Forge Discs TITLE EVENT @ Lake Hills?! It's an Ace Race!
2008 - Matt first learned the term "Disc golf" and attempted a round at Pulaski Park with Adam Taylor, but the interest didn't stick.
Summer 2020 - Matt and Nick (Cousin/Ghost Nick) played Lemon Lake Gold with Tom Gass. Scores weren't kept, multiple discs were lost, but the spark ignited something! Tom gifted Matt a Sublime sun stamped Gateway Wizard and it still hangs on the wall today.
Fall 2021 - Phil convinces Matt to buy a couple discs at Meijer/Dick's Sporting Goods.
Late 2021 - Found UDisc, opened our eyes to the courses just around the corner, and established our group with a name: Knock On Wood. Early ideas: Discuits and Gravy and Igor's Poker Club
Early 2022 - Practice, practice, practice! Learned the basics of disc golf, met a ton of players willing to let newbies like us tag along.
May 2022 - Attended the Autumn Creek One Disc Challenge. First tournament style event exposure. Matt finishes 6th place!
Late 2022 - Began attending Basket Cases Tag League Sundays at 10am in Olympia Fields.
Earth Day 2023 - Organized a Course Clean Up Day April 22, 2023 at Lake Hills, Schererville, IN. Sponsored by Trash Panda Disc Golf, UDisc, and Whale Sacs. 13 volunteers attended and moved 4 large mounds of mulch throughout fairways, beautifying pin locations, and cleaning up trash and debris!
Summer 2023 - The first Knock On Wood - Tag Knockdown! July 30, 2023 to celebrate our tournament director Aaron's birthday. 31 players attended this single round of 24 holes at Lake Hills! This was the kickoff of the KOWTags season that would last the following 4 months. Jake Migler joins the team as a large contributor and tournament director.
Winter 2023 - KOW Glow Dubs begins on special occasion, Thursday evenings.
April 2024 - Ollie and Matt meet Larry Clifford Kirk and are introduced to David McCormack, receiving an offer for the club to act as a Premier Ambassador for the Gateway Disc Sports brand!
Summer 2024 - Here we are with 160+ unique members having attended league days. The 2024 KOWTags are produced and being traded weekly. We've hosted at 3 different courses, officially so far, with about 3 more planned!
Fall 2024 - The NWI Club Challenge at Marquette Park hosted by Fore 6 Three is here and we've got a strong presence at a club! Jerseys on the field giving us visibility is a proud feeling of unity!
Winter 2024 - Our Finale will mark the end of the second year for KOWTags on 11/17 with a new harder layout, prizes on every hole, and a custom trophy made from wood by our tag designer: Kelly Misch with Lily and Larkspur Designs! At the time of typing this (10/28) we have already surpassed last year in unique players at a whopping 133 so far!
Here are members that hold a special place in the history of KOW. I'm talking since Discuits and Gravy.
Cousin Nick
Started: 2021
2023 KOWTags Place: #105
Highlights: Flick Ace on Hole A7 at Lake Hills with a Pyro... on Matt's birthday!
Favorites
Course: Lake Hills
Putter: Discraft Luna
Mid: Axiom Pyro
Driver: Gateway Sabre
Jutigarn Issa
Started: 2020
2023 KOWTags Place: #
Highlights: Two aces at Lake Hills on Hole 4 before Matt ever aced once!
Favorites
Course: Lake Hill
Putter: Axiom Pilot
Mid: Discraft Malta
Driver: Innova Destroyer
Phil Stanford
Started: 2021
2023 KOWTags Place: #
Highlights: Chillin' af.
Favorites
Course: Lake Hills
Putter: Gateway Wizard
Mid: Discraft Buzzz
Driver: Discraft Passion
Xanthus Wilson
Started: 2021
Highlights: Tree kick in for par on Hole 6 at Lake Hills
Favorites
Course: Lake Hills
Putter: Gateway Wizard
Mid: Discraft Buzzz
Driver: Innova Wraith
Kevin Beezhold
Started: 2021
Katrina Fanning
Started: 2016
Highlights: Introducing the CEO of 18th Street Brewery to the sport and the group!
Favorites
Course: Marquette Park
Putter: Innova Aviar
Mid: Innova Spider
Driver: Innova Mamba
Manny Morales
Started: 2023
Coach Ray
PDGA# 159124 [966 Rated]
Started: 2020
2023 KOWTags Place: #
Highlights: Shooting a 1032 Rated round at Olympia Fields in the Freeze Ur Bellz Off Open 2!
Favorites
Course: Sergeant Means
Putter: Discmania P2
Mid: Discraft Buzzz
Driver: Discmania FD
Craig Glowacki
Started: 2003
Highlights: Contributing toward photographs and videos at KOWTags events as well as helping with groundbreaking of DeYoungs Grove in South Holland, IL.
Favorites
Course:
Putter: Innova Pirhana
Mid: Dynamic Discs Truth
Driver: Innova Beast
Joe Duncan
PDGA# 61581 [Expired]
Started: 2012
2023 KOWTags Place: #
Highlights: Founding Basket Cases Disc Golf Club and Basket Causes Charitable Foundation. Guiness World Record setter for Most Courses Played in a Day and Most Holes Played in a Day!
Favorites
Course:
Putter:
Mid: Discraft Buzzz
Driver:
Dave Fajman
Started: 2019
Highlights: Making friends with the MPO Kyle Giovannini, running an incredible coffee brand and shop, plus establishing relationships with multiple well known names in the disc golf scene!
Favorites
Course:
Putter:
Mid:
Driver:
Oliver Parker
PDGA# 76033 [Expired]
Started: 2014
Highlight: Getting an Ace and winning the #1 KOWTag first round he attended in 2023! Also landing an Ace with Matt's Gateway Hemp Mystic before he has any Gateway Aces...
Favorites
Course: Freedom
Putter: MVP Atom
Mid: MVP Matrix
Driver: MVP Relativity
Mario Guzman
PDGA# 249285 [854 Rated]
Started: 2019
Highlights:
Favorites
Course: Forsythe
Putter: Gateway Wizard
Mid:
Driver: Innova Tern
Trent Benson
PDGA# 271554 [879 Rated]
Playing Since: 2018
Highlights:
Getting an eagle on Hole 17 - Gold to Orange Layout at The Spillway in Pana, IL
Favorites
Course: Wilder DGC - Newport, Oregon
Putter: Axiom Envy
Mid: Axiom Pyro
Driver: MVP Trail
Dylan Santaquilani
PDGA# 216623 [886 Rated]
Started: 2019
Danny Lopez
Started: 2021
Highlights:
Favorites
Course: Riverside
Putter: Innova Mirage
Mid: Discraft Buzzz SS
Driver: Innova Thunderbird
Paul Valente
Started: 2021
2023 KOWTags Place: #
Highlights: 3D printing his own disc 3 years ago and throwing it every round, exclusively tomahawk!
Favorites
Course: Lake Hills
Putter: Innova Destroyer
Mid: Innova Destroyer
Driver: Innova Destroyer