robert ward

They find the perfect place in Southern Illinois, and combine their move and interests into an opportunity to launch a unique new business.

This is the story of Matt Locke, a manager for a software company, who realized during the COVID-19 pandemic that he could work from anywhere. Willing to take advantage of the opportunity and sharing a desire with his domestic partner Katie Lee to find a home with “old character,” he began looking to relocate.

Working state by state eastward from Colorado, the couple searched for homes online. One, in Benton, captured their imagination.

“When we hit Illinois, we found this crazy house and on picture 23 or 26, there was a gold spider on the ceiling of one of the rooms and it turned out that in every window in that room there was an ornate spider web,” he explained. “We called it the spider house.”

Turns out the couple had discovered a 6,000-square foot, three-story home on Benton’s McLeansboro Street built in 1910 by prominent banker, entrepreneur and farmer Robert Ward. Formerly home to a stained glass business, the house had the character the couple was looking for.

Their new home had plenty of acreage, too, perfect for Locke to practice his disc golf shots. He is an enthusiast for the sport where players throw flying discs at targets. The game is played much like traditional golf, with the number of throws required from tee to target counted for scores. Like golf, low scores are preferable.

Considering the growing popularity of disc golf in the region, Locke’s interest in the sport, Lee’s desire for a new challenge and, thanks to a converted school bus – also with “character,” a new business was born.

“We discovered a lot of people in the area already played disc golf, but there was not a lot of places to get discs,” explained Locke. “There are so many different plastics, so many different brands and molds. You can’t get a feel of how a disc is going to feel online; there’s just no way, but touching discs before you buy them is imperative.”

To help disc golfers and grow the sport, the pair, using their new home as inspiration for a name and the converted small school bus as a mobile retail unit, launched Spider House Disc Golf earlier in the year.

While the company offers discs and accessories online, a main focus of the business is setting up shop at tournaments and disc golf events around the region.

“Matt brought a lot of the passion for the sport and I brought passion for small business,” Lee explained. “We both wanted to start a small business and I just didn’t know what it was. Disc golf is perfect for us. With the bus, our overhead is small.”

“Katie grabbed the rings of the business and did a great job,” he added. “She has set up all of the relationships with companies, got our store up and running and it’s been perfect. We drive around to tournaments and set up and people love it.”

Disc golfers can play an entire course with just a single disc, but like traditional golfers, many use specialized equipment depending on the course and required shot. Special “driver” discs, mid-distance discs and “putters” are all available.

With disc golf courses in Anna, Carbondale, Carterville, Cobden, Goreville, Marion and other area communities, Locke said the sport is taking off in Southern Illinois.

“I think we have a subtle glow right now, but it is about to ignite,” he said. “We’re averaging about 1,400 new courses nationally each year. It’s growing insanely rapidly in Southern Illinois.”

He said it is a great game for area residents.

“Disc golf is perfect for Southern Illinois for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest ones is that it is such an affordable sport to get into,” Locke said. “You can get a starter set of discs for $14.99 and you could care that for years, plus most of the courses are free. It’s a really great way for people to get outside and play for a very low price.”

The couple plans on converting the carriage house at their new home in Benton into a bed-and-breakfast catering to disc golfers who will even be able to play on-site.

Locke said the pair sees themselves not only as advocates for disc golf, but also for entrepreneurship in the region.

“We want to serve as inspiration for other people – to encourage them to do something similar with their own passions. We want to let them know that they can be successful in a job that they love if they will just put in some effort and dream a little,” Locke said.