West Orange Observer: Sports Spotlight — Logan Jerrells

Windermere High’s Logan Jerrells just got his golf season started and he’s already recorded a top-three finish, which happened at the Wolverine Invitational. When he’s not playing golf, Jerrells enjoys spending time with his friends and family when he gets the chance.  

When did you first start playing golf?

I basically started when I was 9. Since I lived in Illinois, I only got to play six to seven months out of the year, and so we had a bunch of really crappy tournaments up there — there was not really any competition, because there aren’t many golfers in Illinois. Once I moved down here, I started playing real golf tournaments when I was 13, so I consider that when I really started.

You moved to the Windermere area following your sophomore year in Jacksonville — what’s been your favorite part about playing at Windermere High?

I like how just everyone on the team is capable of shooting really good scores, so that kind of pushes everyone to do a little bit better.

Has there been a moment that stands out to you as it relates to playing at Windermere?

I’ve had a lot of pretty good rounds of playing for Windermere, but last year I did shoot a 63 — I shot 28 on the back-nine at Panther Lake at Orange County National, and that was the first time I ever broke 66. That was a good breaking point for me, especially to shoot 28 on nine holes.

You and the Wolverines just won the Wolverine Invitational last week, and you finished tied for third. What was that like?

I was actually playing on the B Team, so the A Team won as a team. I played on the B Team, because I had the SAT, so I went straight from the SAT and I hit about five golf balls to warm up. I sprinted to the first tee, double bogeyed my first hole and birdied the last two to shoot one under the last day. 

What’s the best advice you’ve been given about golf?

You just have to stay out of your own way. I remember one time I had never broken par before in this instance, and I bogeyed my first three holes and I totally got in my own way — I shot 77 that day. I had to do that six to seven more times where I was under par through a decent amount of holes and then just kind of choked it all away because I wasn’t used to it, and because I got scared of shooting over par.

What’s your favorite part about this game?

Probably just the process of getting better, because golf is an impossible game to perfect — no one is ever going to shoot 18 on 18 holes of golf. Anyone can obviously do better at any time — there’s been some incredible scores out there, but someone is eventually going to beat it, so that’s the goal.