A contribution by Christopher Holler for the project "What's going on?!" From students at the H_DA
About Mindset and the right swing-the two-time German mini golf youth champion Levi Tritsch reveals in Was -Da-Los?
It is a hot June day in Bensheim. Levi Tritsch goes from Bahn to Bahn on the city's mini golf course and practices his turns. "The German Youth Championship will take place next month. I want to be well prepared for this. After that, we will play for the team title in the general class." The 16-year-old not only burns with passion for sport, but also counts as one of the greatest young talents in Germany.
The double title holder of the German Youth Championships 2022 and 2023 has been playing for SG Arheilgen (SGA) for two years. "I played the majority of my career for Bensheim. However, we narrowly missed the promotion to the first Bundesliga two years ago. Still playing in the second division, but it was not enough for my claim: playing in the Bundesliga and cutting it off was always my goal," he explains his motivation for the move to Darmstadt. "The discrepancy when skill of the players is very high."
The time in the SGA was not only the right step for his career. Rather, the average age in its social environment has dropped drastically. "After two years I feel much more comfortable in the club. Especially when the performance at tournaments fits, it is really comfortable." At the youth level, he is treated a little differently by his success in the squad - as the team in specialist circles. This is how Levi also gets a conversation with people from the rest of the federal states.
Levi Tritsch is a double German youth champion in the mini golf. Source: Christopher Holler
From fun to national success
Levi came to the mini golf at a very young age. "When I was four or five, we came here almost every day. Since I don't live far away and the playground was nearby, it just happened." As a child, he just enjoyed activity. At some point club members came up with him to propose him to admission.
"I can't remember my first tournaments anymore," he says. As a child, he participated primarily for the fun of the game, and mini golf is now a creative hobby for him. "Back then my mother still wrote my results because I couldn't handle it yet."
For this, he remembers high number of audience in the tournaments earlier. "This is not even due to the pandemic. For some reason, there are no longer as many outsiders at tournaments as ten to 15 years ago. As a scene, we probably have to sell the sport better on social media as a scene.
A different ball for each train
Unlike the occasional golfers on the premises, Levi has his own equipment with him: In addition to the racket that is adapted to its large stature, there is a towel in his pocket to clean the lanes, and countless mini golf balls: "There are a total of over 2000 to 3000 different balls for a wide variety of lanes.
A look at the various mini golf balls in Levi's bag. Source: Christopher Holler
However, creativity does not help much without being able to put the ideas into practice. Practically, Levi has a lot on it: he sinks one ball after the other with one blow in the hole. He often relies on the rebound on the back of the metal outer ring. Such a striking is for most visitors: unimaginable on the inside of the facility.
After he was only on the way out of concrete, he points out the material for others: "The lanes are from Eternit. We shouldn't like that." The difference is the construction method: Eternitbahnen are smaller than that of concrete. Therefore, they do not offer enough space for a good discount position.
With swing into the next round
Levi is of course not infallible. When the ball does not disappear on the finish time, he explains how it deals with setbacks in the tournament: "I recommend everyone to look at every train again. At least that's how I try it. The main thing is that I enjoy sport. Squire the switch and look forward to the next round, but not everyone can."
However, it was sometimes difficult for him to think about the outcome of the game at tournaments. "This happens to inexperienced players: inside as well as professionals in the Bundesliga, who are aware of what it is about."
Levi only achieved his greatest defeat at the German Championship last year. Then his team landed in fifth place. But the team gold at the European Championship in Italy in 2023 did not save him in the individual tournament.
In contrast, his greatest success of the team titles at the World Cup 2022. "That was my first World Cup in the national squad. That we get gold with the team there was not my plan at all. Then I became fourth in the individual tournament. That really came out of nowhere."
A mini golf ball that Levi's name is printed. Source: Christopher Holler
Winner, but at what price?
The time in the Bundesliga is great for him, but he also knew what it costs him: "In the first division, the routes for the game days are much further than in the lower. This often neglects school." With the upcoming upper level, it will be difficult to continue to perform well in the mini golf in the future.
Although Levi plays at a high level in the Bundesliga, sport remains more passion than a career. "There is no money to win at most tournaments. Instead, there are mostly trophies and medals." To turn the hobby into a profession is practically impossible because even most adult professionals would have a real job.
Nevertheless, Levi still sees a future with a mini golf. After all, he wants to send the balls into the sink as long as possible. No matter whether about loopings, ramps or stony obstacles: he aims, swings and meets with the highest precision. At the same time to look so calmly, someone has to do it first.
This article was made as part of the project "What's going on" - a teaching editorial team of students from the online journalism course at the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (H_DA). Da.news supports the project and publishes selected articles on its platform. Further information and texts are available here and on: www.was-da-los.de
