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NAME: |
Tomas Burvall |
| TEAM: |
International |
| HOMETOWN: |
Bollnäs, Sweden |
| PDGA #: |
11312 |
| PDGA RATING: |
NA |
| BORN: |
1972 |
| STARTED IN DISC SPORTS: |
1985 |
| All THAT GLITTERS: |
2007 World Overall Disc Champion2006 Swedish Overall Champion2005 Swedish Overall Champion 2003 WFDF bronze in golf and overall in Santa Cruz. Named Sportsman of the Year in his home region.Many, many additional world titles and top finishes in disc golf, ultimate, discathon and other disc disciplines. |
| MEMORABLE DISC GOLF MOMENTs: |
My greatest victory was 2007 when I won the World Overall Championship. To become the world's best flying disc sport player. Apologize ultimate players, guts players, freestyle players and disc golf players, but to me it is to become WORLD CHAMPION in overall is the biggest. I have played all disciplines with a WC-silver in Guts, WC-gold in ultimate and US-open gold in disc golf, Swedish championship silver in freestyle. Anyway, a WOC gold in overall for me is to be walking on the clouds on the sky a sunny day. That was the greatest victory for me and the greatest moment was at the price ceremony. All my friends, competitors, teammates, well it was my disc sport family. The disc sport is for me totally wonderful. A lifestyle, spirit of the games. All glorious friends I know and great competitors. For example Bill Wright, I compete against him in Overall and still he played with me at freestyle, even though he is a much better freestyle player, hats off to Bill. And Harvey Brandt who helped me when I did not have a DDC-partner even though it would benefit him in the Overall if I failed. Hats off to him.
My best golf memory is beating Scott Stokely on the last hole at the 1996 US Open. We were tied with only one hole remaining in the final. It was along side a lake. We both played it nice and Scott had a 35 feet putt for par and I had 30 feet for my par. The thing was that the basket was right next to the lake so we were both putting towards water. If we missed it would result in a swim and a penalty stroke. Scott hit on right side of the basket and landed 3 feet from water. I knew that if I made this I would win. It was like everything around me just went blurry. Only the basket was in focus. I took a deep breath and slammed it hard in the centre of the basket and my Magnet stayed. I had won the 1996 US Open in disc golf.
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| Tomas's Disc Golf Tips |
Where the Power Comes From
The real power comes from your back and hip... try not to use your arm too much. You are so much stronger in your hip and the rotation should come from there. Then use your back and at the end your arm. Look for this in players who throw a long way. I'm not very tall, 1 meter and 72 centimetres (five feet, 7.5 inches). In golf and distance I have to rely on my hip and back power. In distance I throw 172 meters (564 feet) with an Avenger.
Straighter Approach Shots
A lot of players have a tendency to start the back swing to low and end to high, especially when they have to use more power. It happenes pretty often on drives as well. The solution is not so hard: 1. Bring a friend who can watch you. 2. Pretend that you are standing close to a hedge. The hedge is as high as your stomach. 3. You have to throw with your disc and elbows over it. The will be in your chest area or just below. Your friend can even hold his hands instead of the hedge. It will make it more real. 4. This will force you maintain a consistant arm level throughout the throw. You will be stunned how fast you will learn to throw straight. Good luck.
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COURSES YOU SHOULD PLAY: |
When not seeking his next World disc title, Tomas Burvall has been establishing a project to expand disc golf to people with both motion and mental disabilities. It is the first large project of its kind in the world we are aware of. The goal of the three year project is to show that everyone can play and enjoy disc golf.
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| Course |
Comments |
Helsinki Island
Helsinki, FIN |
A fantastic island course with a lot of water and elevation changes. |
Berlin Park
Berlin, GER |
A temp course that goes up occasionally in huge, spectacular park. |
Rudans
Stockholm, SWE |
Very long, difficult holes mixed with shorter narrow holes. |
Edora Park
Fort Collins, CO |
A fairly open course with some water. |
Bräntberget
Umeå, SWE |
A nice, very well kept course. A good mix of long holes and tricky shorter ones. |
| In The Disc Golf Bag: Drivers |
| Disc |
Comments |
ESP Avenger
(170 - 174) |
This is my new favorite driver. I can rip it so hard and it will always comeback at the end. I have a nice pink one (easier to find when it goes far) that I throw when there is no wind or a little tail wind.
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X Avenger
(174 gm) |
A nice sweet X Avenger. I like my discs heavy around 174 g. I got it for the long drives. It goes very far and is predictable. For me it is not overstable but I can rely that it will come back at the end. In distance I threw it 172 m (564 ft). I carry second Avenger X 174 g that is new and I do not use as much. Only when it is windy or I want to make sure it comes back.
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Z Xtreme
(174 gm) |
Xtreme 174 g (discontinued). I have it for heavy headwind or big hyzers. It is just the super disc for bombing the disc over trees and right back down.
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Z Flash
(174 gm) |
I love it for its glide. Without very much power it glides nicely over 330 feet. It is also great in a tailwind for me. I carry a second copy that is a little beaten. It will have an easy normal turn to the right for me as a right handed thrower. If I hold it down in the release it will go right but come back.
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ESP Flash
(174 gm) |
This disc glides super smooth and forever. Actually I got it first from Chris Max Voigt last summer at the WOC. He throws it 205 meters. That was really impressive. I tried it and I like it so much I might use it for distance as well as for disc golf. I think it might be possible to throw over 180 meters with it.
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Z Storm
(174 gm) |
It is a nice disc that goes far with little power. Very precise flight with a small s-curve. I throw it up to 100 meters (330 feet). A second, beaten copy goes a little more right, and my third version is much older, which I use for rollers.
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| In The Disc Golf Bag: Midrange |
| Disc |
Comments |
Z Buzzz
(174 gm) |
It goes so straight it almost hurts. Just love how it glides in between the trees. It is a must for me when it is narrow. It still goes 300 feet straight. I have two Buzzz with me just in case someone steals the first one when it is lying there under the basket and I'm at the tee pad.
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D Drone
(173 gm) |
Just love it. I have to say it again. I just love the Drone. Hard wind, tail wind, head wind, storm or hurricane. On your approach it will come back and turn left (for a right hander). You just put it out there and then it turns left and find a parking space under the basket. Perfect for shots around 90 meters.
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| In The Disc Golf Bag: Putt and Approach |
| Disc |
Comments |
FLX Challenger
(176 gm) |
Love the grip and the chains do too. Especially when it is warm. I have been falling in love the Challengers. They work great for approach shots as well.
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