“The Travis” putter

[Jgb333]

Hi everyone,

I posted this question on another site as well. I was recently given this putter and was wondering if anyone knew anything about it. I know who Walter Travis was and his controversial career, however, I have not been able to find much information about the putter. It’s stamped “The Travis” on the crown and maybe stamped “Made in St. Andrews” on the back but it’s difficult to read 

[bcstones]

4 hours ago, Jgb333 said:

Hi everyone,

I posted this question on another site as well. I was recently given this putter and was wondering if anyone knew anything about it. I know who Walter Travis was and his controversial career, however, I have not been able to find much information about the putter. It’s stamped “The Travis” on the crown and maybe stamped “Made in St. Andrews” on the back but it’s difficult to read 

ok, I'll bite - who is "Walter Travis was and his controversial career"? the putter sure looks like it was influenced by the Schenectady putter.

Edited July 2, 2023 by bcstones

[Jgb333]

He was the first non Brit to win the British amateur. He also won two major with the new wound ball and used the controversial Schenectady putter. Apparently he was not a very likable guy to play with.

[bcstones]

2 minutes ago, Jgb333 said:

He was the first non Brit to win the British amateur. He also won two major with the new wound ball and used the controversial Schenectady putter. Apparently he was not a very likable guy to play with.

why was he "not very likeable"...placed high in competition too many times?

[tatertot]

3 minutes ago, bcstones said:

why was he "not very likeable"...placed high in competition too many times?

Maybe he was the Patrick Reed of his day?

[Jgb333]

I’ve read that he didn’t like to talk 

[bcstones]

1 hour ago, tatertot said:

Maybe he was the Patrick Reed of his day?

I've googled them both now.....Walter Travis, in no way shape or form, could be or should be compared to Patrick Reed. Reed comes across as a gifted, rather brash Pro (yeah, yeah, there are stories about his collegiate days & a cheating claim by another who was bested). A gifted golfer in his own right, Walter Travis, in contrast seems to have played an exemplary game, wrote well received books (not just on the game but on course design as well) and designed many golf courses. The descriptions of him, I read, said he was quiet, focused to the exent of ignoring everything but the shot & the game.
Do the google thingie for yourself...

Edited July 2, 2023 by bcstones

[bcstones]

29 minutes ago, Jgb333 said:

I’ve read that he didn’t like to talk 

Yes, I've just read that....kinda sorta reminds me of Ben Hogan - similar size & quietness, similar focus on practice practice paractice to standardize their swing & the complete focus on "their" game (not the game of everyone else)

[ApostateDrive]

Never heard of the namesake but that is a really unique looking putter. Cool find regardless!

[tatertot]

2 hours ago, bcstones said:

I've googled them both now.....Walter Travis, in no way shape or form, could be or should be compared to Patrick Reed. Reed comes across as a gifted, rather brash Pro (yeah, yeah, there are stories about his collegiate days & a cheating claim by another who was bested). A gifted golfer in his own right, Walter Travis, in contrast seems to have played an exemplary game, wrote well received books (not just on the game but on course design as well) and designed many golf courses. The descriptions of him, I read, said he was quiet, focused to the exent of ignoring everything but the shot & the game.
Do the google thingie for yourself...

It seems he was quite the groundbreaker on using new equipment ... maybe that's why some "traditionalists" didn't like him?

 

As a matter of fact, he wasn't much of a traditionalist at all, even as a designer.

[The Aspidistra in the Hall]

Probably what we would call 'spectrum' personality today and not particularly engaging. Even back in 1904 he was known as the 'Old Man'. Born an Australian, which may have something to do with it, it wasn't even his putter he used but one he had borrowed out of desperation....but he did make the Schenectady famous although no-one I knew in hickory circles could putt worth a light with it. As it turned out, neither could he, because after winning the Amateur in 1904 his putting reverted to type.

Sorry, I forgot to say, the OP has a very nice putter there and probably worth a few bob. The production run would have been very short.

Edited July 3, 2023 by The Aspidistra in the Hall

[The Aspidistra in the Hall]

1 hour ago, The Aspidistra in the Hall said:

Probably what we would call 'spectrum' personality today and not particularly engaging. Even back in 1904 he was known as the 'Old Man'. Born an Australian, which may have something to do with it, it wasn't even his putter he used but one he had borrowed out of desperation....but he did make the Schenectady famous although no-one I knew in hickory circles could putt worth a light with it. As it turned out, neither could he, because after winning the Amateur in 1904 his putting reverted to type.

Sorry, I forgot to say, the OP has a very nice putter there and probably worth a few bob. The production run would have been very short.

I withdraw everything derogatory I stated above, not under pressure from the lawyers of his estate, but because I just read his full account of his trip. This is published in Herbert Warren Wind's 'Complete Golfer'  which is a compendium of pre-War golf and which I cannot recommend highly enough. Fine writer, Mr Wind.

Anyway, it seems he fell foul of the Oxford and Cambidge Golfing Society, who were and are, reknowned for their insular exceptionalism. The abuse meted upon him and lack of natural hospitality only served to stiffen his resolve. It's worth a read if you can find it.

There are two elements which will be of great interest to Golfwrx folk.

He says that after every round and there were six of them, he went to the Pro's shop and bought clubs. When he played his final against Ernest Blackwell he had only two of his original campaign clubs in his bag.

He confirms that his Schenectady putter performed poorly after the event and had 'lost all of it's earlier virtue'.

[bcstones]

3 hours ago, The Aspidistra in the Hall said:

I withdraw everything derogatory I stated above, not under pressure from the lawyers of his estate, but because I just read his full account of his trip. This is published in Herbert Warren Wind's 'Complete Golfer'  which is a compendium of pre-War golf and which I cannot recommend highly enough. Fine writer, Mr Wind.

Anyway, it seems he fell foul of the Oxford and Cambidge Golfing Society, who were and are, reknowned for their insular exceptionalism. The abuse meted upon him and lack of natural hospitality only served to stiffen his resolve. It's worth a read if you can find it.

There are two elements which will be of great interest to Golfwrx folk.

He says that after every round and there were six of them, he went to the Pro's shop and bought clubs. When he played his final against Ernest Blackwell he had only two of his original campaign clubs in his bag.

He confirms that his Schenectady putter performed poorly after the event and had 'lost all of it's earlier virtue'.

Thanks for that...I have a Hervert Warren Wind book, articles from his time at "The New Yorker" magazine. I'll be on the lookout for "The Complete Golfer"...and there is another one which should be fun "The World of P.G. Wodehouse" (kinda like Wooster & Jeeves on the links 🤣 )

Walter Travis was called "Old Man" cuz he didn't even begin playing golf until he was in his 30s...I'd like to read his book on bunkers.