Evening star., 1933-01-16

0OAACc - kSAaJs
There was another big difference
Bobby Jones started his career watch
ing Stewart Maiden's swings and swing
ing under Maiden's critical guidance.
Travis started golf on his own, work.
ink out his own swing, grip and stance.
I've often wondered" he told me
once, what the difference would have
been II I had started my golf under
some good Observation-Disclosures / would
have been better, or worse
AS it was, Walter j. Travis had the
most remarkable golf beginning I ever
heard Of.
He started practice for the first time
at Oakland one october day-a slender
man Of 36, in poor health at the time
He continued his practice at Atlantic
City that same Winter. The next
Spring he rode up to Meadowbrook on
his bicycle and entered his first tourna-
ment.
He had no handicap. so he was en-
tered from scratch. He first won the
medal with an 80 and then went on to
win the tournament-and this was only
six or seven months after he started
golf.
The Travis Way.
T CAN still recall the first golf match
l. I ever played with Walter j.
Travis at his favorite course, Gar
den City.
I had heard lot about his alleged
dourness and his gruffness at times,
but as the four-ball match started it
tourned out to be almost entirely a
matter Of his complete concentration on
every stroke
While waiting to drive from the
fourteenth tee, some one told a funny
story. Every one laughed, except
Travis, who had Just taken out his
driver.
An hour later, back at the club, he
suddenly started laughing. He had
just recalled the story which, at the
moment of telling. had bounded back
from the wall Of his concentration.
II don't believe" he told me once.
"that ever played a careless stroke
in golf. I have made bad strokes
but no careless ones. My system has
been to play every stroke as If were
playing in a championship set-to.
Golf to me is too great a game, too
fine thing, to receive anything bat
the best one has to offer. AS a result
Of this method, I am under no greater
strain in a championship than am In
friendly match. This Is the best
method Of developing the right sort of
concentration-of making it habit"
A remark Walter j. made to Chick
Evans is somewhat typical of the famous
veteran.
They had reached the semi-final
stages Of the amateur championship
and were drawn together.
The veteran came to the first tee
with the habitual set, determined look
on his face and the eternal long, black
cigar IN his mouth. He stepped up to
the tee and cracked a perfect drive
down the middle of the course.
Fine shot, Mr.. Travis" Evans said.
What the hell did you expect in the
semi-f1nals OF championship" Walter
j. remarked
That broke up any further friendly
chatter-which was probably the idea
back Of the answer.
The Putting Wizard.
THERE was an old argument whether
l. Walter j. Travis or Jerry Travers
was the greatest putter. Both used
the Schenectady type Of putter, which
| is center-shafted.
Travers was deadly on the greens, but
believe Travis could do more with q
putter than anyone I ever saw play
golf In addition to his uncanny skill
upon the surface on the green, have
seen Travis many times use his puttel
from fairly steep traps.
Both Travis and Travers practicet
through interminable hours. Travis hac
smaller cups built for the practice put
ting greens at Garden City, cups moi
much larger than q golf ball. II vol
could hole putt In these smaller cups
the normal size looked to be barrel.
Travis once made this remark about
putting: II imagine there is small tacl
in the back Of the ball, which am Il
drive in"