wooden club playing than
they have FOR his play In any other
department Of his game and they
will tell you that his great meas
ure of success is all the more re-
markable. in that his wooden club
play Is weak In comparison with
that OF the majority OF the most
serious rivals he has TO meet.
The other American amateur
whom We ave mentioned In our
list of exceptionally fine putters
jerome Travers-may he said to be
almost notorious for the %inequali-
ties TO be found in his play with
wooden clubs: while John Low
Willie Park and Jack White are
al golfers who would have attained
even greater fame thar has been
accorded 20 them had they during
their various careers evidenced but
an average degree OF control and
direction when playing tho long
game.
Having asked his question and given
his Illustrations. Hilton gives his own
theory OF why tho good putter IL likely
20 be a poor driver. He says:
Some considerable time ago We
personally came to the conclusion
that while the secret of good wood
en- club play II tho successful
blending OF the work apportioned
to the two hands and that both
hands must play an important part
In the task appointed. on the other
hand, in the art OF putting a more
or less equal distribution of tho
work between the two hands is not
In any way essential. and II Is
better that n hand (preferably
the lower hand) should take COM
mand and that the other hand
should be quito sub.ervient to II.
In other words. putting is n ono
handed phase OF the game. and II