Jesper Lundmark has been inducted in the Disc Golf Hall of Fame. We are more than thrilled about this as Jesper is a central piece in the history of Latitude 64°. He lives in Skellefteå, Sweden, the same town where you will find the Latitude 64° Disc Golf Factory.
Jesper dominated the disc golf scene in Europe for most of 2000-2010, he won a bronze medal at the 2001 PDGA Pro Worlds and has two major titles under his belt, the 2008 Scandinavian Open and the 2009 European Open. And from a manufacturing perspective he helped us co-design the Pure, Fuse, Halo, and Striker.
We had a talk with Jesper to hear what he thinks of all this Hall of Fame commotion!
Hi Jesper! What did you think when you got the call about being inducted in the Disc Golf Hall of Fame?
– I was totally surprised, it is kind of difficult to really understand. I rarely look back, I focus more on what is ahead of me. But of course it feels very good. Especially to be recognised not just as a player, but also as a role model and someone who has contributed to the sport and the community.
When did you realize disc golf was more than just a hobby for you?
– Well I started playing just for fun with my friends when I was 10 years old. But I was probably 14-15 years old when I started travelling and getting a taste for the competition side of it, and when I was around 17 I started to really understand what it takes in practice hours and quality.
How much time did you spend on practice at the most?
– A normal week without tournament I was at the course 7 days a week, probably double sessions at the weekends. And at that time I was also working full time during the summer period to be able to afford all the travelling, Jesper says.
Which of all your wins do you value the most?
– They are all so different. But looking back at it winning the Stockholm Disc Golf Open one weekend and the Scandinavian Open the next back in 2008 is probably what I value the most. Especially as the top US players were all there.
And the year after that you won another major title, the European Open, this time with Latitude 64° discs. How was it to join the Latitude 64° Team?
– Of course it was thrilling to be a part of developing four brand new discs with a local company, also a company where all the owners are friends of mine. I still cherish playing a round of disc golf with Tomas Ekström and just talk about discs.
What is your best disc golf memory, so far?
– I can’t pick a specific one. It’s just the joy of the sport, the joy of seeing a disc fly, and of course the great comradery among the players. No matter where I travelled in the world I always felt welcomed, we all belonged in the disc golf family.
What part does disc golf play in your life now?
– I have my family with three kids and I run my own company, so that’s of course where my focus is. And I have been fighting a back injury for about two years now where playing disc golf has been impossible. Right now I am feeling a lot better, I can play 2-3 times a week just for the exercise. It feels great to also have the energy to be able to contribute to the local disc golf club again.
Last question. Have you really played your very last disc golf tournament?
– Hmm. No, I don’t think so. It all depends how my body feels in the future. But it’s definitely not out of the question that I might show up at an event. I will be 40 years old next year so …
We guess what he really means is something along the lines of: “Watch out MP40+ players!”
Once again, congratulations on the award, Jesper. Well deserved!
The official Hall of Fame inductee presentation of Jesper
Jesper started playing Disc Golf in 1991 in a small suburb outside Skelleftea in Northern Sweden. His house growing up was only 400 feet from the course. With real athletic talent in more recognized sports at the time, soccer and ice hockey, for him (and his parents) it was a bit controversial to see a future in Disc Golf.
At 17 he devoted his skills to Disc Golf, the ONLY sport for him! Jesper was a touring pro from 1999 to 2014. During that time he was a 7-time Swedish Champion; plus won both the 2008 Scandinavian Open and 2009 European Open (both majors); and the 2010 European Championships.
