The Walter J. Travis Society was founded in 1994 to promote the legacy of Walter J. Travis, America’s foremost amateur golfer of the early 1900s, golf journalist and publisher, turfgrass expert, golf course architect, and one of the great pioneers of golf in North America. The Travis Society is dedicated to documenting the remarkable career of Walter J. Travis in order to fully understand and honor his varied accomplishments and contributions. We strive to create an interesting and informative site that is updated regularly. We invite your comments and suggestions. To be a part of our mission to highlight and honor the Travis legacy, we invite you to become a member in the Travis Society.

Walter J. Travis was one of the great pioneers of golf in North America.  He came to the United States from Australia as a young man, became a naturalized American citizen, and did not touch a golf club until the Fall of 1896, just a few months before he was 35.  Once he took up the game, he devoted most of his time and energies to a systematic study and practice of golfing skills.  Within a very short period of time, he became a golf competitor to be reckoned with, and in 1900 won the first of his three U.S. Amateur Championships.  That first championship victory launched an amateur golfing career that was unparalleled, and opened doors to his becoming an influential force in golf journalism, turfgrass management, and an esteemed golf course architect.  His story is worth telling.