Helen Ross did another great article on Michael Thompson in here Outside the
Ropes column on PGATour.com. The original article including photos and
videos can be found here:
Behind the Ropes
If you don't want to go all the way over to PGATour.com, the full text of the article is below.
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PGA TOUR – THE CUT
An inside look at Michael Thompson's passion for books and cars
by Helen Ross
Michael Thompson loves to read, and for that, he surely has his mother to
thank. She was an English teacher, and he was losing himself in the wonder of
books long before he ever wrapped his fingers around the grip of a golf club.
Even now, as he travels around the world making his living on the PGA TOUR, he
always has at least one book in his suitcase to help him get his mind off
golf. A bound book with words on paper, too – no Kindles or iPads for him.
“No, I like the actual physical book,” Thompson says. “I like turning pages. I
don't like staring at a screen for very long, so I try to travel with the
actual book.”
Among Thompson’s go-to authors is Clive Cussler. He especially likes the Dirk
Pitt series, which he started reading again earlier this year. Pitt is the
larger-than-life adventurer and decorated aviator featured in Cussler’s novels
from 1976 to 2019.
It probably doesn’t hurt that Pitt’s character has a collection of classic
cars, either. Thompson shares that interest with the protagonist -- and
Cussler the author, as well -- and even taught himself how to rebuild a 1967
Ford Mustang fastback, as well as other special rides.
One of Thompson’s favorite books of all time is Where the Red Fern Grows. He
was an Eagle Scout, and the plot, which centers on a young boy in the Ozarks
and his two redbone coonhounds, resonates with him, as does Jack London’s
classic,The Call of the Wild.
“I just love the story of being in the woods and a little boy growing up with
his dogs and kind of the struggle of life as a kid and hunting and teaching
your dog how to do the things you want to do,” he says. “And I always loved
being outdoors. I was in the Boy Scouts growing up, so anything kind of
mountain-to-cabin just was kind of real romantic to me.”
Historical fiction is another of Thompson’s interests, along with biographies
and autobiographies. The two-time PGA TOUR winner is also very
process-oriented – remember the rebuilt Ford Mustang? – so he enjoys books
that help with setting and accomplishing goals.
“I like reading those as well because they're encouraging and just
motivating,” Thompson says.
Lately, though, Thompson has found himself imparting his love of reading to
the next generation. His mom has helped, too, sending some of the books she
once read to Thompson to her grandson Jace and granddaughter Laurel.
“I have two little kids now, so she's been going through the closet at home
and finding all the children's books that we used to read and, and she's given
me a bunch of them,” Thompson says. “They have the date of one when we got
them either Christmas or birthday gifts.
“… It's just cool to go back and see actually see the physical book and
remember like how old I was when I first remember reading it and being read
those books. It's just cool.”
Jace likes the Berenstain Bears and Dr. Seuss. But like most little boys, he’s
also into lizards and snakes so there’s an amphibian encyclopedia that’s high
on his reading list right now, too. And the precocious youngster also has a
book that’s teaching him about weather.
“He’s always asking, Daddy, let's read it. Can you read this to me?” Thompson
says, smiling broadly. “He's got his favorite ones like there was one that was
the green pit viper. He’s just all into snakes right now. … And then he likes
reading about the haboobs and weather patterns, the big dust storms.
“It's fun to see him kind of latch onto some of that. And remember the facts
and the statistics with regards to all of the characteristics of the different
animals and that kind of thing.”
Laurel, on the other hand, is a toddler, so her attention span is limited.
“She'll sit there for a little bit, but then she wants to run around and
play,” Thompson says with a laugh. “But she'll get into it.”
And when Laurel does, Thompson and his wife Rachel will be ready.
“It’s the fun part of being a parent,” he says.
