CALEDONIA — The arrangement was years in the making.
The actual configuration of the items didn’t take Heather Logan nearly that long. A plan was required, though, to pick out the gloves, tees, balls, trophies, and mementos from various locations in the Logan home.
When the arrangement finally came together, Hunter Logan sat down behind the table outside the Caledonia High School library and soaked it all in.
“I have to give all of the credit to my mom,” Logan said. “I gave her a hard time about it, but she loves me, and I love her, too. I am just thankful I have a mom that’s grateful and willing to help me.”
Logan admitted her mother is a bit of a “pack rat.” He said she loves keeping old things, which turned out to be perfect for the ceremony Monday to celebrate his decision to play golf at Mississippi State. Logan’s signing didn’t become official until Wednesday, which is the first day of the early signing period.
Tucked inside one glass trophy to his right were golf balls and gloves he used and wore during tournaments. Logan said his mother had him sign the gloves so they would know when they were used.
The table and accessories also featured several touches of MSU, including a Bulldog the Logans borrowed from a friend.
Colby Logan, Hunter’s father, said the family started keeping the memorabilia when Hunter began his golf career. He said it just turned out that Hunter finished second in the first tournament he played in. Colby said the family realized at that point Hunter could have a lot of success in the sport.
In fact, Colby said the arrangement his wife laid out for Hunter’s signing was probably not even 5 percent of all of the mementos from the start of Hunter’s career.
Colby said that journey started when Hunter was 8 or 9 years old and he told him one night at the dinner table that he wished he had a set of golf clubs. He said neither he nor his wife took their son’s request seriously. About two weeks later, though, Hunter asked for a set of clubs again. This time, Colby said his wife encouraged him to buy Hunter a set, so he purchased a set of four clubs — a pitching wedge, a putter, a 7-iron, and a 3-wood) — for about $35-40.
Around the same time, Colby Logan said Hunter started to work with Ernie Petty in Grenada. After more than two months of work with Petty, Colby said he asked his son’s coach for an assessment.
“He kind of sighed and said, ‘I have done this for 30 years and he is the best student I have ever had,’ ” Logan said.
Colby Logan admitted he still wasn’t convinced, so Petty encouraged the Logans to enter Hunter in a tournament. He said Hunter has been “hooked” ever since the second-place finish.
“I am just thankful I have the ability my parents gave me to play the game that I enjoy,” Logan said. “I have always loved Mississippi State and always wanted play there for them, so coach Dusty (Smith) and coach (Charlie) Ewing giving me the opportunity to play there with them is a dream come true.”
Logan, the 2017 Mississippi Junior Golfer of the Year, is a three-time state titlist at Caledonia High. He also was the first freshman to be named Class 7A Player of the Year at Lakewood Ranch (Fla.) High.
Logan’s resume includes a Mississippi Junior Championship victory by eight strokes, a top-10 finish in a Bubba Conlee national event (low round for the tournament, 66), 26 of 28 wins in high school division matches at Caledonia High, three Coca-Cola Tour championships, three Pros of Tomorrow championships, an undefeated match play appearance as a representative of the state of Mississippi in the MS/LA Ryder Cup Championship, and a 3.81 cumulative high school grade-point average.
Logan said MSU has been in contact with him for the last two years. He said he attracted interest from other schools, but he said he knew he wanted to play at MSU after he met Smith and Ewing and saw the Bulldogs’ facilities at Mossy Oak and at Ole Waverly.
Scanning the items on the table, Logan said the journey has been a long but rewarding one considering he will get a chance to realize his dream to play at MSU.
“It shows all my hard work and dedication paid off to play Division I golf at a high level,” Logan said.
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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