USPSA Fee questions

[Cory]

There is only one club near me that has USPSA, and I'm very interested in shooting USPSA. http://bgslinc.com/

Let me know if I have this right or if I'm wrong:
$15 for joining BGSL. http://bgslinc.com/membership/
$10 for BGSL gate card.
$20 for BGSL membership, monthly.
$20 for BGSL "Pistol Division" membership, yearly. http://bgslinc.com/pistol-division/
$15 for USPSA match fee. http://bgslinc.com/uspsa-bgsl/
$25 for USPSA Associate membership. https://www.uspsa.org/uspsa-join-renew.php

So that is $105 just to get to shoot my first match?

The club is around an hour from me, and is the only one anywhere near me that offers USPSA pistol matches. Is it really that expensive just to get my foot in the door and trying out shooting USPSA? When the only clubs that offer USPSA come with so many fees and high yearly dues, it is no wonder that the sport has trouble growing. The often chimed "Just go shoot a match and try it, you'll love it" seems a little out of touch. I already have the expense of driving there, ammo, food, and USPSA membership fee... plus all these club fees?

I emailed the club to make sure I'm understanding everything correctly, and I asked them about becoming a member to shoot USPSA. They haven't seen fit to reply to my email in a month. So should I just give up on the notion of shooting USPSA until I can afford to drop $105 for my first match, and $20 monthly (plus $15 per match) there after? If that's the case I may as well abandon the idea of USPSA all together.

Are the places you folks shoot a similar affair? I want to shoot USPSA. I think it sounds like a lot of fun, and helps keep a shooter honed. But dang.

-Cory

[ranger]

I cannot answer about that specific club. However, at many clubs, you do not have to be a member to shoot a competitive event such as USPSA. Therefore you would pay a match fee only and typically join USPSA later. My local private IDPA club just requires match fee and encourages non-club members to shoot. How do you define "near" - when I was a active USPSA shooter I drove all over the Southeast.

[Mr_White]

Pretty much what ranger said.

I can't speak to whether the club will make you join the club in order to shoot a USPSA match at that club, but I've never seen that. USPSA does not require you to be a USPSA member in order to shoot a local (Level 1) USPSA match. You do have to be a USPSA member to earn a classification or enter a Level 2 or higher match.

I think you can probably shoot the match for $20, plus your ammo and travel expenses. Really not sure about the club fee/membership stuff though.

[Cory]

I cannot answer about that specific club. However, at many clubs, you do not have to be a member to shoot a competitive event such as USPSA. Therefore you would pay a match fee only and typically join USPSA later. My local private IDPA club just requires match fee and encourages non-club members to shoot. How do you define "near" - when I was a active USPSA shooter I drove all over the Southeast.

Near as in it is the only one that is close enough for me to regularly attended matches. It is about an hour away (45ish miles), there is one other club an hour an 38 minutes away (105ish miles). It's awesome that you had the ability and the means to travel over the entire region to shoot matches. I do not have that ability, but perhaps someday I will.

Right now I define near as a club that I could attend enough to become a "regular" with at least one match performance a month.

As far as not needing to be a member, there is mention of the match costing $20 for non members. But I haven't heard anything back from the club. Doesn't make it seem like a great place to go have fun at a match when they don't even respond to folks who WANT to shoot with them.

-Cory

[olstyn]

I cannot answer about that specific club. However, at many clubs, you do not have to be a member to shoot a competitive event such as USPSA. Therefore you would pay a match fee only and typically join USPSA later. My local private IDPA club just requires match fee and encourages non-club members to shoot. How do you define "near" - when I was a active USPSA shooter I drove all over the Southeast.

My experience with USPSA mirrors yours. Match fee only is typical. I am not a club member at either of the clubs I regularly shoot USPSA matches at (although I am a USPSA member). You don't actually need to be a USPSA member to shoot club level matches, and I know people who've been shooting matches for 4 years and aren't USPSA members. The only catch to that is that you don't get classified until you become a USPSA member. If you're just looking to try it out, I'd say show up at a match with your match fee ready. Unless it's a REALLY lame club, they're not going to turn away your money. It may even be a requirement of being a USPSA match that it be open to the public. I'm not sure, though - those who know can (and I'm sure will) correct me if I'm wrong on that point.

[Peally]

If the club is charging you 65 bucks for the mere ability to show up and pay to shoot a USPSA match that's incredibly shitty, and I'd imagine impossible to retain enough shooters to make it worth it.

I can almost guarantee unless they're insane all you need to do is show up and pay your match fee. Some places do a fee discount for range members, but that's about it.

I drive a couple hours for a good USPSA match too, I feel your pain there.

[Luke]

Driving around and going new places is half the fun man!


Also, most clubs seem to be run by middle aged guys who don't know how to turn on a computer, call them and ask!

[Lomshek]

I'm the match director for my local club.

Our match entry fee is $15 for adults and $5 for anyone under 18. No club membership is required to shoot.

As an added bonus if this is the shooter's first competitive shooting event ever (not just with us) the newbie shooter shoots free.

It wouldn't surprise me if an email request went unanswered as half of them probably go to some inbox that was setup and never checked. Maybe USPSA has a phone number for the match director.

Good luck Cory.

ETA - Some clubs charge an extra $5 if you're not a member but that's it. I don't travel much but can't imagine a club expecting everyone to be a member to compete as that guarantees no one will ever come from elsewhere.

[Sal Picante]

I know a few folks down around there... lemme see who I might be able to talk to. BGSL is a nice place to blast.

There aren't that many clubs that require membership in USPSA tonshoot a local - my club is unique in that we do require it since wed be swamped in a Wednesday night with beginners. Spec to shoot indoors around Chicago is pretty limited, additionally, we've got a limited amount of time and space.

[Leroy]

The match has two different entry fees if your a club member or not. Therefore, show up, pay $20, shoot, and have fun.