How far would you drive to a 'good' local match?

[SmittyFL]

I know this has been asked before but I thought I would check again especially with current gas prices.

Title says it but I'm curious how far you would drive for a 'good' local match. Whatever your criteria for a good match is. You can include your criteria in a post if you'd like. Price, number of stages, quality of stages, round count, set up/tear down taken care of, quality of competition, efficiency of the match, etc? Whatever you look for in a match.

Thanks.

[XRe]

If it was a really good match - 5-6 solid, challenging stages, reasonable price, etc - I would drive 2 hours at least some of the time. Those sorts of matches tend to be good warmup/tune-up matches for big matches, so....

[HSMITH]

I'd drive 2.5 each way, maybe 3.

Good matches to me have good stages, can be shot in a reasonable amount of time, and there should be at least 6 stages.

Bad matches are shot against one common backstop, take forever to shoot, have poor stages, and shoot Can You Count 4 or 5 times per year.

[ChuckS]

3 of the 4 clubs that I shoot at are within 1 hour. The other is about 1.5. That pretty much fills up the weekends. Prices are pretty much the same (25-30) and they are all run as shoot and scoot. One club tends to be a bit more hoser where another one is real accuracy based. It is not uncommon to see 3 yd hoser arrays and 50 yard shots in the same match. 6-7 stages is the norm. Shoot a match at all of them and you are pretty much ready for a > Level 1 match.

Later,

Chuck

Edited June 13, 2008 by ChuckS

[buddy_fuentes]

I want a high round count if I am going to drive any distance. I go to shoot and the more shooting, the better I like it. Most USPSA and Steel matches around this area are 6 stages.

I use to shoot IDPA every once in a while and stopped because of the low round count. Shoot four or five stages and burn eighty or ninety rounds. Not my cup of tea...

[Jman]

4-5 stages, must include a classifier. 20 degrees cooler than Rio in the summer. 3-3 1/2 hour round trip tops for a local. That's our Payson match. I'll drive 1/2 way across the greatest nation on earth and back for our Nationals.

Jim M

[03k64]

I travel 2.5 hours each way for good match either once or twice a month. I carpool with other shooters to help defray the cost of gas and tolls. I probably wouldn't go if I had to do it by myself.

[bruce282]

I picked 3 hours or more, since I will travel to NC for their monthly match and it's 4 hours one way. I don't do this every month but the Sir Walter puts on a fine match. York PA is 1.5 hours and Fredericksburg VA is about 1 hour each way, all good matches.

Bruce

[uscbigdawg]

I've been known to drive down to Norco from Northern California, at least every other month to shoot with the guys down south.

Rich

[JThompson]

I'd drive 2.5 each way, maybe 3.

Good matches to me have good stages, can be shot in a reasonable amount of time, and there should be at least 6 stages.

Bad matches are shot against one common backstop, take forever to shoot, have poor stages, and shoot Can You Count 4 or 5 times per year.

No shoot Howard.

Edited June 13, 2008 by JThompson

[zhunter]

I drive 2 1/2 hours each way to Titusville.

Can't remember, but it is 5 or 6 stages, always good stages that require a lot of thought. Always have a classifier. Good competition. Lots of friends there.

I have heard from many that should know, I don't, that Titusville has the best monthly match in Florida. I make it whenever my schedule ( work and kids ) allows.

ZH

[38superman]

I routinely travel to local matches that require up to 1 1/2 hrs. each way.

I have no problem with going to club matches up to a 100 mi. radius.

Fortunately I have 2 or 3 clubs within that range.

I might be willing to go up to 150 miles if I didn't have better options, but not more than once a month.

As for what constitutes a "good" match, they are all pretty much the same.

Typically, 5 or 6 stages with a classifier.

I particularly like the format at the Central Alabama club which has 4 pistol and 2 rifle stages each month.

I also like the way North Tenn. Practical Shooters runs a match on both Sat. and Sun. with a second gun match both days.

It makes it easier to attend if I have two days to choose from.

I also like the option to shoot in multiple divisions.

Tony

Edited June 13, 2008 by 38superman

[davecutts]

Chuck's in my area, and that sums it up, we are also fortunate to get to shoot against and with a couple of national and world champs, at some local matches there can be up to 7 gm's.

3 of the 4 clubs that I shoot at are within 1 hour. The other is about 1.5. That pretty much fills up the weekends. Prices are pretty much the same (25-30) and they are all run as shoot and scoot. One club tends to be a bit more hoser where another one is real accuracy based. It is not uncommon to see 3 yd hoser arrays and 50 yard shots in the same match. 6-7 stages is the norm. Shoot a match at all of them and you are pretty much ready for a > Level 1 match.

Later,

Chuck

[Flatland Shooter]

Kind of a "no brainer" for me.

If willing to drive 1.5 to 2 hrs, I have a match almost every weekend.

With no good local matches any closer, I vote 2 hrs.

Bill

[brboyer]

Good question. Since I drive a mininum of 45 minutes each way to any local match (and I shoot 3 times/week) I suppose I could handle 2 hours. If I had a shooting partner (I hate driving alone) I might do three.

[HoMiE]

I travel 3+ hours one-way 3 out of 4 weekends every month. I don't care what gas cost, I'm going shooting.

[herky]

We don't have a "local" match so every one involves travel. Most of the time 4 -6 of us take a van and split the gas cost. I've been told it is a good show when a van full of 60+ year olds try to standup straight after a 2 hour drive.

[Steve J]

I routinely drive 2.5 hours to shoot and sometimes do so on both weekend days. I will drive past a lesser match and often do to get to a better one. Three hours away is my limit - not due to gas, but due to not being able to get out of the house in time.

[L9X25]

I think this a pretty regional question. In some areas people are accustomed to driving 2-3 hours for any match they shoot.

In our area people have become pretty spoiled to having several matches that are within an hour. Making our local folks travel too much more than an hour (with the current gas prices) has proven difficult, as is shown by the recent Frostproof attendance and their decision to cancel the July and August matches.

[joseywales]

I travel 3+ hours one-way 3 out of 4 weekends every month. I don't care what gas cost, I'm going shooting.

Boy, now THAT'S the attitude to have! My kind of shooting fanatic!

I'll drive 2+ hours one-way for 6 quality stages.

[UW Mitch]

I live in the middle of the NorthWet section so it's up to an hour north or south. I figured out the furthest match cost me $16 in gas round trip (2 months ago, higher now of course). The key is carpooling. Save on gas and have buddies to talk to on the way to the match, and about the match on the way home.

~Mitch

[BayouSlide]

My closest "local" matches are now 1.5 to 2 hrs away. Will travel up to 3 hrs for a local 3-gun match, since they occur only a couple times a year around here.

What makes a "good" match? Five or six stages featuring intelligent stage design...i.e. always challenging but not designed to be merely awkward for the sake of being awkward. Anybody can create a stage that is off the wall...only a skilled stage designer can create one that is difficult enough to be challenging and provides a good test for shooters at ALL skill levels.

My second pet peeve is setting a pace for the squad or match that rushes an average shooter to the point that the match becomes less enjoyable and you feel you would have done significantly better with just a little more time to prepare for your run. When you're driving three hours+ to and from a match, you feel shortchanged when you don't have a minute or two per stage to collect yourself and check your gear before the timer goes off.

Edited June 13, 2008 by BayouSlide

[Kingman]

I said 2 hours, but as gas continues to climb that may have to change.

As of right now I stick to Fredericksburg and York mainly. There are other places I would like to go but with gas I can really afford two matches a month or so.

[Joe4d]

I guess it depends on whats available, I live in a USPSA dead zone which is kinda odd considering VA is pretty gun friendly and lots of shooters, So I have a choice, 2 hours to Fredericksburg, 2 hours to Blackwater, or dont shoot USPSA, Fredericksburg is worth the run so I would do that once a month regardless, but I wish there was something closer for the other weekend.

[EZ Bagger]

2 hours is pretty doable.

Good match? One that has challenges similar to what you'll see at a Nationals or solid area type match. Plenty of berms so you're not waiting an hour or more for a stage. Stages that have shooting challenges, not just hoser/up close/open targets.