Throughout most of the year we have introduced young members of Team Discmania who are not only bright stars for the future, they are already bringing home top finishes as teenagers.
Topias Kuhalampi is one of those fresh faces that has loads of potential in front of him. From Nokia, home of the Beast, Kuhalampi has a big arm and a lot of confidence.
Kuhalampi is a big fan of his teammate, Eagle McMahon. In fact, to some he’s known as the Eagle of Nokia.
Who is Topias Kuhalampi when he is not playing disc golf?
“I’m an easy-going high school senior who doesn’t worry over trivial things.”
What’s the best thing about disc golf?
“There’s just something magical when you hit your line and you see the disc fly exactly how you visioned it. I really like sinking putts too... The longer the better, but making putts is always very rewarding.”
What’s your fondest disc golf memory so far?
“Finishing in the top 10 at the 2018 Finnish Championships was awesome… What makes it really special is that it was my first Nationals in the Open division and I got a wild card spot for the event.”
“I played really well – I even made the lead card for the third round. Even though I didn’t play that round so well it was a great experience and I got a lot out of it. I gained confidence and trust in my skills, which really showed in my short game.”
“But if I’d have to name a single moment it would probably be the winning putt at the European Amateur Open Weekend 2… I sunk a 17-meter putt to seal the deal and finished at 8 under par for the whole two-round event at the Beast. I was really disappointed with my game a week earlier during Weekend 1, but all that was washed away with the second weekend success. I had promised to shoot a -8 in my hometown’s local newspaper interview and it felt great to redeem my promise.”
What’s your strongest aspect as a player?
“The distance of my throws… It gives me an edge on many courses. It opens alternative lines and more chances to score low.”
What were your goals going into this season? Were you able reach them?
“I wanted to play a solid and steady season without major setbacks and I think I succeeded in that quite well. I also wanted to improve and by looking at my rating it’s apparent that I got a lot better this season. (Up 44 points to 981 this season.)”
“All in all I’m happy with my performance in 2018! I still might play one more event at the Tampere Disc Golf Center though but I’ll keep up the pace I’ve set during the season. :)”
Tell us a bit about your training routines. How often do you practice? What do you do for practice?
"During the summer you’ll find me out at a course or doing field work almost every day. At the least, I’ll do my daily putting practice in our backyard… I spend a lot of time there, working on my putting.”
“In the off season I run a few times a week and soon I’ll start to train my physique with a training regime that is designed to support disc golf.”
What now? What are your plans moving forward?
“The final year of high school just started so I’m focusing on completing my studies and the upcoming finals. Off season training balances that out nicely. After the finals I’ll dedicate my time on preparing for the 2019 season. I should have ample time for competing in 2019 before I start the mandatory military service in January 2020.”
Which Discmania disc has helped you to reinvent your game?
“It must the FD. I’ve bagged one in C-line or S-line ever since it came out. Currently my favorite disc is a D-line FD though… You can do crazy stuff with it that is impossible with any other disc and it’s a really fun disc to throw!”
