The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-12-20

Travis is SO small in stature and
his manner of dress so picturesque
that he was at once recognized when
he appeared on course in his tourna-
ment days. His drives were SO short
that he often was facetiously referred
TO as the kangaroo" partly because
of his Australian birth, but mostly,
imagine, because his tee shots were
little pops of the ball that, associated
with the Australian idea, resembled
the jump Of the kangaroo. Forum
ateIy, though, this nickname never
took seriously.
Deadly Accuracy
But whatever Travis lacked in driv-
ing distance he made up for with an
accuracy that was deadly. In tribute
to his great skill l want to go on
record as saying that the game has
never produced Travis equal for ac-
curacy. His almost uncanny control
of his mashie and putter captured for
him the British championship in 1904.
This achievement stands out as per-
haps the greatest championship ever
won, because, at that time, the whole
golfing world was amazed that a
member of an American club should
capture such a prize.
One of the most remarkable OF all
the unusual factors OF Travis golf
career Is that fact that he took up
the game when he was 80 years old.
His success must always give encour-
agement to the school of accuracy"
which holds that skill, not distance
with wood or iron, wins champion
ships. 1 am proud to say that 1 long
ago modelled my own game after
Travis theory, striving for accuracy
and simplification.
Born in Australia
Travis was born in Victoria, Aus
tralia, January 10. 1852 He waded
through all competition, after he took
up the game in America, and reached
the very top, winning the national
championship three times, in 1900,
1901 and 1908. He never won the ma
tional open championship. but he tied
for second place one year Previous
ly no amateur had ever been within
25 strokes of the champion.
Travis reduced the game of golf to
one rule, largely his own deduction.
1t was this: Straight down the
course; never mind distance" That
theory was, at the time, unusual and
simple. / think perhaps II was the
very beginning of simplihed golf, in
America at least. Travis, therefore,
never drove his ball very far, but he
never was off the course. He added
one thing more to this style of play
"a deadly putter. 1 think it Is gem
orally conceded that Travis was the
surest putter the game has ever
known. His game, therefore, resolved
itself in this: IF one Is straight
down the course and can putt, VIC
tory is sure" He proved that this
theory viii work.
Travis has written much about golf
and his teachings did much to further
the games popularity in the early
days. The sport owes him much. In
addition, he was one of the greatest
authorities on rule. He is one of the
greatest figures of the game, and al
ways will remain so, 1 am sure.
Beat EN- All
Travis played with almost every
famous golfer the world boosted, and
at some time or other he managed to
beat them all. only one player l
know of can say that he did not fall
victim to the diminutlve Travis ac-
curacy, and that is Robert Gardner
the Chicago player, former amateur
champion and finalist at the 1921 ma
tional amateur in St Louis. Bob
met Travis twice and in both en-