Grouchy Geek - No Club Matches in July

The Columbia Cascade Section in NW Oregon is one of the most active sections in USPSA. If not THE most active section.

And I'm sick of it.

Let me explain.

The May through September period of every year is the "Competitive Season". This is when the weather here in Oregon is sufficiently clement as to draw a lot of shooters out of their lairs and onto the range.

The problem is, there aren't any cheap 'club matches' for us to shoot during the best time of the year.

Multi-gun matches. Sectional tournaments. Area matches, National matches, Special matches (this month -- August -- it includes a Glock Match, while next month is the Single Stack tournament.)

I'm looking at the section calendar, and in July there's exactly ONE club match ... at Dundee. I got to the point where I was desperate to shoot a match, so I paid $90 for a late sign-up at the Section match, and actually got to pick up my brass!'

whoop whoop!

So this month (August) we're looking at the three weekends normally scheduled for club matches.

Albany, 2nd Saturday -- Glock Match
Dundee, 4th Saturday -- no club match, they're setting up for the Croc Match over Labor Day Weekend.

And Tri-County, 3rd Sunday -- no match, 'cause they can't find anyone with the energy or initiative to run the match.

Okay, I can't blame Tri-County for that. It's a labor-intensive thing, to run a match. I'm not an administrative kinda guy, I'm in no position to criticize other folks because they don't want to design stages, set 'em up, all that stuff.

But there are folks who enjoy that sort of thing. Where are they?

They're putting on Major Matches.

So okay, I'm a curmudgeon. I'm just here to shoot. When I can't afford to shoot major matches a couple of times a month, I just . . . don't . . . shoot.

I'm really happy for the Section that we are attracting a lot of shooters from outside our section.

But it looks like I'm going to have to drive out-of-state to shoot a means-nothing, just-for-fun, club match that doesn't cost me $60+ in match fees. With the price of gas, I'll spend that much just getting to the match, and maybe that much more driving home again.

If this section becomes any more successful, I can't afford to shoot.

Is it just me?