Need Help: Interested in Practical Shooting in S. Florida

[TarpleyG]

I am interested in starting IDPA or IPSC but I am having a hard time finding matches in my area. Also, I guess I am a little reluctant to attend alone. Anyone in the tri-county area (pref. Broward) willing to take me under thier wing for a match or two and show me the ropes? I have all the necessary equipment and know how (need to work on presentations a little more at home and dry firing) to get started.

GT

 

[Jim Watson]

Go to IDPA.com and look under "Affiliated Organizations."
I found just by seeing "Broward"
http://www.idpa.com/clubs.asp?Organization=Defensive Shooters Fellowship Of West Broward, Inc

Go to USPSA.org and look under USPSA and Member Clubs - USPSA Club Finder. I don't know the geography well enough to pick one for you, but there are a number listed for Florida overall.

Maybe a Floridian will come along to shepherd you.
If not, suck it up and go to a match. It is easy to make friends at a shooting match; some clubs will even assign you a mentor. I have a long list of suggestions to new shooters but they boil down to two considerations: Be safe and follow instructions.

 

[Ken]

Tarpley, the IDPA club in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale holds matches the second and fourth Saturdays (the second is at Trail Glades range in Miami and the fourth is at Markham Park in Ft. Laud.). They are good people and welcome new shooters with open arms. I suggest you simply show up and be ready to have fun. Their website is http://www.tssa.net

There are two USPA clubs in the same area. The South Florida Pistol Club (http://www.sfpc.org) shoots, I think, the first Sunday and every Thursday night at Markham. The Pan American Pistol Club/FOP # 73 shoots the third and fourth Sundays at Trail Glades. Same advice--just show up. New shooters are welcome.

 

[stipilot]

TarpleyG,

Check at Brain Enos' forums, http://brianenos.ibforums.com/. There are a couple forums there where you might get some results.

 

[MrFreeze]

Tarpley,

I went to my first IPSC match knowing very little about the sport, except that safety is #1, and fun comes in a close 2nd. I had no clue who anyone was, and I didn't even have all the equipment. Out of the 8 guys there, 2 loaned me equipment, 1 game me extra rounds b/c I didn't bring enough, and I got great advice from a couple of the others.

I can't wait to go back!

Travis

 

[TarpleyG]

I have contacted the folks at TSSA and am going to attend a "drill" session January 6th. Thanks for all the suggestions and input.

GT

 

[Rob Pincus]

I'll give the shooters and range at Markham Park a thumb's up...

 

[TarpleyG]

I went out on Tuesday night for drills. They set up two COFs and had another section dedicated to Irv Lehman teaching the newbies. I'm not a newbie per se but I spent the entire three hours with Irv. That was my first "formal" training of any kind. I learned a lot and thanks Irv. I didn't get to shoot any of the courses and I wish now that I had.

GT