Nimitz Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Just noticed that the Florida Open has 44 GMs signed up in Open division. Anyone know what the draw is? As far as I know there isn't even a prize table at this match. Is there some kind of large cash prize structure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoshidaex Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 There's a lot of generic entries reserved by the MD so I wouldn't put too much emphasis on it. It's an excellent match. All field courses, challenging and a wide spectrum of competitors. The only issue I have is with the foreign shooters. Some of them believe this is a Level 4 match where resetting isn't required of the shooters. This screws all the USPSA shooters that help with resetting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimitz Posted January 3, 2014 Author Share Posted January 3, 2014 Yeah I've heard that is a problem ... The match is a little pricy for not having a prize table ... Unfortunately I've become pretty jaded about these types of matches .... High match fees, travel cost, food, maybe a hotel, lost brass are all 'negatives' so I like to see some kind of 'positive' to balance things out like a prize table. Since I'm not competitive to win the match I like to see something being given back to the shooters .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgkeller Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Lots of guns given as prizes in all divisions and classes and categories Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillD Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 (edited) I thought we did this for the love of the sport... I got a $45 range bag at DoubleTap a couple years back. All told, I spend about $700 on expenses for that match. That's not exactly defraying costs... And that's all I've gotten worth mentioning off a prize table. ETA: I do score some $100 bullet certificates about once a year. And since I order about $2000 worth of bullets a year, they come in handy. Edited January 3, 2014 by BillD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I thought we did this for the love of the sport... Yeah, I find that if I go to an event in hopes of winning something off the prize table, then I get disappointed if I don't win something. That's kind of lame imho. I try to do matches that are going to be fun and challenging and rewarding for the shooting, then if something turns up in the raffle, then that's a bonus. I could get MUCH better prizes if I just skipped the match and spent the money on a new gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ErichF Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Three years shooting this sport now, and over a dozen major matches including one Nationals...I haven't won a damn thing either in raffles, Division/Class, or table prizes. I don't even bother anymore. I go to a shooting match to shoot stuff and see if I can beat some other guys in the process. Prizes are irrelevant to me. I think the draw of the FL Open (I have yet to shoot one) is the challenge of the match. It's all field courses and from what I hear, very tough. Doing well in the Open means something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sperman Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 It's also a great way to kick off the season, especially for shooters in parts of the country that don't get to shoot year round. Come April there are lots of good matches to chose from. The pickings are pretty slim in February. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris iliff Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 (edited) Just noticed that the Florida Open has 44 GMs signed up in Open division. Anyone know what the draw is? As far as I know there isn't even a prize table at this match. Is there some kind of large cash prize structure?I worked this and shot it 2 years ago. I did horrible. It was a "bucket list" type of match for me. I always wanted to shoot it. To date it has been the hardest match I've ever shot. Also one of the funnest. I think I was just about mid pack in open, 58th out of 110 or so? I was an A class..It is huge internationally. There are far more ipsc GM's attending than the 44. A lot of these shooters fly in from all over the world, shoot, take the family to Disney, etc. Most of them show as U, unclassified, only because they aren't shooting under USPSA, but under their home country's region. Most are masters or GM where they live. This year it is where the World Shoot will be held, probably extra big this year as everyone wants range time there. I highly recommend this match. It separates the men from the boys so to speak. It is an awesome match. You get 3 min for walk through. No more, no less. Shooting starts in the morning when you can see the targets and ends at night when you can't. Hardest match I ever worked, not sure it was even worth the entry fee of $225? I busted hump 3 days straight, before sun up to after sun down. Here is an idea of just one stage: Think 3 classic targets (turtle) cut in half and stapled to a fast swinger at 20 yards or so. The stage had 32 targets, 1 shot apiece. I didn't even get the damn thing memorized, lol. In 10 different stages you might call 10-12 targets total as hosers. Frank, Manny, and Shannon utilize every sq foot of each bay for your enjoyment/humiliation. I've heard it said that the big boys want a win at the Florida Open. It is a highly regarded match. It is a shooters match. Hosers stay home. Edited January 4, 2014 by Chris iliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyZip Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Thanks Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remoandiris Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 (edited) The only issue I have is with the foreign shooters. Some of them believe this is a Level 4 match where resetting isn't required of the shooters. This screws all the USPSA shooters that help with resetting. IMO this is nonsense. While it has been a few years since I shot the Open, a simple reminder to ALL shooters on your squad that they WILL help reset solves the problem. Once they get the gentle reminder, if they aren't pulling their weight, call them out. When it comes to resetting stages, no one can screw you unless you let them. Edited January 4, 2014 by remoandiris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Never shot it, but I heard the same thing from more than one shooter and staff member. It's real. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoshidaex Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 The only issue I have is with the foreign shooters. Some of them believe this is a Level 4 match where resetting isn't required of the shooters. This screws all the USPSA shooters that help with resetting.IMO this is nonsense. While it has been a few years since I shot the Open, a simple reminder to ALL shooters on your squad that they WILL help reset solves the problem. Once they get the gentle reminder, if they aren't pulling their weight, call them out. When it comes to resetting stages, no one can screw you unless you let them.They get reminded. Help on the stage they get called out on and go back to their regular scheduled programming on the next stage. I've been to the FL open the past few years and its always the same. I'm done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericjhuber Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 I'm a local so maybe I'm biased, but I've enjoyed every match that I've shot at Universal Shooting Academy whether it's been their regularly scheduled local shoots or their major matches. I won't be able to shoot the Florida Open this year because of a scheduling conflict, but I will be able to make the Florida State Championships for the first time and I'm really looking forward to it. Shannon, Manny, Frank and the rest of the USA team do a magnificent job with these major matches. The 2013 Steel Challenge, for example, was very well run. The others have covered the specifics on why the Open is so popular, but if prizes are motivator, you can read about last year's prizes here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CZinSC Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Here is an idea of just one stage:Think 3 classic targets (turtle) cut in half and stapled to a fast swinger at 20 yards or so. The stage had 32 targets, 1 shot apiece. I didn't even get the damn thing memorized, lol. i walked it off....it was 33 yards! The only issue I have is with the foreign shooters. Some of them believe this is a Level 4 match where resetting isn't required of the shooters. This screws all the USPSA shooters that help with resetting. IMO this is nonsense. While it has been a few years since I shot the Open, a simple reminder to ALL shooters on your squad that they WILL help reset solves the problem. Once they get the gentle reminder, if they aren't pulling their weight, call them out. When it comes to resetting stages, no one can screw you unless you let them. Sorry, but you can gently remind them all you want. Some of them come to the Open with no plans to paste. Some will even walk over to the next stage after they're done shooting to scope out the next stage. I've even witnessed a shooter help paste the NEXT stage after they were done shooting the one they were on so that they could get an advanced look. Not sure how the RO's on that stage didn't realize, but the FL Open takes all your mental energy worry about stuff like that will just kill you. At some point you just say F it and worry about your own game. The only issue I have is with the foreign shooters. Some of them believe this is a Level 4 match where resetting isn't required of the shooters. This screws all the USPSA shooters that help with resetting.IMO this is nonsense. While it has been a few years since I shot the Open, a simple reminder to ALL shooters on your squad that they WILL help reset solves the problem. Once they get the gentle reminder, if they aren't pulling their weight, call them out. When it comes to resetting stages, no one can screw you unless you let them.They get reminded. Help on the stage they get called out on and go back to their regular scheduled programming on the next stage.I've been to the FL open the past few years and its always the same. I'm done. This... +1 With all of that said, I’ve shot the Florida Open three years in a row. Already signed up for this year’s match. IMO, if you can afford it, it’s a must attend match. The quality of competition is top notch. As far as prizes, it's the only match i've seen where EVERY Division AND Class Winner receive a gun. Including Unclassified. Some may scoff at that, but you have to remember, unlike most matches, as someone has already mentioned, the U's at Florida Open are generally IPSC GM's that are not USPSA classified. One of the hardest things about the Open, other than the tough stages, is the mental game. You are NEVER out of contention to win your class ( at least A through D ). You win this match by minimizing mistakes. You're going to have Mikes, if you can be the guy that has the fewest, you will be in good shape. Nationals quality stages, shooting in shorts in February. Do you really need another reason to attend this match? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idoktr Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Florida in the winter ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Florida in the winter ! I hear it is cold down there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim/GA Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 Real cold, everyone might as well stay up north I missed last year and am hoping not to again. Lots of shooting, lots of mental (as already said above) and always seem to have some type of a "twist" that is hard and seen throughout the match. One year it was small steel and long distances and painted sky/light blue. My last stage you either shot the steel plate from near 35 yards with hardcover next to it or made an extra stop at about 15yds to take a shot at 1/2 of that plate now covered by the steel hard cover. Another year it was the partial Classic targets on swingers all over the place. The 3 min with 14 shooter squads also makes it tough and for those not used to them- it is ALL Classic targets. Fun, frustrating and my small plaque from D class 6 months after I first started USPSA actually means something to me because of it. Hope I don't miss again this year but doing a lot of larger 3 gun so have to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynes_world_45 Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Too expensive. Too many sandbaggers. Too many non-pasters. I shot it for 5 years but skipped the last 2. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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