The Washington times., 1922-04-29

style, he fails to understand his.
The putter who has made himself
In likely to keep up a better put
ting average through his golfing
years. I had in mind Walter j.
Travis when / suggested the self
made variety. According to the
story he was once such a bad player
on the putting ---"r that 1t was a
case Of learn to put the ball into
the cup or rive up golf. He learned
to putt by a great deal Of practice
and patience and finally acquired q
putting style that has made golfers
the world over envious Of his work
on the green.
His putting ability has been the
means of winninp the national
amateur championship OF America
three times and the British anna
teur once. So thoroughly convinced
were the British Of this they
barred his type Of putter after his
victory, as they have now tabooed
the ribbed-faced club. 1t was solely
his putting that won this latter
event. He has. also won other
championships and invitation
tournaments too numerous to
mentlOn.
Travis made a study of putting
greens and nothing was too trivial
for him to consider. Fast greens
and slow greens were both alike to
Travis. He studied the cutting of
the green and observed which way
the blades of grass were inclined.
When the lawnmower cuts the green
the roller presses uown tne blades
all one way. On the return trip ii
presses down the blades the other
way.
Few golfers ever stop to con slider
this. nor do they consider that in
putting cross ways that IL the blades
all run to the left a straight putt
would be inclined to curv. a little
to this side. The least little devia.
ton Is enough to make one miss the
cup. II one Is putting against the
grass blades the bell must be b,t
just a trifle harder.
Travis learned a style that would
stand him in hand as well one day
as the next He discovered in his
search for a dependable system
that the club had iot to do with It.
He soon found that straight bladed
old fashion putter was not as de.
pendable as a center shafted club OF
The Schenectady type.
The force of this club going
through would carry the ball along
He discovered also that II was Just
as necessary to keep the eye on the
ball and let the club-head go through
as II was In the case of the driver or
the cleek.
His method soon became a uni
versal method for golfers who found
their putting eye had gone wrong
Bringing the club-head back in q
straight line and sending the club on
through after the ball and hitting Il
with enough force to make the ball
run just a little beyond the hole in
case " missed the cup was a meani
of always being up. which Is a good
habit to get into.
Many have followed in Travis
footsteps and have become good
putters because they have learned
70 do IL mechanically and scientifi-
cally. The Travis method was not
all original, as he admitted having
taken tips from others in shaping
his style
Jerome Travers. another great ANA
teur, and one who accounted foI foui
amateur championships and as many
metropolitan titles, was regarded by
many as just, capable a putter as
Travis. The similarity in the names
Of these two has caused them to be
mixed up frequently in golf history
by those who do not follow the game
closely.
Travers was a natural putter and
never had to learn his art. He was
the type Of player that came by his
putting as some persons leain tC
play the piano by ear. He had a tai
ent for putting, and did II by touch
He needed no special club, nor lid he
have to school himself to follow q
certain fixed rule. He made il q
practice to putt boldly for the cup
and when he was at bis best, many
long ones dropped in, much to the
surprise and disappointment Of his
opponents.
Travers had days when things
went wrong and the ball refused to
keep the line, but these days were
rare. He did not have to alter his
grip or change his stance. His
putting was responsible for many
victories. Study his style and fol-
low his system II you would putt
well, but first learn his method II
you can. i never could undesssand
1t, and ] doubt IL IL could ever be
expressed other than In these
words:
Hit the ball and put 1t into tn,
hole. Putt hard enough so that yol
will pass the cup II you miss"
Walter Hagen is a very excellent
putter when at his best, but he ha.
days when everything goes wrong
He puts by touch, and as a rul.
uses a cleek putter. There ar,
days when he fails to hit them 1ust
right and the ball misses the mark
Bob Macdonald is not good putter
and has never learned the secret
whatever Il Is. Of nuttinR hx touch