Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-09-09
Youthful Southern Phe-:
nom Is One of Coun-
try's Great Golfers,
Says Veteran

HNE of the most striking features of the
" recent amateur championship was the
keen interest that Walter ]. Travis, the
grand old man, took In the play of young
Bobby Jones, the kid wonder from Georgia.
No two careers could have been wider
apart. Travis started his golf when he was
thrty-five years old. Young Jones started
to play when he was seven. Travis Just
had reached the finish of his tournament
play with a wonderful record behind him.
Jones' at the age of IA, was just beginning
his tournament career with a wonderful
future on beyond. and the veteran was pull
ing harder for the kid than any other man
in the big gallery.
Here comes one of the great golfers OF
the country" remarked Mr. Travs "for
he has the three vital things that go to make
UP championship success:
First Skill in playing every shot.
Second. A Arm, sure punch that doesn't
waver.
Third. A mixture Of Hon1bearted de-
termination and coOlness under IRE.
Now, we have had young golfers before
with one or possibly two Of these essentials
But we never have had one who so well
combined all three, with the exception OF
Travers and Ouimet, and you may recall
what careers they have known. But this
kid at fourteen has everything either of
these had at twenty, so he has that much
of start. and II is hard to see how he can
keep from taking his place as one OF the
greatest golfers America ever has devel-
oped. He is undoubtedly the greatest player
for his years the game has ever known"
Jones's Firmness
The one leading feature OF Jones's game
that impressed the veteran more than any
/ thing else was the great hrmness with
which he played all his shots and made all
his puts when under fire The tendency
here. when one is apparently up against IL,
| is to play short. But young Jones always
gave his ball a chance. and it was a rare
occasion when he struck with any weak
punch.
Only an entry with steady nerves and
| fine control of his muscular and nervous
| system can continue to piay firmly against
| the test. This firmness, decisive punch with
| every shot, was always the feature of the
| play of Travis Travers and Ouimet Their
determination rarely was broken.
The fact that young Jones can play all
/ his shots well would be no indication that he
| ever would reach championship height But
the fact that with this ability he also car
ries a wonderful determination and COOL
ness should make for a future career that
only the very few have known
| A sound game and a sound heart with
iron nerve. will go very far and II would
be only the most cruel OF all fates that
would bar the way.
No Good Putters
There was one feature of this recent
championship that was notable. In the alb
sence OF Travis, rravers and Ouimet Their
was not a sure, consistent putter left-n,
one 10 every approach the wizardry OF IN
old Big Three, who ruled the putting gree
when they were on the job. There was m
one with the sure. even touch of this trio
for the others, without any exception. cor
stantly were bothered and harassed abou
their ability TO get down IA. two unless the
were close TO the pin
Very few attempt to make putting a sci
ence. The main trouble" says Waite
Travis. 'is that most golfers make putin
hit or miss art. Even when they practic
on the greens they do so in haphazar
fashion without attempting the develop
, ment OF a sane. natural system.
: There is no particular stand 10 take Il
: a putt and no particular grip. Ease an
; naturalness should be FIRST sought. ATT
this but two things follow--to get the rlKI
line and then hit the ball with proper eDl
/ centration upon the distance TO be travele
OF All the bad shots played In the recel
} championship there were far more she
! wasted on the green than anywhere els
e Chick Evans figured after one eighteen
hole round where he had taken forty-tu
! puts and forty strokes with all his 9th