The Flippin’ Sweet Memorial Disc Golf Tournament is an annual event to raise funds for suicide prevention and depression awareness. It’s organized by parents and friends of two young men who took their own lives while in their teens, and held in their honor. Tom Karlin and Grant Gottschalk were good friends who enjoyed playing disc golf and interacting with other players at local disc golf courses. Within 12 months between November 2011 and October 2012, both Tom and Grant were victims of mental depression, and then suicide. The ripple of anguish through the families and friends of these two caused parents of friends of the young men to seek some type of solution that would help keep others from experiencing that pain.

Susan Mitts’ son, Connor, grew up with Tom and Grant as a friend and sports team mate. Connor was also a disc golf player, and suggested that a disc golf tournament be held in Tom and Grant’s honor. Susan took Connor’s suggestion to heart, and organized several parents of the boys’ friends to put together a tournament, including Tom Gottschalk, father of Grant. Now, the tournament, in its eighth year, is organized annually by Susan and Tom. Attendees range from friends of suicide victims who play the tournament to help find a solution to the suicide crisis, and players from across the region who will jump at the opportunity to play disc golf at the Thornfield Disc Golf Course. Thornfield is a premier disc golf venue that has generously allowed Flippin’ Sweet to be played on that world-renowned course.