User:TravisSociety

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The Walter J. Travis Society was formed in 1994 and is dedicated to developing an accurate and comprehensive record of the accomplishments and contributions of Walter J. Travis in the game of golf. The Travis Society is based on the premise that Walter J. Travis is deserving of recognition and appreciation as one of the great pioneers in the early history of golf in the United States.

Walter Travis immigrated to the United States from Australia in 1884, and became a naturalized U.S. Citizen, as well as a married man in 1890. Travis did not take up the game of golf until his mid-30s, but with great dedication and perseverance, he quickly became a competitor to be reckoned with in the Metropolitan New York City area. Travis joined the newly formed Garden City Golf Club in 1899, an association that had great impact on Travis and the GCGC for years to come. For nearly 10 years, as GCGC Green Chairman, Travis made significant changes to the original Devereux Emmet course. His first original golf course design was in 1899, at the Ekwanok Country Club in Manchester, VT. He was assisted by John Duncan Dunn, a noted Scottish golf course designer.

In 1900, Travis won his first Metropolitan Golf Association Championship and the U.S. Amateur Championship. By this time, he was fondly known as "The Old Man", because of his late entry into the game. Travis repeated as U.S. Amateur Champion in 1901, a victory that had widespread influence on the game because of his use of the Haskell golf ball, the first wound-rubber golf ball. Also, in 1901, Travis published "Practical Golf", the first of his two books.

In 1903, at age 42, Travis became the first three-time winner of the U.S. Amateur Championship.

1904 was perhaps the greatest year of Travis' competitive career. He opened the season with a victory at the highly prestigious North and South Amateur Championship held annually at Pinehurst, N.C. He published his second book "The Art of Putting". In his crowning golfing achievement, Travis became the first non-Brit to win the British Amateur championship. His use of the center-shafted Schenectady putter in this tournament created a firestorm of controversy in British golf circles. Years later, Grantland Rice, the noted sports writer, would proclaim Travis's British Amateur win as the "greatest upset sports has ever known".

In 1906, Travis was a regular golfing partner of Donald Ross at Pinehurst, N.C., and encouraged Ross to become more engaged in golf course design. Travis contributed ideas for Ross's remodeling of the Pinehurst #2 course, including the lengthening of the first hole.

In November 1908, Travis published the first issue of his highly respected magazine, The American Golf. He continued as Editor and Publisher of the magazine until it was taken over by Grantland Rice in 1920. Throughout his life, Travis contributed numerous columns to magazines such as Country Life in America, Harper's, Munsey's, Golf, and Golf Illustrated.

After retiring from competitive golf in 1916, Travis devoted his time to his magazine and golf course design. His resume of over 30 original golf course designs includes: Ekwanok Country Club, three courses at Westchester Country Club, Garden City Country Club, Yahnundasis Golf Club, Onondaga Golf and Country Club, Round Hill Club, Cape Arundel Golf Club, Youngstown Country Club, Lookout Point Country Club, Cherry Hill Club, Stafford Country Club, Country Club of Scranton, Country Club of Troy, Gleneagles Golf Course at Equinox, Great Dunes course at Jekyll Island, Pennhills Club, Orchard Park Country Club, etc. Courses heavily identified with Travis as a result of his remodeling efforts include: Hollywood Golf Club, Columbia Country Club, and Louisville Country Club.

Walter J. Travis died shortly after going to Denver, CO, after going there to regain his health. He and his wife are buried in Dellwood Cemetery in Manchester, VT, near two of his favorite golf courses, Ekwanok and Gleneagles.

The Travis Society has acquired a large collection of Travis literature and memorabilia. The Society provided research and financial support for The Old Man, the Travis biography, written by Bob Labbance and published by Sleeping Bear Press in 2000. In 2005, the Travis Society was granted tax-exempt status as a 501 (c) (3) organization. In fulfillment of its responsibilities as an IRS designated public charity, the Travis Society publishes a newsletter and a directory of Walter Travis golf course projects. In addition, the Travis Society has served as a source of information for several publications informing the public about Walter Travis. The Travis Society has served as a information resource for several clubs with Travis courses and golf course architects remodelling Travis courses. Beginning in 2008, the Travis Society is awarding Walter J. Travis Memorial Scholarships to students pursuing a career in golf course architecture, golf course superintendancy, or professional golf management. Details are available at: www.buff-golf.com/travis/htm. A long term goal is production of a second Travis book.

The Individual membership in the Travis Society consists of golf history buffs, members of clubs with Travis courses, golf course architects and superintendents. Current Member Clubs are: Garden City Golf Club, Ekwanok Country Club, Garden City Country Club, Orchard Park Country Club, Hollywood Golf Club, Onondaga Golf and Country Club, Cape Arundel Golf Club, Lookout Point Country Club, Stafford Country Club, Cherry Hill Club, Pennhills Club, Country Club of Scranton, Country Club of Troy, and The Gleneagles Golf Course at the Equinox Resort.

The Walter J. Travis Society, Inc. [1]

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