Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-25
ALL HONOR TO TRAVIS
HIS NERVES ALONE STOOD
ACID TEST OF TOURNEY PLAY
Veteran Champions Physical weakness
Placei Great Strain Nervous
Systcm.

The name OF Walter j. Travis will
so down in golf history as one of the
greatest and nerviest golfers the world
has even produced.
Travis has decided to lay aside his
beloved golf clubs in so far as anna
teur tournament competition is con-
cerncd. and all because he is a golf
links architect and the United States
Golf Association has ruled that any
one who lays out golf courses is a
simon pure professional. So Travis
is through. but the memory OF his
wonderful playing and the honors he
captured during his years as one Of
the worlds ranking amateur players
will live long after his name has
been erased from the ranks OF COM
petitors for national honors on the
| links.
Among the many great solt stars
or the age, Travis has always been
rated in the front rank. AS a player
from the mechanical viewpoint. he
mas been rated as 'phcnom." but
perhaps greater than his practical
knowledge OF the game and the exc
cution he used in playing it was his
| iron nerve
day he is fifty-seven years OF age.
yet 1t is doubtful whether there are
many golfers many years his junior
who can display the complete com
posture and steel nerve that Travis has
always displayed under hre. To the
uninitiatcd. holly contested game
or golf means nothing. but to those
who have played the game. or who have
taken enough interest in It TO cling to
the fringe OF a we'll played champion
ship match. the meaning Of composure
and nerve under fire is perfectly plain.
One false ahot in championship
match. caused By the cracking Of
nerves under the strain OF trying TO
make every move perfect, often means
defeat. And the golfer with high
! strung disposition is seldom able to
! win his way into championship rounds
! in any tournament for it takes n
! nerve that is steady and cool head to
outplay worthy opponent on any
mans golf course.
Veterans Nerves Are Strong.
These were the virtues that COM
oned In Travis 10 make him one Of
The worlds greatest amateur players.
During recent years he has won hon
ors. and many OF them, yet he was
growing old at the timo. and COM
rared with majority of the players
against whom he competed he was a
veteran at the game. But Travis's
nerves did not crack, and to-day he
can play the same wonderful game
for which he has always been noted.
Travis has often been preferred to
as the most picturesque player in the
game. and not without reason. 4
Norfolk jachet, weatherbeaten soft
hat and knickcrbockers, coupled with
the provcrbial black cigar. once seen
WAS never forgotten wherever Travis
Ilayec--and he has been in the game
for twenty-five long, successful years
nh vol
strength that is the forte of many
golfers. He could not smash the ball
down the fairway with the velocity
OF his many rivals, but he made UP
t"r his inability to do long driving
by his nondtrful ability TO use the
preaching the green's and playing on
the greens was where Travis always
offset all other haudicaps, and his
wonderful ability in these depart
mcnts OF the game could never have
been maintained for 50. many years
had net his nerves been OF steel.
SO ths passing OF this veteran is
honestly regretted by the golfing
world. lie was the only Yankee who
ever won British national cham
pionship, as we'll MS winning the Ameri-
can national amateur title three times
and the metropolitan championship
:uur times.
or all the matches he ever won, the
victory which tasted sweetest to the
old man VAS gained over Jerome y.
Travers in the metropolitan tourney
at Apawalnis in 1915 Travers was
never particularly chummy with the
veteran. and before the match he
complained about having to meet I
player rs old as the hills. AS it hap
peneI, Travis overheard that remark
ard ius. for that he played one of tho
greatest games OF his life. coming
49,