The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-09
/ ALKING
IT OVER
BY JOE WILLIAMS
NEW YORK April

I
EOR a great number of years 1
have been reading and hearing
about the golf exploits Of Jerry
Travers and somehow formed the
impression that this gentleman
nuIst surely be as old as the original
Java man and that the only form
in which he could possibly De visible
TO the naked eye would be on dis
play rack among other mementoes
Of early American history in the
Metropolitan museum.
But IL develops pleasantly that Jerome
Dnnstan Travers Is fairly younEish man
Of only forty-three summers, an active
ousrator in cotton futures in the Wall
street district, a country gentleman and
golfer who restricts his present day ae-
tivities to weekend matches with friends
In upper Montclair, y. J.
z
Travers history In golf has been noun
ing short Of unique. He was the cham
pion amateur Of the country as far back
as 1907. which is precisely tventy-three
years ago as the crow flies. In 1915 ne
won the national open championship. That
was his last notable victory IN goi II
was also the beginning Of the end for him
as a tournament PLAYER. though at the
time he was only twenty eight years OF
age.
some four or five years later he came
back to play in the national amateur
when IL was decided at the engineers
eourse in this district but his game had
faded so greatly by then that he was un-
able 70 qualify. That was the last time
the name Of Travers appeared on the
score board in a national golf champion
ship.
az QUIT because 1 found the game
il took too much of my time" ex-
plains Travers. In order to score
well. found it necessary to prac-
tice often. I couldn't do this and
give the proper amount Of attention
to business. Between the two 1t was
easy to make a choice"
All told. Travers won the amateur four
times. record which was eausled by
Bobby Jones two years ago I never saw
Travers the golfer. Travers the cotton
Broker doesn't suggest the heroic dimen-
siOns popularity associated with title
holders. He is of medium height slender,
soft Of speech and reserved. Some golfers
have strong muscular wrists; Travers' are
east In a girIish mold verging on fra
EilitX.
He never was a long driver and in more
than one championship he drove from the
tees on the longest holes with an iron.
HIS game was built on accuracy rather
than power.
There were t!mes when 1 could control
my wooden asts perfectly" says Travers,
but there we're other times when could
hardly get the ball off the tee with them.
I had vicious habit of oveT-swinging and
I never got over it. But 1t never seemed
to matter much because when 1 switched
80 my irons / was always straight and 1
used to average ESQ yards"
TRAVERS thinks Jones is the
j greatest golfer the game ever
has developed. Because he and
Jones have won more amateur
championships than any other golf
ers in America, his name is fire.
QuentIy linked with the southerner
in. discussions of relative abilities.
"Jones could give me two strokes
round and beat me the best day 1 ever
saw SAYS Travers. and as an afterthought,
he adds, "and he could give anybody else
abe same number and do the same thing"
q
Making a pointed exception OF Jones.
Travers does not believe the golfers as
class are any better today than the golf
ers Of his day. The scoring is better, TO
be sure. but undoubtedly improved play
ing condition. better treatment Of courses.
balls that go father when hit and re-
hned technique in club making have con-
tributed largely to this.