“World’s fastest Timo” is aiming for World Cup medals in speedgolf

Two years ago Timo Eskelin the strokes went and the step rose so well that he became the first Finn to win the world championship for seniors in speedgolf.

Eskel from Espoo was also lucky in the race held in the United States, when his American competitor Jamie Young played the ball from the wrong tee, i.e. from the tee.

In practice, the victory was already given to Young, but after realizing that he made a decisive mistake, he abandoned himself. There are no judges in Speedgolf, like normal golf tournaments, and the sport is based on honesty.

“I was by far the fastest in running, but second best in golf,” Eskeli recalls of his victory before the upcoming World Championships in Japan in mid-November.

Although the 63-year-old Eskeli is still in good running condition and the golf handicap has dropped from 7.2 to five, defending the championship is not easy.

The minimum age limit for the senior series has been lowered from 55 years to 50 years, which is also the age limit for standard golf competitions played on foot.

“If it goes well, places 3-5 are possible. I don’t doubt running, but in golf you should get close to 80 strokes. It would require a super day,” says Eskeli.

In honor of the world championship, he received from his daughters name balls with the words “World’s fastest Timo” as a gift.

Two a year ago, Eskeli came from behind to win in the second round. He ran the course 18 holes in 56 minutes and hit the ball 90 times. The second-placed Japanese lost 15 minutes.

In Speedgolf, one shot is worth a minute. If a player runs the court in 60 minutes and hits the ball 80 times, his final score is 140. Eskel’s record is 131.

In Speedgolf, the par result of the course is 126. It consists of 72 golf strokes and 54 minutes.

The best speed golfers run 10-12 kilometers on the course in well under 40 minutes and use 70-75 strokes.

In the competition, Eskeli plays with five clubs: a hybrid club (hybrid-3), two irons (6-iron and 8-iron), a wedge (close-up club) and a putter.

From last time wised up, Eskeli plans to take more than five rackets to the Seven Hundred Club field in Japan. Racket choices can be specified during the practice round.

The clubs are carried in a light dart bag. Unlike standard golf, in speedgolf you don’t hit a spare ball. If the ball sinks, one minute is added to the remaining time.

Speedgolfia for Eskeli runs three endurance runs of 8–12 kilometers a week. As the World Championships approach, the workouts change to high-intensity interval pulls of 150–200 meters.

In the previous World Cup in St. Augustine, Florida, the rest of the field had long transitions to the opening batting positions.

“It was diabolical when you had run 200-meter sprints and then had to run almost half a kilometer in one go. At the end, I couldn’t take it anymore, even though running has always been easy for me.”

In his youth, Eskeli ran races at 400 and 800 meters. The records on distances (53 seconds and 2.03) were at a good county level. Even then, he learned to get the most out of his body.

“I still always pull myself together. I get the most out of myself.”

In Speedgolf, Eskel’s kilometer speed is about three minutes and 15 seconds when going from ball to ball. The best run a kilometer in less than three minutes.

He says that he inherited his running genes from his father, Aati, who ran 400 meters in 49.5 and 800 meters in 1.53 in the 1950s with crushed coal. Aati Eskeli was also nominated for the Melbourne Olympic team in 1956.

“It’s good that I got good genes from my father’s side, but it’s bad that my father’s times were too hard for me.”

Yet in the summer it seemed that Eskeli would not go to Japan to defend his title. There were two reasons for that: the reduced age limit of the senior series and knee pains.

In July, he was left without a medal at the World Championships, but running opened up places in his body after a long break from competitions.

“After that, hope started to rise again. My former neighbor encouraged me by saying that you have always dreamed of Japan and you already have the title. Why don’t you go? Everything that can be extracted from the body has now been done.”

Eskel is often asked, does speedgolf slow down when coming to the ball?

“No slowing down. This is not as accurate as biathlon. It won’t fall into place if it goes a little sideways.”

In Speedgolf experience is an asset. Playing must be smooth and fast, but you mustn’t rush too much when the pulse rises high, to 150–180. During the cycle, the heart rate is 85–90 percent of the maximum heart rate.

“In Speedgolf, you can succeed in golf or running, and at best both. That’s the charm of the sport.”

To be attractive Eskeli has also experienced the sporty lifestyle and counterbalance to work brought by the sport. In civilian life, Eskeli is the CEO of the car maintenance shop he founded, which employs 17 people.

“From the point of view of adult sports, I have been playing speedgolf with a goal for 4-5 years. It gives a lot of rhythm to life and eating.”

Only 82 players play in the World Cup, including all series. In addition to Eskel, five men are going to Japan – Henrik Honkalehto, Marko Kuningas, Ville Heinonen, Pertti Palosuo and Lauri Alakuijala – and Halla-aho milewho defends the women’s championship.

“A small sports community is like a new family. It’s addictive that everyone is friends. That’s why quitting is hard. I won’t go to the next World Cup, even though it might be played in Australia. It would take a miracle for me to continue.”