Logan Thompson spent Tuesday morning beginning a long journey south.
The recent graduate of Mattanawcook Academy in Lincoln and family members were making the 14-hour drive down Interstate 95 to Fayetteville, North Carolina. There, the four-time Class C individual golf champion will continue playing the sport at reigning NCAA Division III champion Methodist University.
Thompson embarks upon that challenge not only as one of Maine’s top young golfers, but also with some local bragging rights.
Thompson set the 18-hole record on his home course, Barnes Brook Golf Course in West Enfield, during last weekend’s club championship. He fired an 8-under-par 64 to break the old mark of 65 held by longtime Lee Academy coach and athletic administrator Randy Harris.
“I’ve been playing at that course for a long time, but I never really thought about it too much,” said Thompson, who learned the game under PGA teaching pro Mike Clendenning at Barnes Brook.
Thompson went on to capture the club championship.
Yet there were signs the course record was within Thompson’s reach.
Less than a week earlier he fired a 6-under 66 at Barnes Brook while playing with friends, matching Thompson’s best previous round on any course — his 66 while winning a state-record fourth individual interscholastic state title last fall at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro.
“Shooting the 66 [last week] gave me a lot of confidence that I could go low,” he said. “My best nine-hole score there has been 31, so if I could just put two good nine-hole rounds together I knew I could go that low.”
Thompson’s record round was highlighted by a big save and a long putt.
“On No. 8, I put it in the greenside bunker, chunked it out of the bunker and then chipped in for par,” he said. “Then I was 7 under going into No. 16, a 160-yard par 3, and I hit it on the green to about 23 feet. It was a huge left-to-right breaker, but I put it right in the middle [of the cup] to get to 8 under.”
That capped off what Thompson called an up-and-down golfing summer.
It began on a high note, with him winning the 28th New England Interscholastic Golf Championship held June 20 in Keene, New Hampshire.
Thompson shot a 4-under 68 for a one-stroke victory among a field of 46 golfers who qualified with top finishes at their respective high school state championships.
“I came out super hot, like the best start I’ve ever had,” said Thompson, who made six birdies on the day. “I was 5 under through six holes and then after that it was a grind trying to make pars to hold on.”
He went on to tie for 10th at the Maine Amateur but failed to make the cut at the New England Amateur tournament held at Portland Country Club.
“Then I wrapped it up with the course record at my home course, so it’s been a bit of a roller coaster ride, but I feel like I figured out a lot of things along the way, and I’ve enjoyed the summer a lot,” Thompson said.
Thompson is scheduled to move into his Methodist University dorm Friday, with classes to start next Tuesday.
“A big reason I’m going to Methodist is because of the people there who can help me,” said Thompson, who first visited the campus last summer. “The equipment and the practice facility they have is like nothing I’ve seen before, and I think with the help of all the professionals there that I’ll be able to take my game to the next level.”
Thompson understands he’ll need his best putting patience as he seeks to make his mark on the Methodist golf team.
“I’ve worked pretty hard and I know obviously that a team that’s won a national championship already has a ton of good players,” he said. “But I know if I put the work in, maybe not right off but eventually, I’ll be able to make a good impact on the team and help them be even more successful.”
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