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Do you drive past a closer match to shoot at a match farther away?


Okie Sawbones, SASS #77381

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No names please. I'm just curious if in your area of the country do you drive past a closer match to shoot at another range? I saw this post by Griff and found it curious:

 

I made an acquaintance at our local range and as some are probably sorry to know, the rest was on me. But... like so many others, I had to make the first overture. Ain't anyone out draggin' folks in off the street, forcin' 'em to join up.

 

 

Why did Griff have to make the first overture? I feel every member of the club should be an ambassador, and they should make new people feel at home. At the last match that I shot at, I was talking with an Elder Statesmen over post-match tacos that were supplied by the club. I can't remember exactly what I said, but something to the nature of you're lucky to live close to the ______ range, so why do you drive 70 miles to shoot with us?

 

He replied, "I don't shoot there."

 

I asked, "Why not?"

 

"I went there one time only," he said. "I spent the whole day shooting, and stuck around for the post-match ribbons. Only one person welcomed me the whole day. When I came to your club, I'll bet two dozen folks welcomed me and asked me to come again. I've been coming ever since."

 

I doubt that this is unique to our area. So I ask you, do you drive by closer matches because you feel you were not welcome? For another reason? I think I'd give everyone a second chance, but not a third. Everyone is entitled to a bad hair day.

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Hi Okie,

 

We used to drive an hour and 45 minutes to a match instead of going to one that was 40 minutes away.

 

One reason was to see different folks, have more variety in props, and stages.

 

The other reason was the Club VP at the close match was a #itch and she seemed to be running things on match day. That club did not have a membership. If you went to six matches in a year, you could vote or hold office. Folks begged us to come to six matches to help ensure they could vote her out. We did and they did.

 

Regards,

 

Allie Mo

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Absolutely. Some clubs just have scenarios, target sizes and distances a lot more to our enjoyment. After all we shoot for fun and you go to the clubs where you have the most fun. It is also nice to be shooting with folks that are like minded and friendly but to me the shooting for the day or weekend the shooting is the deciding factor of where we shoot. I do enjoy going to monthly shoots in places we have never been. Our twice yearly travels allows that to happen some times. Only once have we felt a bit uncomfortable, and it was a tiny club of a dozen shooters that have been shooting together for years and they just did not know how to handle visitors I guess. Each month during our shooting seasons, most locations allow us to shoot at more locations within easy driving than our schedule or bodies allow, so we pick out those locations we enjoy and skip the others.

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I fortunately do not have to bypass any clubs.

Each club does have a little different "personality" and that shows in their stage design/layout. Most are "fairly" similar but some have a little more movement or different things for variety. One has slightly more challenging targets that I would not want to shoot all the time, but they are still fun and variety is a good thing. And yes, some use total time, some use rank scoring, but that really matters little to me. I just understand the slight difference it makes in how I play the game.

 

I think the most important factor to me is the friendliness of the group.

 

When I first started, my wife would come with me sometimes. We found that to be a good test: how they greeted her as a non-shooter. We shot in several different states. A couple clubs were not even friendly to me when I was new, but most were quite welcoming. But my wife gave up and went shopping for a few years.

 

After a few years she came back with a vengeance and made sure she greeted as many as she could. She did start shooting eventually, but always made it a goal to great others - both those shooting and those not. And we noticed that clubs that had been a little slow to accept her were doing much better - not only with her but with most everyone new.

As I became better and more "competitive" I didn't do as much clowning around as I once did. I try to work and speak with others, but most of my socializing is before and after the match.

 

As my health became an issue, Mines taken stopped shooting to help monitor me. She says she may start again, but really prefers helping the posse and talking with them. If she shoots, she has to limit the social interaction she has.

 

We do know a few clubs that make the game a little too much. And generally, those same clubs are very selective in who they welcome.

 

In summary:

A good club will be friendly - and because they are friendly, they want their friends to have fun and work to make sure they do.

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The only thing my truck won't drive past is a gas station. :rolleyes:

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A couple clubs were not even friendly to me when I was new, but most were quite welcoming. But my wife gave up and went shopping for a few years.

How much stuff did she buy that she was gone so long? And more importantly, how could a man ever have enough money for his wife to go shopping for a few years? :lol:

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And if She was gone shoppin fer a couple of years, Why would Ya want her back ???

 

My wife says "If Ya ain't used it in 6 months Ya don't need It"

 

 

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

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My two clubs (the one I belong to and the other) are the same distance from my house, one north and one east. They each shoot on different days so there is no conflict there and I find that the same faces I see at one range I also see at the other so there is really no difference other than target layout. That's all due to change with a pending move up to the central valley and a brand new range and club. Since it's the only one in the area, I'm certainly hoping for the best because there will be nowhere else for me to go short of many miles and hours worth of driving for my wife (I don't drive). Smithy.

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I do regularly.

Got one club the is 35-40 minutes away.

Never shoot there.

I drive almost 2 hours each way to my home club now.

But they are on a different weekend than the close club is.

I do drive as much as 3 hours each way, to shoot at a club on the same

weekend as the club that is only 35-40 minutes away. :blink:

But. Ya got to go where you are finding what you are looking for. <_<

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:FlagAm::FlagAm::FlagAm::FlagAm::FlagAm:

 

Yep, we do it all the time.

I'm a member of two clubs, but TG for one (the one further away).

So we always go to the match where I am the TG.

 

I lobbied really hard to get either of the clubs to change the match from the Sunday to a Saturday. That didn't work.

So now both outfits shoot the same day. And some of the shooters have complained that they'd like to shoot both days instead of one. And they have to choose witch club. :angry:

 

MG

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Kinda weird how it works out for me but there are 6 clubs around me. Each about an our away in all different directions. Literaly North, South, East and West. They all shoot on different weekends so when I can't make it to one I can usually make it to another.

 

There are those that I favor and would attend even if others were on the same weekend. But I am fortunate that I don't have to choose and get to shoot all over.

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