I shoot a lot of practice trap and almost all the events at the shoots at the Dollar. Sometimes I skip the doubles as they seem to always delay them till the laaaate afternoon/early evenings, but I do shoot almost all there are.
I've been to the Grand several times, the Cardinal Center once (never again) and shot the Georgia State Shoot as well as at many of the clubs here in Florida in addition to the Silver Dollar.
I am fairly new to the 27 yard line, and am learning that it is not always easy, at least for me, to shoot a score I am happy with there.
I think, with work, my scores will get better at the 27, just as they have at each of the yardages I was on preceding the 27.
If, because I was under the break point at a 1000 target review, I was told I HAD to move forward, I would simply not shoot registered handicap anymore.
I can't help but notice that the folks here that advocate for mandatory reductions are mostly (but not all) shooters who have never been to the 27 or who are short yardage shooters. I fail to understand why they have an interest in getting someone to move within their yardage group who might be able to beat them.
While I am at it, I also notice so many former shooters or those who shoot little ATA want the glory days with big payouts back. I don't think that will happen and I could care less if it does or not.
I rarely play any options, maybe the Lewis once in a while, and don't shoot trap for money. I like to break the targets, that's what attracted me to the sport and keeps me here. Trap lured me away from competitive pistol and rifle shooting and I am quite satisfied with the way things are going.
I don't care about the "trinkets," the plates, etc. and I have no idea where mine are now (we redid the house last year, my wife stuck them in some boxes and I never looked for them). I like my Shamrock shooting bag I won, and use it, but most of the rest of the stuff is just stuff. I still like to shoot well enough to get the "trinkets" though, even if I don't pay attention to them after the shoot is over.
I like to be left alone which is why I don't want anyone telling me that I must move to another yardage.
I don't care about two or three hole targets, I would shoot whatever they throw (if you are regular Dollar shooter, you understand what I'm saying-you know, the old Forrest Gump box of chocolates analogy here).
I also hear some posters talking about the EC/ATA but I think they don't realize that, every year it changes-one new one arrives, one old one leaves. Unless they really believe that every single one of the new persons is a crook, then the EC is completely changed every 5 years. No one involved with the Sparta decision remains, many have passed on, and the ATA has millions of bucks in the bank.
Will ATA survive? Probably, but it will still be here for the relatively short time I have left on this earth and, if it didn't, if it dropped into oblivion tomorrow, I'd still shoot practice and still shoot 'caps from the 27.
Bob
