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Forge Discs TITLE EVENT @ Lake Hills?! It's an Ace Race!
Featured Members!
Regularly we'll pick a member and give them a shout out for their recent achievements in the sport or community.
March 2025: Sam and Jordan - 2024 Champions!
PDGA Ratings:
Sam Zaborowski: PDGA# 255962- 853
Jordan Hillegonds: PDGA# 255961- 842
Playing Since:
2022
Recent Highlights:
Recently, these girls both moved WAY up to FPO; quickly!
They are signed up to compete in the upcoming Greater Joliet Tour: Fraction Run Cup 7 against Disc Golf Hall Of Famer: Juliana Korver.
These two are my favorite example of why it's never a bad thing to hear "You throw like a girl!" Their power on the course is unmatched by most of the men on the field in our region. Sam having won her first 7 out of 7 events and Jordan winning 4 out of 5 of her own in 2024, they're literally top of their class.
That's not even the best part of their story. In 2024, Discraft's Ledgestone Open hosted both of these female athletes in the FA2 (Sam) and FA3 (Jordan) divisions and they BOTH took down FIRST PLACE!
That's 1st out of 35 in FA2 and 1st (with baby on board!!) out of 18 in FA3 at one of the LARGEST disc golf events in the world!
I never have enough great things to say about these ladies and I'm proud to say I know them. Good luck this year and going forward!
PDGA Rating: 894
Playing Since: 2018
Recent Highlights: Jake has easily made an impact on the club, in short time, by being consistent, passionate, and dedicated.
His daily activity in the club, and weekly at various leagues, is what gives us our impression of him. Never afraid to lend a hand, he's often volunteering to help another in the sport or go out for a casual round. Plus, can easily outshoot the field and we've seen him rise from an MA4 rating to his recent standing of 6pts below MA2. Even when taking a loss though, Jake is quick to bounce back the next round and look inward to see how he can improve on some form or function of his own to correct the previous mistakes.
On top of that, he raises his family well. Supporting his three children alongside his wife Alexa (#stronglikelex), they keep busy enough! They all love disc golf and it's probably discussed in their home 15x a day. He is always suggesting ideas for the sport and encouraging others to play.
Most recently he surprised us all when we arrived at Bluebird Tattoo in Portage, IN (owned and operated by our very own Jordan Clough) for a holiday club party and he was there getting the KOWDG logo tattoo'd onto his calf muscle!!!
Shouts out to Jake for being an example in the club as a leader and director for great things to come!
PDGA Rating: 881
Playing Since: 2021
Recent Highlights: Jesse took 1st Place in MA3 at the 2024 Black Friday Flex Start hosted by Dellwood Disc Golf.
While the win is enough to celebrate, it was also ONE STROKE away from Hot Round (held by an MPO player) for the entire event!
Jesse's -7 that day at Dellwood awarded him a 1000 rated round rating.
Having only recently stepped out of MA4, this is insane work and incredible progress from his career start. Way to crush that layout and keep that up!
Players Grouped by Division (and sorted by rating!)
These are the members that play almost weekly, attend tournaments regularly, or are generally excited to join you for a round. Reliably they attend KOWTags and aren't afraid to defend their position.
Click division titles to see full rosters!
Here are the top performers of the club. Either 940 rated and above or otherwise self-promoted to the tier to compete with the best for cash prizes at tournaments. You'll likely find our top 10 KOWTag numbers with these players.
Click title to see full roster!
Erik Ledbetter
PDGA# 254219 [982 Rated]
Playing Since: 2015
Highlights: First ace was on a 140ft hole with a DX Shark.
Favorites
Course: Rogers Lakewood
Putter: Discraft Challenger
Mid: Discraft Buzzz
Driver: Leopard3, Nuke, and Corvette
Eric Ford
PDGA# 40673 [953 Rated]
Playing Since: 2013
Highlights: 25 Career Wins!
Robert Dockery
PDGA# 144690 [947 Rated]
Playing Since: 2020
Highlights: Proudly sponsored by Tomato Bar Pizza!
Favorites
Course:
Putter: Discraft Luna
Mid: Discmania
Driver: Innova
Justin "Tee Time" Teller
PDGA# 68568 [937 Rated]
Playing Since: 2014
Highlights: 11 Career Wins
These are our younger players developing the skills way ahead of the curve.
Click title to see full roster!
Xanthus Wilson
Playing Since: 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
Logan Merchant
Playing Since: 2023
Highlights:
Eli Eggers
Playing Since: 2021
Highlights:
Stone Palko
Playing Since: 2023
Highlights:
Here are some females that will change your opinion on the phrase to "throw like a girl." Read these bios and see some of their achievements!
Click title to see full roster!
Sam Zaborowski
PDGA# 255962 [866 Rated]
Playing Since: 2022
Highlights: 3 1st Place wins in a row currently!
Make that 7 for 7 1st Place PDGA Rated events in a row!
1st Place FA2 at 2024 Ledgestone!
4th Place in her first FPO event against Hall of Fame's Juliana Korver at Fraction Cup Run 7!
Find her online at:
www.linktr.ee/samzabo
Jessie Santoro
PDGA# 262136 [865 Rated]
Playing Since: 2019
Highlights: 4 1st Places wins in FA1 in 2023!
Favorites
Course: Starved Rock Disc Golf Course in Laporte, IL
Putter: Dynamic Discs Judge
Mid: Dynamic Discs Truth
Driver: Latitude 64 Saint
Jordan Hillegonds
PDGA# 255961 [Rated 845]
Playing Since: 2022
Highlights: 1st Place in FA3 at 2024 Ledgestone!
Alexa Forstall
Playing Since: 2019
Highlights: An all around super woman!
Favorites
Course: River's Edge
Putter: Discraft Fierce
Mid: Axiom Hex
Driver: Innova Teebird
From just starting out competitively all the way up to an occasional 1000 rated round, this is where majority of the field lies.
Click title to see full roster!
Coach Ray
PDGA# 159124 [961 Rated]
Playing Since: 2021
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
Tyler Grandholm
PDGA# 127543 [943 Rated]
Playing Since: 2019
Highlights:
Nazty N8
PDGA# 48757 [932 Rated]
Playing Since: 2011
Highlights: Previous 2023 KOWTags #1 Tag holder!
Favorites
Course: Round Barn
Pat Benson
PDGA# 298676 [930 Rated]
Playing Since: 2018
2023 KOWTags Place: #
Highlights: Shooting a 1009 Rated round for 1st Place in MA2 at Missile Ridge in the 2024 Cold Wars!
Favorites
Course: Missile Ridge
Putter: MVP
Mid: MVP
Driver: MVP
The players listed here might be new or simply never registered competitively. Don't confuse their lack of a PDGA number as lack of motivation to play! They're just as active at leagues and in weekly rounds as any others.
Click title to see full roster!
Dave Fajman
Playing Since: 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!
Chase Fajman
Playing Since: 2021
Highlights: Helping run one of the best coffee brands and shops!
Ken "Ruff" Fortunato Jr
Playing Since: 2024
Highlights: His passion for acting and wanting to play a role leading him to a course where he realized the sport is something he might enjoy.
Within his first 3 months of playing, got an ace at Marquette Park Hole 11!
Now he's signed to Gateway as a 2025 Ambassador!
Favorites
Course: Marquette Park
Putter: Gateway Voodoo
Mid: Gateway Warrior
Driver: Gateway Odyssey
Manny Morales
Playing Since: 2023
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