Just a first year competitor shootin against the guys in my class......lol

Jeff.

In all honesty if you want to improve then step up and shoot against a better class of shooter you will be surprised just how much you can learn from them just by watching them shoot and what they do on every single shot

Yeah you will get beat but the learning curve is well worth it and it just might save you a lot of trial and error.

Ausie.....

So step right up against the open shooters in your first year of competition?

I DO shoot with better shooters. I do it all the time.

I plan on shooting the longer stakes next season......once I learn the game of 3D, better. Forgive me if I choose to stick my toes in the water in lieu of diving right in. If everyone started at the 50 yd stakes.........I'd see merit in your argument.

The ASA qualifier and State Championship pays out. I also finished 9th in the Gainseville Pro-Am and won $140.

Jeff.

My very first big tournement way back when I was 15yrs old.

I was shooting FITA they had us divided into flights.

When they introduced us low and behold the guy next to me, a Korean, the raining Olympic gold medalist.

I held my own on the closer targets but he did hand me my butt when it came to the long shots but I learnt a lot from that one shoot.

But what really made my day was when he shook my hand and in broken english said "good shooting I thought you had me" but I knew he was lieing

But hey do what you think is best for you, I can only give you some advice it's just like leading a horse to water but you can't make it drink[8D]

I guess I give up.I wanted to get into 3D.....and I wanted to learn THIS game as I went.

I guess if you're successful......people can always just say you weren't shooting the correct stake.

Can't win.I won't post any more results.

Funny thing is.....Rob posts his results every week in his indoor league.....at known yardages.....shorter than the ones I'm shooting (in ANY association). All anyone ever says is ....."great shooting....looks like fun".

Jeff,
You're doing it right.........work your way up.

ASA has 3 classes that you can shoot in with pins, I think Novice,Hunter,Unlimited.....and IBO has Hunter, Advanced Hunter and MBR.

Definitely learn the game, learn the yardages, win some shoots and you'll KNOW when it's time to move to the next class. You can have a great 3D shooting "career" if you will and never shoot in an "Open" class.
I have 2 friends who are shooting IBO Pro "PMR" who went right from the class I'm in (MBR,Unlimited) straightto Pro skipping "Open" entirely.
One of them finished 1 point behind Jeff Hopkins for the National Championship.

Make no mistake about it, when you work your way to the highest pin classes and competing you are at a pretty elite level in this game, but feel no shame in starting at the lower classes. That's what they are there for, to learn, gauge your progress and move up if you feel like it.
Like I said you'll know when you should move up, and most likely it will be to regular Hunter in ASA because those guys shoot to max 40. Realistically unless you are beating the pants off everyone in Hunter Class (IBO or ASA) keep your eyes off Unlimited or MBR for a while because you'll just get frustrated.

Learn and have fun.

Hell I'm trying, Matt. I've won three shoots this year (my class) and finished second4 or 5times. I already have plans to move up next year......and I'm going to shoot some 40 yd tournaments (already have, three times......including one of my second place finishes) this year....once I qualify for the circuit championship (second time through at the different clubs).

I do this for FUN.

Thanks.

So when we shooting together again??

You're 1-3.....lol.....

(but you're shooting has improved a LOT!)